How Did We Get the Bible? – Inspiration
The church did not decide what should be in the Bible, but merely recognized the product of God-breathed inspiration.
God’s act of inspiration establishes the fact that the 66 books of the Bible are inerrant and infallible in every word. God makes no error in that which he inspires, regardless of the instrument. Further, since the Scriptures are inspired revelation from God, they are authoritative in all matters to which they speak. The consequence... Continue Reading
Fighting Fear: Psalm 56
We don’t escape fear by ignoring the things we’re afraid of…we escape fear when we place those things–and people–into the hands of God in prayer.
We will only give in to fear to the extent that we forget what God has done for us already. Specifically, the further our mind and heart wander from the cross of Christ, the more we will be subject to the pangs of fear. But those who force their heart to marvel at the cross... Continue Reading
There Are No Shortcuts to Growth
Casually attending to the things of the Lord will not result in our nurture. Visualizing or seeking a secret formula won’t help.
God’s work is easy for Him. He doesn’t look for shortcuts because He never grows weary. We get tired and frustrated, however. We’re tempted to look for the simple path, the quick answer, the effortless way forward. But there is none. Sanctification requires diligently attending to the means God has given us. The growth may... Continue Reading
U.S. Episcopal Diocese Votes to Stop Using Masculine Pronouns for God
The resolution to stop using "gendered language for God" was passed quickly by delegates to the Diocese's 123rd Convention.
“Jesus did not call God ‘Imma’ (Mother), but always and exclusively ‘Abba’ (Father),” Dr. Paul Tarazi of St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary explained. Indeed, “Father” is the only way Jesus ever referred to God, and the only way He taught His followers to do so. WASHINGTON, D.C., February 1, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – The Episcopal church... Continue Reading
Will You Still Know Me?
Oh child, will I still know you? I will know you in a crowd of a thousand.
Jesus wrote my name in the pages of eternity. He inscribed me on hands wounded by the weight of the sin of humankind. I am bookmarked chosen. When Heidi comes back, a white bandage covers what used to be a brown birthmark. Her eyes are open, searching for me. I lean down, kiss her forehead... Continue Reading
What Should We Make of the Massive Repetition of Tabernacle Details in Exodus?
How might we approach Chapters 35-39 of Exodus?
“There’s no avoiding the fact that Exodus dedicates exorbitant space to the architectural details of the tabernacle. And those details occur not only once but twice. Every preacher must solve the conundrum of how to preach Exodus without preaching the same sermon(s) multiple times.” I used to lead a small group Bible study in... Continue Reading
Praying For Our Children
I pray the same prayer every night. I lead in to it differently, but it stays pretty much the same.
“I don’t pray long winded prayers. I pray these words, kiss them on the cheek, and turn out the lights. True, they don’t know what theologians or missionaries are (yet) and they are not quite sure why I want them to be like trees, but those days will come. What is important now is that... Continue Reading
Know What Not to Say
Christians should be the most careful speakers in the world
“Every careless word.” That should stop us in our tracks. It should set us trembling, considering how many words we speak. And by “speak” I mean every word that comes out of our mouths, our pens, and our keyboards. We speak thousands of words every day, sometimes tens of thousands. Christians should be the... Continue Reading
What Does it Mean to Abide in Christ?
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you …” (John 15:7a).
In a nutshell, abiding in Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. In other words, our relationship to Christ is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles! Then, of course, as Christ’s Word dwells in us and the Spirit fills us, we will begin... Continue Reading
At Home in Wakanda
We rally around superheroes like the Black Panther because we hope that they can lead us to Wakanda.
Having watched a civil-rights documentary beforehand, I found the ideologies of the two main characters to be thought-provoking. And although Black Panther has good action scenes, strong characters, a decent narrative, and helpful questions about global responsibility, the enchantment of the movie for many blacks in the theater was not, in my estimation, about the hero per se,... Continue Reading