Our church continued our study of Ezra and Nehemiah in a series titled Repent, Restore, Rebuild. After reflecting on Ezra’s prayer of confession for the returning exiles (Ezra 9:5-15), I led our congregation in a similar prayer. Two members requested a copy after the service, so I’m sharing it here for others who may find it meaningful.... Continue Reading

Some manuscripts indicate the content of this blessing as that “of the gospel of Christ” (e.g., KJV), and other manuscripts have the shorter and simpler “of Christ” (e.g., NASB). Either way, the context deals with Paul’s gospel ministry, so all the blessing that believers share together is thanks to Christ and stems from the gospel.... Continue Reading

In your crisis, God is not tapping His foot, waiting for you to figure it out. In Christ, you have His righteousness, His strength, His everything. In Christ, you are equipped – not because you are enough, but because He is.   God has given you all you need for life and godliness in Christ... Continue Reading

Scrupulosity is going to cause you to doubt your standing with God all the time. It’s not always a raging fire; sometimes it’s merely a smoke alarming blaring. There comes a point where you have to say, “I am going to have the faith that I am okay.”   Imagine you are standing inside a... Continue Reading

“For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although... Continue Reading

On the macro-level, the size of the universe, its rate of growth, and the nature and existence of galaxies, stars, and planets depend largely on the force of gravity. While we sometimes take gravity for granted, the precisely calibrated gravity in the universe is puzzling; Susskind describes it as an “unexplained miracle.”   The appearance... Continue Reading

So one of the things that I do see, especially of people of my age and even in myself, is a tendency to emphasize in our theology things that have a lot of bite online, and then we don’t want to talk about other things that aren’t as viral—things that don’t have the same kind... Continue Reading

Nothing saps the spirits like reaching the end of a prayer and getting a whimper of an “Amen”. I can think of one congregation where I almost jump at how loudly everybody says it! It’s great. It says: “we’re present and engaged in this worship!”. It seals our worship.   I probably said it at church... Continue Reading

Jesus says something very similar in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:10, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”   In the opening line of the book of Psalms, the psalmist declares, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel... Continue Reading

Add to this the weight of responsibility to live before a watching world in such a way that I commend the gospel (Matt 5:16, 1 Thess 4:11, 1 Pet 2:12). It makes me feel like I am never ‘off the hook’. How do I deal with this burden? What does it look like to live... Continue Reading