A preacher passionately delivers a sermon to a diverse congregation inside a church. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 Watching so many of those who claim to be spiritual leaders fall from grace leaves my heart searching for answers. This week, the topic of legalism or …
The Unprecedented Rules of the Kingdom
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 Since the beginning of time, humans have imagined their deities as wrath-filled gods in need of appeasement. Ultimately, every man's god was like the man himself: flawed, doling out justice in his own best interest, given to fleshly desires and appetites. Kings, …
Realigning Ourselves Under King Jesus
An ancient mikveh in Israel. When my daughter and I visited Israel in 2019, we learned about the ritual cleansing baths called mikvehs. Mikvehs were closely associated with the temple so that priests could be cleansed before entering to offer sacrifices. Often, one set of steps led into the water, and another set of steps …
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 …
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 …
The Contradiction of Sinners
Happy 2026, my friends! I hope your year is off to a great start, and you have made some commitments that are helping you form healthy new routines. For those of you who are sticking to a new Bible reading schedule, I am praying that you stay faithful and that it becomes your new …
His Song in the Night 