We humans are people of words. God designed us to be that way. But as valuable as words are, the Bible tell us there is something beyond our words that must not be missed. Our words, our spirit, our actions, our faith must all point to a common life-giving thread: our relationships. Relationships are not sustained primarily through our words, they are sustained by the power God’s Spirit. The most important relationship is the one that makes all others possible. Knowing Jesus Christ is the one relationship that matters above all else. James teaches us how destructive words can be. Insensitive words are like sparks that can ignite a roaring fire. If your words have been hurtful to others simply […]
Yearly Archives: 2017
175 posts
Today is the anniversary of 9/11. Sixteen years ago, the word terror took on a new, fresh meaning, indeed a terrifying meaning. It was the formal beginning of a war and a new way of life which shows no signs of ending any time soon. This war is fought by targeting children, shoppers, office workers, airplane passengers, and folks simply wanting to go for a walk. The weapons are often not instruments of war, but the common vehicles of daily transportation. The battlefields are not marked by soldiers lining up for battle, but by city streets, or office buildings, or by tourist attractions. The purpose of this war is not to win a piece of land or conquer a country. […]
This spectacular photo was taken in Jacksonville, Florida, as Hurricane Irma began to move towards the state. The rainbow is a promise from God that there are limits to his wrath. At this moment, we can only imagine the devastation that Irma might bring. But beyond the storm clouds, the wind, the rain, and the surges, the promise of God’s rainbow shines in radiant beauty. Hurricanes remind us of the fury and harshness of life and even of our own sin. Just as the winds and the waves of the storm damage our environment, the storms of sin ravage the landscape of our lives. Beyond the storms, beyond the hurt, there is grace of God. To the world the rainbow […]
First there was Harvey. He drifted through the Gulf of Mexico without much punch, crossed the Yucatan Peninsula and quickly and unexpectedly became a deadly hurricane. Harvey’s destructive power came because his progress was stalled over the Houston area for days where he dumped over 50 inches of rain in some places. The resulting flooding and devastation were unprecedented. Many called Harvey, with good reason, a once-in-a-lifetime event. Now, less than two weeks later, Irma has become the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic. Her winds have been as high as 185 miles per hour. The entire state of Florida is under an emergency alert. Irma also has the potential to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. What are we […]
When you have an argument you have a choice: you can win or you can love. The word “love” in this phrase seems awkward and out of place, doesn’t it? The conventional wording is you can win or you can lose. But as with other things in the Christian life, God’s ways are radically different than our own. The idea that an argument or discussion is about winning or losing is flawed at its core. God has called us to honor him with love and not be focused on winning or losing arguments. What a novel thought! Instead of winning arguments the Holy Spirit calls you to love, that is to be patient, not be rude or self-seeking, not to […]
This is a short story of two young men with two radically different views of the same treasure. One thought he could not live without the treasure and one who knew could not live with it. This is the choice your teenagers face: should they live for what they can see or for what they can’t see? Moses, as a young man, was offered all the treasures of ancient Egypt. They were the best his world had to offer. Power, possessions, prestige — they were all his. All he had to do was be passive and enjoy the providential circumstances that were literally dropped in his lap. But he said no to all of that. Instead he chose disgrace for […]
Man was designed for friendship–with God and with other people. In the beginning, these friendships would have been based on upon total trust and fidelity. Think of the wonder of the whole planet being united in dependence, submission, relationship and purpose. That would be nothing short of joy on the earth. But as you know, because of the Fall, we will have to wait for heaven to see that reality fully worked out. We see only glimpses now of what could have been in our human relationships, and we live with the reality of just how tragic and destructive human relationships have become. Despite these obstacles, people are still looking for friendship. But without God, friendship is sought for selfish […]
A few days ago a tropical storm weakened as it approached the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. But when the system reemerged into the Gulf of Mexico it began to move towards the coast of Texas and grew quickly into a powerful category 4 hurricane named Harvey. Do not allow the public media to deceive you into thinking that mythical Mother Nature birthed Harvey. This storm is not merely the random result of an intense area of low pressure coincidentally interacting with 2 high pressure centers that will potentially result in portions of the Texas coast receiving over 30” of rain, destructive winds and storm surges. Mother Nature has nothing to do with Harvey! This is the work of the […]
Proverbs commends the excellence of wisdom. This is no secret! But familiarity too often breeds neglect—if not contempt. It is helpful to stop for a moment to consider what the pursuit of wisdom looks like today. To set the stage, here are some basics about wisdom: No one is born wise. Therefore, the first prerequisite for being wise is to come to a saving relationship with Christ. If one is to be wise, it must come from a diligent and relentless pursuit of wisdom. The pursuit of wisdom is not natural or easy. Biblical wisdom is unlike anything that can be achieved by human effort. Your children will be dominated by foolishness unless they desire and pursue wisdom above all […]
NASA says that there are at least 2 or 3 eclipses of the sun every year and 2 total eclipses every 3 years. But this one is huge because so many people will be in the path of totality as it crosses the United States. What are you to make of this cosmic display? Beyond the unique setting and the wonder of the eclipse, the most important story that this eclipse tells is God’s story. God asks Job a question that at once reveals Job’s limitations and God’s infinite power: Where does light come from, and where does darkness go? Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there? (Job 38:19-20) This is a profound […]