I was on a scriptural safari. Prowling through the Ephesian letter, I was tracking an elusive, totally unrelated verse when God’s sharp sword flashed, suddenly slicing me to the core. . . . speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians […]
Read MoreTag Archives: Ephesians
In All Things Give Thanks
It was one of those days when everything seems just a tiny bit off. A day when it feels like there’s a grain of sand in your shoe, but it’s not enough to spoil the walk. A day of unexpected glitches and missteps in communication. A day where perspective makes all the difference . . […]
Read MoreThe Full Gospel…And Nothing More
In Bible college I sat under Dr. Charles Ryrie for a course in soteriology—the doctrine of salvation. He opened the first lecture with this instruction: “Take out a piece of paper. You have less than one minute to share the gospel with a stranger, or he’ll be lost for eternity. Write down what that person […]
Read MoreRedeeming the Seasons of Life
Some years ago I surprised my family by taking them to “Disney on Ice.” When I pre-purchased the tickets, the salesperson warned me that they offer no refunds. “Fine,” I said and scribbled the date and time on my calendar. As the date approached, I watched my daughters’ excitement reach a fever pitch. Not even […]
Read MoreSancti-fried
We’ve all been there. Slowly climbing the narrow road of the Christian life, we suddenly take a bad step and end up blowing it . . . again. The progress we had made along that precarious path becomes pointless as we slide down that craggy ledge and find ourselves once again brushing the dirt off […]
Read MoreHow to Begin a Relationship with God
The world is filled with competing theories about God, religion, and salvation. Alternate views of Jesus vie for our attention at every turn. Different paths to different gods market themselves in the ever-changing desert of ideas. Yet in the midst of this world of contradictory claims, Jesus Christ made a bold assertion: “I am the […]
Read MoreHow Firm Is Your Foundation?
Gaps, cracks, and droops. Sticking doors, scraping windows, and sagging floors. If you live in a part of the world with soft soil or an extreme climate, you know about foundation problems. Unless you plant your piers on the bedrock, your house could very well shift, sink, or settle. In the same way, without digging […]
Read MoreBreaking Point: One Pastor’s Story of Pain, Porn, Addiction, and Redemption
It’s 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, and I’m logging on the Internet to check my email, read a newspaper article, and begin research for Sunday’s sermon. Well, that’s what I’m trying to convince myself. But I know exactly what I’m doing. When my secretary leaves at two, I will be alone in the building. I will […]
Read MoreThe Devil Made Me Do It?
More than thirty years ago Flip Wilson kept America in stitches with his television characters “Reverend Leroy,” the friendly, pompous pastor of the “Church of What’s Happening Now,” and “Geraldine Jones,” the sassy African-American woman in a miniskirt. Whenever Geraldine would impulsively buy a dress—or do anything she shouldn’t—she excused her urge by uttering the […]
Read MoreTell Me a Story Daddy
“Tell me a story Dad!” “In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.” So begins Eric Carle’s children’s story The Very Hungry Caterpillar… I love story-time with my three girls: curling up together to read a favourite book before bedtime; watching little fingers turn pages, and sharing with them in […]
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