Monthly Archives: May 2011

11 posts

Summer Is Coming

After Memorial Day, summer inevitably arrives. From the rising thermometer to the seemingly endless end-of-school-year events, the heat is on. Schedules that have controlled the last nine months are now in flux. Perhaps the annual vacation is just around the corner and a thousand things still need to be done. Or perhaps the rising gas prices have forced some changes in the vacation schedule.  The grass is growing once again.  The mower is acting up once again. All of this and more makes summer a time that is both longed for and dreaded. Sometimes it seems the one constant theme of summer is problems and more problems.

Remember

Today is a day of national remembrance for the United States:  Memorial Day. We pause collectively to remember that many have died for our benefit.  On this day of remembered sacrifice, it is humbling to consider why so many have offered their lives so that we could live in freedom. We could think, as many do, that these sacrificial deaths are proof of an inherent goodness in man, and that despite all man’s negative traits, the spark of goodness remains. Surely, the willingness to die in battle shows that man is basically good in some way.  But such thinking would miss the mark, eliminating the need for Christ to die for sin. But if man is totally depraved, then how […]

A Word to Fathers about Respect

One complaint that is shared by many fathers is that they are not respected by their families.  Some of us, as fathers, tend to think that family life would be much better if our wife and children just showed a little more respect.  But respect does not happen in a vacuum, or on demand. On the one hand, God’s people are commanded to respect the people that God has placed in authority over us.  Fathers meet that qualification—see Ephesians 6:1-3.  But there is also another component of giving respect.  Respect can be won by action.  Hear what Hebrews says about respecting fathers:

The Fear of God and the Gospel

The opening words of Proverbs state that the fear of God is where to begin to understand how life works. Then, just to strengthen the point, Solomon says the people who think they have no need of God despise the fear of God. If Proverbs 1:7 is one of the verses you have memorized, you might be thinking that you don’t remember the verse exactly this way.  The verse actually reads this way: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. The verse is saying that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of knowledge.  But fools, those who say there is no God, despise this foundation, i.e., the fear of […]

Camping Out – Part 2

Today is May 21. The six p.m. deadline has passed, and at last report the rapture has not occurred. Some are embarrassed, some are elated, some are confused, some are amused; some mock and others are angry. For sure, it must be a difficult time for Harold Camping and his followers. But what about Christians who believe the Bible is true, who believe that Jesus Christ will return at the hour of God’s choosing? It is easy to feel frustration because our faith is being mocked by people around the globe and around the block. How does God want us to respond?

Camping Out

I had decided not to blog about the Harold Camping prediction—the prediction that the rapture will occur tomorrow, and the end of the world will happen next October. But after hearing Rush Limbaugh mention it on his show, I need to comment.  Atheists have had a field day mocking this prediction. Fox News and other networks have run stories about Camping’s predictions.

Don’t Just Take Our Word For It…

Red Like Blood is being well received for its bold presentation of the power of grace in broken lives.  Many have given up – believing that there is no hope in winning their battles with sin. Pornography, substance abuse and despair have robbed thousands of hope. But the message of the grace of Jesus Christ knows no boundaries. This is theme of Red Like Blood – the power of Grace! If you know someone enslaved by the things of this world, if you know someone who has lost hope – Red Like Blood offers hope. Here are some comments from some folks you can trust about Red Like Blood: Justin Taylor Bob and Joe shouldn’t be friends. They have different […]

I’m Not Sure

Parenting, Proverbs and the Gospel I’m not sure, is an increasingly popular response among a teenager and young adults when they have a decision to make. For example: Will you be home for dinner tonight? Where would you like to go to college? What kind of friends do you want to have? My folks are out of town; would you like to spend the weekend with me? What do you want to do after college? What did you think of the pastor’s sermon last Sunday? Do you want to party after the game? Would you like to go to a Bible study? Are you ready for marriage?

Honoring Your Mother 24/7

Flowers and gifts on Mother’s Day are very good. But God has called us to honor our mothers and wives in greater ways as well. The gospel changes everything about life. The gospel does not draw its power from human performance, but rather, human efforts draw their power from the Holy Spirit. His power is not limited by human weaknesses. So when we read the exhortation of Proverbs 31:31 to honor mothers and wives for all that they have done, we are not rating their performance, but instead,  we are honor them with gratitude simply for who they are. Motherhood is part of the plan of God to bring glory to himself. For Christians, we have the additional blessing of […]

Crying Out for Wisdom: Parenting, Proverbs and the Gospel

The book of Proverbs has more to say about the practical side of parenting than any other book of Scripture. This makes the study and mastery of Proverbs a must for parents.  All of Scripture was written ultimately by the Holy Spirit, who both anticipated the coming of Christ and built upon his advent with every word he breathed out for our good. Proverbs is no exception. If you want to teach your children the true meaning of Proverbs, you must do so through the lens of the gospel. Understanding the cultural and linguistic issues is vital, but no more so than understanding that the Holy Spirit anticipated that coming of Christ and his teaching in Proverbs. The following series […]