We think God won’t mind a few sins here and there. The problem with this thinking is that we don’t get it. We don’t get how holy God is, and we don’t get how sinful we are. Isaiah understood it when he saw a vision of the Lord in his glory. He cried out, And... Continue Reading

Our culture calls many things “hate speech”, but Scripture clearly defines it as any speech which denigrates people’s nature as God’s image-bearers and any speech—or silence—that promotes sinful and destructive behavior.  In order to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must pray for them, acknowledge their personhood, and lovingly seek their good by confronting sin... Continue Reading

When Jesus says, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone,” he is really saying that he is indeed good, and therefore he is God. The rich young ruler, merely intending to be respectful, was speaking more truly than he knew. His standard of goodness was woefully insufficient, as proved by his assessment... Continue Reading

God is in control and he is working all things for my good. Whatever comes my way, whether success or failure, victory or defeat, celebration or mourning, all have passed through the hands of my Father who loves me. Everything in my life is being used by God to sanctify me and bring me closer... Continue Reading

To combat fear, we must trust and confide in God’s character and promises. Scripture is replete with God’s promises to be with us, provide for us, protect us, comfort us, care for us, resource us, redeem us, sanctify us, and bring us into eternal glory. Hoping in God means knowing His promises and relying on... Continue Reading

Rather than loving Jesus so much that we hear his call and gladly do it, finding our contentment in Christ and pressing on for his glory because it is what we most want to do, we focus on ourselves, our felt needs and end up shying away from what Jesus asks because it doesn’t “meet... Continue Reading

Sometimes, people refuse the thing that will heal them because they fear the pain of treatment. Let us not be that way. Let us love the hand that strikes us for our good. And let us be willing to be that means of grace for others. Let us be willing to cause the pain that... Continue Reading

Other church gatherings beyond the main Sunday meeting are ready-made opportunities to live out the “one another” commands. Did you ever wonder if you are required to go to the Wednesday Bible study? It’s typically better to think not so much about what is expected, but what is beneficial. Yes, learning more Scripture at the Wednesday night meeting is a... Continue Reading

The disciples recognized again that this man from Nazareth, the son of Mary and Joseph, was also God. For everything else about which the disciples are confused, there is no doubt about the divinity of Jesus in the Gospels on the part of the disciples. The early disciples accepted as fact that Jesus is God.... Continue Reading

The heart of spiritual warfare has to do with seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness as opposed to seeking the kingdom of the world from which we have been delivered. That warfare takes place in our walk with Christ, and our work for Him. Paul explains: “For you were once darkness, but now... Continue Reading