If there is anything that irritates me more, it is Instagram Christianity. When Christians are struggling, they rarely open their Bibles to find comfort from God. No, they look for a meme, or a reel, or a "Word from the Lord" from their favorite Bible influencer. Men literally burned at the stake so we can …
Carrying Extra Weight
One thing that has surprised me about getting older is the near impossibility of losing weight. About ten years ago, I made a lifestyle change that helped me lose 35 pounds. Ten years later, I thought that if I reimplemented that same plan, the weight would fall off again. Not so. In fact, what …
Heaven Sent Humility
First-century Rome championed an honor-shame society. What this means is that above happiness, pleasure, or prosperity, honor and reputation ruled men's highest goals. Aristotle, from the 4th century B.C., wrote that "Honour and reputation are among the pleasantest things, through each person's imagining that he has the qualities of an important person; and all …
Coming Out of the Dark
Yesterday, two dear friends and I met to discuss John 9. We read the story of the man, born blind, who was unexpectedly healed when Jesus passed by him that day. He did not ask Jesus to heal him. He had probably never even entertained the idea that He would ever see. He did, …
Blessed Are They That Mourn
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Last June, I sat in the hospital with one of my children alone. Only one parent was allowed at a time, and there was no cell service there. It was a fear-filled time with so much still unknown. It was a time to …
Breaking News: Political Enemies Follow Jesus
If newspapers were written in 1st-century Jerusalem, the political opposition of Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot would have certainly made headlines. Jesus called Matthew from his tax-collecting table to follow Him. Matthew, of course, had sold out to the Romans and became rich at his fellow Jews' expense. To his credit, Matthew …
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Doest Thou Well to be Angry?
The following statements may surprise you. Anger is not a sin. Anger is not a result of the Fall. Anger is not straight out of Satan's toolbox. Anger, instead, is part of God's image that He placed within man at creation. The emotion of anger stems from God's holiness and His love. More than …
Mercy and Truth
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psalm 85:10 Often, while living in a fallen world, the lines are blurred between victim and perpetrator. Nothing so vividly illustrates this blurring of lines than the account of the adulterous woman brought to Jesus for justice in John 8:1-11. Her …
The Prince of Peace
A movie set in the 1950's reminded me that mistrust and divisions between race, political parties, and classes are not new. They are woven into human DNA. Hatred stems from Adam's first decision to disobey God, which resulted in the murder of his second son. Abel's innocence did not protect him from Cain's rage, and …
Unshakeable Truth in a World of Chaos
Pictures should reveal the whole story. Yet, in a world of artificial intelligence and social media perfection, the entire story can be easily edited to convey an entirely different narrative, contradicting the truth. Recent photos depicting the anti-ICE riots in Minnesota convey two very different narratives. Photos and statements are manipulated to influence people …
His Song in the Night 