“Side B” is not compassionate. It is evil because it waters down the cross and calls people to celibacy as the answer to their struggles rather than to the freedom that Christ has called us to. Christ offers so much more than a placating sentiment that says, “That sin is who you are—just don’t do... Continue Reading

We are not saved by being as good as we can or by doing as many good works as we can. We should do good things, of course, and be good people but we can never be good enough to save ourselves. We can only be saved by the Lord Jesus’s sacrifice of His perfect... Continue Reading

When we turn over our finances to the Lord, he may ask us to do some things that do not make sense to us and prove challenging, if we still tightly control the purse strings. Yet we still must acknowledge that God wants us to be wise stewards, too; so, how do we maintain financial... Continue Reading

A lot of movies are like this—confusing most of the way through, but then everything comes together at the end. Most mysteries work this way (for obvious reasons) but so do some dramas—such as “Les Misérables.” It can be tiring to watch a movie while waiting for the dots to connect, but these women are... Continue Reading

When we feel wronged by someone, our sinful, self-centered human natures gravitate to making a courtroom of sorts in our minds and hearts. We make a judgment of what the person has done, or not done, and then we proceed to give a “suitable” sentence, some kind of “punishment” according to our own sense of... Continue Reading

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to an enormous idolatrous statue on the plain of Dura, they were forced to defend their action before the most powerful ruler in the 6th-century-B.C. world. Nebuchadnezzar, seething with rage, threatened to throw them into a super-heated fiery stove. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s reply to... Continue Reading

These objects can hold even more meaning beyond their everyday use. God wired our brains so that the sight, smell, and even the feel of objects in our lives can pull up memories from our past. This is why the devastation of wildfires and natural disasters cuts so deeply. Victims aren’t crying over a random... Continue Reading

How often can we be charged with “darkening counsel” in conversation? We may not mean to, and I have to admit as a preacher and counselor this is something that is always on my mind when people ask me advice. Have I been listening to what’s actually going on or do I have a pre-packaged... Continue Reading

For mercy-doubters to become mercy-declarers, we must let Scripture be our measure. Skeptical hearts use the barometer of life’s ups and downs to take a read of God’s mercy. When the job lands, the house sells, or the tumor shrinks, and life’s current forecast looks favorable, God’s mercy appears bright as a July daybreak. But... Continue Reading

When you are gone and remembered occasionally by a few family members and friends, will you be celebrating the goodness of God in Heaven, or cursing God because of the punishment you are receiving in Hell for the sins you committed on Earth?   John Chrysostom (347-407) was a church father who served as archbishop... Continue Reading