The final word of the law is not condemnation but rest—Shabbat Shalom—the peace of sons and daughters who have learned to hear their Father’s voice and to trust that his commandments are life itself.    Most readers approach the Deuteronomic histories as a roadmap to earn God’s blessings: keep the commandments or lose the kingdom.... Continue Reading

The Gospel begins where thieves are caught and cry out for mercy. Christ came for robbers like us—the ones who squandered their hours, wasted their gifts, and mortgaged eternity for moments of ease.   The Thief in the Mirror Most burglars hide beneath the cloak of darkness, prowling in the shadows like rats in a... Continue Reading

So what kind of leaders do we need? If not driven by ambition, ideology or expediency, what other drive is there? Mission.   Every week, it seems there is another religious leader revealed to have a hidden shadow life of immorality, a ruthless approach to power and control, or a narcissistic personality. Is it just... Continue Reading

“When societies lose their belief in good and evil as real, metaphysical categories, they also lose the ability to recognize the oldest manifestation of evil in their midst. The hatred of Jews, therefore, survives because it finds refuge in a culture that no longer believes evil exists.”   Just 87 years ago Kristallnacht, or the... Continue Reading

Jesus invites us to become wise by first admitting that we need instruction. The irony of wisdom is that the more you are continually aware of your own ignorance and deficiencies, the more likely you are to live wisely.   When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed,... Continue Reading

Joy comes from God’s presence. Victory comes from God’s command. Even when “the nations rage” and “kingdoms totter” the kingdom of God will never fail (v. 6). The Lord “is with us” always and forever as “our fortress” (v. 7). Ultimately Jesus fulfills God’s promise to be with us, “And the Word became flesh and... Continue Reading

Sports are merely the arena where ideology collides with reality. The deeper problem? We are a people who have rejected truth, and God is letting us choke on the consequences. Romans 1 isn’t a metaphor. It’s a diagnosis…A debased mind cannot think straight, cannot see straight, cannot distinguish male from female, cannot protect the vulnerable,... Continue Reading

The tone of our voice, the words we choose, the way we respond – all of these things disclose our hearts. When James says that if we cannot bridle our tongue our religion is “useless,” he is reminding us that a lack of self-control in speech points to deeper heart issues. On the other hand,... Continue Reading

I learned a lot of things the hard way. My mother used to tell me, “Experience is a sure teacher, but it’s the harshest one.” Experience will not flinch when it decides to teach you a lesson. This is where the gospel can save you a good deal of pain and help you grow by leaps, because... Continue Reading

Demandsage reports: “The average US screen time has reached 7 hours and 3 minutes.” That is on average. That is each day. Extrapolate that over a year and it adds up to 2,573 hours spent on a screen. That is about enough time for one man to build a 1,500 square foot house from scratch.... Continue Reading