Better Than a Fresh Start: A Brief Biblical Theology of Ezra-Nehemiah
The real story is less about the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s ruined temple and walls and more about the ruined human heart.
Ezra-Nehemiah presents its readers with a question: What if God hit the reset button? What if God’s exiled people suddenly regained their land, rebuilt the temple, and were allowed to renovate the city walls? The answer is that without a new heart, God’s people remain in exile. The book(s) of Ezra-Nehemiah has held a... Continue Reading
Rude Awakening For The Christian Dreamer
With a belly filled with the stuff of dreams, the Christian dreamer is intoxicated by the euphoria of his religious “feelings” and will soon nod off “at ease in Zion.”
Perhaps you have seen this Christian dreamer. If so, you can surely spot his sluggish disposition. Unlike the aroused laborer-in-Christ who feeds on God’s word for the spiritual nourishment to serve, the Christian dreamer will prefer mythopoetic treats to stimulate his intellectual assent of God. He will often feast on the cotton-candy visions of fantasy... Continue Reading
Racial Tension, Riots, and a River of Living Water
If we were not awake to the fact that we are living in a fallen world before this, we should be awake now.
If we spend too much time focused on the news or following social media feeds, we will soon be defeated and worn. If we spend too much time focused on this world without turning our eyes heavenward, we will quickly be hopeless because this world is unable to satisfy. The emptiness of this world is... Continue Reading
The Exchange of Pleasures
Achieving a fitness goal and killing sin both happens through the exchange of pleasures.
These days I’m working on my pastor and dad bod which is notoriously not much to look at. My physique now isn’t what it was back in my early twenties and that’s okay. But back when I was a Certified Personal Trainer and Sports Nutrition Specialist, I learned many lessons that are transferrable to the... Continue Reading
Habits Aren’t the Point. Habits Are Important.
Are habitual approaches to spiritual growth really just a dressed-up version of Aristotle that has nothing to do with the Christian view of sanctification?
Strobel correctly identifies that habits aren’t really what makes us change. “Spiritual practices cannot form you, you cannot habituate holiness in this way.” He’s right. We don’t grow simply by becoming better habit-keepers. How do we grow, then? I’m a fan of Kyle Strobel. I was interested to hear him speak on a topic that... Continue Reading
What We Need Most at Present
We need to be looking to Christ by faith alone for our redemption (Eph. 1:7).
What we need more than anything at present is to know that God has created all things, and, that He upholds all the events of life in this world. When we know and truly believe these truths, we begin to realize “that we can be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and, that in all... Continue Reading
The Irony of Idolaters
Through Elijah’s escape, the Lord demonstrates to us yet again that the gods of Jezebel were false gods and powerless.
Beersheba was well south of Jerusalem and under the control and protection of godly King Jehoshaphat. Elijah left his servant in Beersheba, safe from Jezebel’s assassins, and went to be alone with the Lord. Great works of the Lord were shown to Ahab and Jezebel and yet seeing and hearing those works did not save... Continue Reading
The Call of Elisha
Until the Lord calls us to glory may we pursue our callings with all the energy and zeal that we see from Elisha.
Elijah’s mantle would take a very important place in Elisha’s life in the coming chapters, but what we will focus on today is the willingness of Elisha to forsake mother, father, home, and wealth to follow the call of the Lord.* The call of a prophet was not a luxurious call nor a safe call.... Continue Reading
Why I Preach Only One Funeral Message
One constant has to be Jesus. He is the hope of the gospel.
One funeral message. No grand theological insight or exegesis. I just tell the story. I know it well so I can look the mourners in the eye and tell them about Jesus. I open by asking them, what would Jesus say if He were here? What words of comfort and hope would He bring? And... Continue Reading
We Need Faith to Study the Bible
We must come to the Bible eager to discover and believe the truth.
Because the disciples were not expecting a Messiah who would suffer and die, their hopes were dashed. But Jesus says that they should have expected this! They were slow of heart to believe the prophets. (This includes Jesus, whom they describe as a prophet in Luke 24:19 and who spoke about his suffering and death... Continue Reading