500 years ago today a man nailed his beliefs about God’s grace on a church door. There was no one there to record the scene of a lone churchman with his hammer and papers with their phone. There were no posts to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. No one blogged about the event. The 24/7 news channels did not begin to speculate on what difference it would make if people actually believed the radical ideas that Luther posted and what the response of the church might be. Yet somehow, this single act altered the course of western civilization. Ideas are powerful. Ideas that proclaim the truth of God and the wonder of the Gospel are explosive! Because of the printing press, […]
Monthly Archives: October 2017
16 posts
If you love biblically, then your love for others will not be diminished by their failures. When love is all about you, bad things happen. Love must be defined by God, specifically by the work of his son, Jesus. The Holy Spirit tells us that we know what love is by how Jesus loved (1 John 3:16). By looking at Christ we see that love is other-centered, God-centered, not me-centered. This takes some radical rethinking. Love is not about what makes you feel good or happy. Love is dying to your wants, your desires, your dreams. Only by loving Jesus first can anyone experience this sort of love. When love is focused on what you want, disappointment is certain to […]
Authority has become a taboo word. In the 60’s the slogan, “Question Authority” morphed into a bumper sticker that has morphed into a deep distrust that cripples modern culture. This drift away from authority has a negative impact on families. Scripture says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Our culture is suspicious of this truth. If man is only the result of a random series of bio-chemical events, then the idea of being responsible to a divine authority is absurd. This is the mindset that today’s parents have been raised with. Time for a reality check! Here are some questions about authority which will help you assess how your parenting reflects the culture’s view of […]
Shepherding a Child’s Heart stresses the importance of engaging children at various age levels. With young children you want to firmly establish the authority of God and his directives not to lie. This is the time to establish that lying is wrong because God says it is. Lying is not serving God, and life will not go well for the liar. This is not a time for extensive reasoning and deep introspection. God hates lying, and it must be rejected. Swift, direct and loving discipline is appropriate. Lying is not a stage that will be naturally left behind. If not biblically addressed, lying will become a way of life. See Proverbs 12:19 & 22. With children in the second age […]
Children’s lies are a harsh reminder of the ugliness of sin. Your children come into this world as natural enemies of God. Telling the truth and avoiding deceit is not natural for them or you. Ephesians 2 teaches that we all seek first and foremost to gratify our own passions and desires, even if it means that others will be harmed. We are by nature children of wrath. The Psalmist agrees in Psalm 58:3: Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. There is not much support from the world around you for the idea that children are objects of wrath. But that doesn’t change reality. Recognizing the true nature of a […]
Life is hard. Life brings pain. Moments of happiness and joy fade quickly when darkness comes. When life is hard God calls out to his people, his voice remains strong and sure. It is in this setting that David writes Psalm 27. David has known joy and victory. But he has also known the despair of failure and agony. Some of this has come from the betrayal and manipulation of those closest to him. Some has been self-inflicted. David hears the call to doubt God. He hears the taunts of his oppressors. He hears that he is mocked and his God is mocked. He is tempted to believe that God is unfair. There is a taunt — “God, are you […]
In our deepest sadness we are rescued by joy. Joy has to do with the reality of God. Joy transcends the moment and extends into eternity. Joy does not fade but endures. Joy alone makes sense of the pain of life. Joy is the certain knowledge that what is unseen is more vast than what is seen. Joy is the fuel of hope. Joy means your circumstances are opportunities to honor your God. Joy is the evidence that you are never truly lost. Joy means you are not limited by a sin-cursed world. Joy means that you can love when you are hurt. Joy means that you can live for God when death surrounds you. Joy is knowing that God […]
Parenting is exhausting. There are countless remedies offered from every corner to make parenting easier and less stressful. Despite all the advice and strategies, when the day is done, so are many parents . Parents are weary not only because of the trials of the day just finished, but also weary because tomorrow is just a few hours away. In this in-between time, the tiredness often reaches its peak. The free advice and stress-reducing plans offer little consolation. Even Bible verses may seem disconnected from the pressures of getting ready for tomorrow. Perhaps the most discouraging realization is knowing that in the morning you will wake up as weary as you are now. Isaiah 55:8 reminds us that God’s thoughts […]
The good: rules make life work. They tell us: how fast to drive, what time to put your children to bed, how many calories to eat, how much to pay in taxes, how to balance your budget, what is acceptable behavior at school, what time to arrive at work, how to participate in sporting events, what not to do at the swimming pool, and many useful more things too numerous to count. The bad: following rules won’t make you acceptable to God. There is a problem with rules. They lack the power to draw you and your children closer to Christ! If your parenting is primarily about keeping rules, you will actually drive your children from Christ and provoke them […]
Click on the link below for the interview! Whatever terms you use to describe relationships, one thing is sure: Dating is hard. Pastor and professor Dr. Ernie Baker gives us advice on what to look for in a potential spouse from his book Marry Wisely, Marry Well. Lisa also grills Dr. Baker on why he once drove 700 miles overnight (hint: a girl was involved), and what happened when his fiancee had another guy enthusiastically chasing her. Listen at www.boundless.org.