The church has more beauty—and more value—than we can see with physical eyes. Like the Old Testament tabernacle that was covered on the outside with ram’s skins and goat hair but ornamented inside with gold and silver, the ordinary-looking church is actually much more than it seems.   Around the corner from where I live,... Continue Reading

We must pursue prayer and fasting as Daniel did. Daniel loved the Lord and served Him day and night. God mightily used him because of his faithfulness. He fasted and prayed and mourned for his people and God’s glory. Are we doing the same thing for our brethren?   10 Finally, be strong in the... Continue Reading

To serve the people well and be faithful to what the Lord has given us, we must look with vision at our new jobs. Grieve, yes. But to only bemoan the loss of what was will cause us to miss opportunities to serve people now.   Unless your industry has somehow remained stable and unphased... Continue Reading

If it is the case that apart from Christ we can do nothing that means that disciples must be taught what it means to abide in Christ and how to abide in Christ. Otherwise, all the disciplines and rituals of Christian practice are just for show.   As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,... Continue Reading

Stop worrying that the enemy is stronger than Jesus. How many Egyptians have to drown in the Red Sea before we will stop fretting? How many Hamans have to hang on their own gallows? How many Jezebels have to be thrown over the wall? How many Philistines have to be covered in boils? God is... Continue Reading

The conflict between good and evil is at the heart of all great stories, and the best ones offer thoughtful insights into this conflict. Is it possible that we might be able to learn something about good and evil from a fantasy story such as The Lord of the Rings? It is quite possible indeed.... Continue Reading

In order to be faithful doers of the Word, we need to think more deeply about the biblical nature of ethical instruction and how to cross the bridge from hearing to doing. Recognizing the bridge that connects our listening and acting will help those of us who read the Bible daily, listen to sermons weekly... Continue Reading

Natural man looks at the cross and the message of the Gospel and scoffs. However, when the Holy Spirit moves through the preaching of it, opening hearts to it, then the object of God’s love sees it as the most glorious wisdom. Then they see the wisdom of the world as the ultimate foolishness.  ... Continue Reading

Are the restrictions on certain aspects of corporate worship such as singing an Acts 5 situation worthy of civil disobedience? These kinds of questions are becoming more and more frequent in some contexts, at least in the United States. I am certain many are going to disagree with my thoughts on these issues. It may... Continue Reading

What does YHWH actually mean? After many past attempts and failures, it is now commonly agreed that the Hebrew word יהוה, represented by YHWH, does not in itself represent any other noun, adjective, or verb in the Hebrew language. It seems to have been coined to be God’s name, and only to be God’s name.... Continue Reading