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Marijuana and the presidential debate

Last night a leading presidential candidate dismissed marijuana as a serious health threat. A couple of other candidates challenged this view. Just to clarify I have reposted an article by Dr. Charles Hodges, author of Good Mood Bad Mood. Dr. Hodges posts a clear warning about the dangers of this drug. It is worth your time. Here is his article: I have written often about the perils of the recreational use of marijuana and I cannot resist writing again. The cause for my writing is that the New York Times that has stumbled into the reality that smoking pot does little if any good for those who smoke it. And it has the potential for great harm.[i] In an October […]

Obedience is Love

Teaching your children that obedience is love will radically impact your parenting. Paul tells children to obey their parents. To rightly understand Paul’s admonition to children, we must remember how Paul previously described obedient living to the Ephesians. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 Walking in the way of love is the path of blessing. This truth of this verse must not be separated from what Paul writes in Ephesians 6:3. Otherwise, obedience becomes about performance and earning approval. Obedience is not about doing what I say or else. Obedience […]

Don’t let truth slip away

The children of Israel were about to leave the immediate protection of God’s special care. In a way it is not unlike when your own children leave your home and face the hostility of a world that has little love for God. For forty years Israel had known protection very much what like you provide for your kids. Manna was provided for them every day. The lived under the safety of the giant cloud that provided shade during the day and light at night. Their clothing and sandals did not wear out. God shielded them from having to provide these basic necessities, just as you provide special care for your kids now. And like with your children this care was […]

Christ and Schoolwork

School doesn’t always get off to a good start. So when things don’t go well in school this is an opportunity to call your children to faith in Christ. One of the purposes of all the work is to drive us to Christ and his gospel (Col. 3:17). In order to encourage your children to trust God, you must first encourage them with the gospel message of grace. Colossians 1 teaches that all authorities are established and control by Christ. Thus schoolwork is sent to your children by Jesus. Schoolwork is a wonderful opportunity to teach your kids how God is involved in all the details of life. So, when your children struggle with schoolwork, your first step is to encourage […]

9/11 was Friday

Today is Sunday 9/13. Like Friday, there was no attack on our country. Many of you went to church this day and arrived home safely. What does that mean? For many of us it means that we have, once again, forgotten how dependent we are upon on God’s care. Not everyday is December 7th, or September 11th. But they could be. And, truthfully, no one knows what September 14th will be remembered for. What we do know is that each day you and I are totally dependent upon God’s faithfulness for our safety, whether we acknowledge that reality or not. Gather your family this night and thank God for the care that he provides. Ask his forgiveness for so easily […]

It’s 9/11 – Are you safe?

There is evil in the world. This 14th anniversary of 9/11 is a testimony to this fact. Evil is the natural state of all humans. The streets of some major American cities appear no safer than the roads of Afghanistan. Evil, wicked actions are a part of life, whether we pass laws to the contrary or not. It is comforting to know that the control and power of God extends even to the actions of evil men. We know this from many places in Scripture, here are two verses that speak to this issue: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as […]

Grace, the gateway to the heart

All humans are born with a terminal condition; we are born as unholy enemies of God. The problem is that this condition is not politically correct. It is no longer popular to say that all people are in need of the salvation that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. The only hope that mankind has is the grace of God. Your children are born with this terminal condition. Parenting strategies that attempt to manipulate and motivate behavior apart from God’s grace do not solve the problem of rebellion to God. Changing behavior is not the main issue. Changing the heart is what matters. Sharing toys to make play time less stressful is not grace. Speaking kindly because this makes parents […]

I’m sorry or I repent?

Saying “I’m sorry” is something anyone can do. Sorry doesn’t require change, only an acknowledgement that you messed up. Sorry is a way out of a problem, not the beginning of a new path. Sorry doesn’t require the power of God. If you will forgive the pun, “I’m sorry” is a sorry pretender to the biblical response “I repent” when sin is committed. The Holy Spirit makes this sharp distinction between repentance and its worldly alternatives. It is the difference between life and death. Note well the wonderful promise of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 7:10: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. One reason that the presentation of the […]

Nineveh and Washington D.C.

The ancient city of Nineveh and Washington D.C. are not dissimilar. Nineveh was powerful, prestigious and evil. The same is true for Washington. Nineveh had no regard for the Living God of Scripture. The same is true for Washington. Nineveh was called to repentance by the Word of God. The same is true for Washington. You might be asking where is the modern day Jonah calling for the city to repent or face destruction. The answer is that there is a voice in Washington more potent than Jonah’s. There are thousands and thousands of Bibles throughout the city and millions more throughout the land. Every leader in the city has access to one. Many even went to Sunday School! God’s […]

What do you ask God for?

In Psalm 27 David tells you about what he most wanted from God. He wanted to live in the house of the Lord forever. He knew that God would hide him in his sanctuary. He knew he would be safe in God’s house. But here is the problem. David did not live in God’s house and he was no stranger to troubles. So what is David talking about in Psalm 27? What can you learn from his words? What we know from other Psalms is that David’s heart was the place where he sought God. It was in his heart that he knew the joy of living with God. The joy that David expresses in Psalm 51 flows from the […]