I Wasn’t Ready for Marriage
I wasn’t ready for marriage, and You. Will. Never. Be. Ready.
We weren’t “ready” for marriage. We hadn’t tried it out. According to conventional wisdom, we were “unprepared.” We didn’t take a turn in the Marriage Simulator. We didn’t live together for seven years and slowly glide into it. We were two, apart, only dating — courting, really — until we were one. We were unmarried,... Continue Reading
Jesus Is Better
Life in Jesus is so much richer, fuller, and better than any life apart from him
One who attempts to quench his thirst in seawater will only find himself thirstier still. If he keeps drinking, eventually he will die. Likewise, one who attempts to quench his spiritual thirst with temporal stuff will only find himself thirsty for more. This world’s treasures simply cannot satisfy our souls. They were never intended to... Continue Reading
Death To Healthy, Wealthy And Happy
I hate the prosperity gospel or any teaching that suggests good Christians will be healthy, wealthy and happy
I know healings do happen and I am glad that they do. I believe I saw one in the last month. But I hate the prosperity gospel. It focuses on here-and-now benefits, leaving people unprepared for hardships. Some even feel guilty when they suffer because they assume they have done something wrong and have yet to figure... Continue Reading
The Ten Commandments: Nothing New
The presentation of God’s Law at Mt. Sinai was new, but its revelation was not
Therefore, let us discern the difference between the permanent and the temporary laws of God, and let us strive to keep God’s universal and permanent commandments. They are good, pleasant, wise, true and mandatory; even if Moses had the privilege of hearing them, holding them, and presenting them afresh to his people. God has... Continue Reading
Do We Really Need More Worship Songs?
Yes, we do need more worship songs – but with some rather large caveats
I have to confess that a significant minority of the new songs I come across each year on various websites, events and albums fail to do any of the above. They are little more than a re-ordering of stock phrases in circulation among existing songs, just married to a new tune. It feels to me... Continue Reading
We Become How We Worship
Worship is so powerful that we not only take on the image of what worship, but we also take on the image of the manner and style of our worship
If we become how we worship, the more we exercise faith in Sunday worship the more faith we will have Monday to Saturday. The more we trust in the Lord in church, the more we will trust in him in the world. Faithless and life-less Sunday worship produces faithless and lifeless Christians at home, at work, and... Continue Reading
On the Road With God
Do we close the car door, start the engine and leave God behind?
His car spun into a full turn and was now directly in front of us. We were going to hit him broadside. I yelled out, “Lord, don’t let us hit him!” No sooner did the words come out of my mouth than his car immediately did another spin which sent him to the cement divider... Continue Reading
The Power of an Hour
I never really understood the value of a single hour
If you took one hour per day away from the TV and gave it to the reading of the Early Church Fathers, you would have a truly astonishing theological education in about four years. If you read as fast as I did (and I was reading as slowly as I know how), the figure falls... Continue Reading
Vatican Blasts UN Panel Demanding it Change Its Position Against Abortion
The U. N. Convention on the Rights of the Child issues a statement directing the Roman Catholic Church to change its teachings on abortion and sexuality
The Church should no longer automatically excommunicate those who perform or assist in the performance of an abortion, the UN experts said ….Church teaching on marriage and sexuality should also change according to the observations, because it prevents adolescents from accessing contraception. In addition the experts said Church teaching on homosexuality contributes to “social stigmatization... Continue Reading
New York City Public School Kids Getting New Muslim, Lunar New Year Holidays
New holidays added to school calendar
Mayor de Blasio said Monday that he’d move forward with closing schools for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, two Muslim holy days, and for Lunar New Year. But he was hesitant regarding Hindu festival Diwali… A spokesman for the Indian community appealed to the mayor to recognize the Hindu holiday. New York City is... Continue Reading