A Texas superstore. A Dayton entertainment district. A school. These should be safe places, but they were not. Why? The Holy Spirit wrote Scripture knowing exactly what fears you would face in this your life. The face of terror is ugly and unnerving. Cafes, concerts, sporting events, and church are common gatherings that traditionally have provided places of safety and refuge. But as the terror of the dark human heart is revealed before our eyes, the reality is that there is no place apart from God where anyone is truly safe. What happened in Texas and Ohio this past weekend could just as easily have happened to anyone of us and our families. Evil may wear the face of an […]
Culture
Psalm 46 was written for difficult times, times like this past weekend in El Paso and Dayton. These opening verses are filled with the drama of life-dominating events. But even in chaos and turmoil, God is our refuge, the one we can hang on to: God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Jacob was someone who knew that he needed to trust God. He made a mess out of his life. He struggled with God and with people. […]
Is it worth it to be pure? People have been asking this question for thousands of years. The pursuit of purity seems to be out of touch with a life of enjoyment. Purity means dull, boring and unexciting, at least that is what conventional wisdom believed for millennia. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a commercial shouting out the value of being pure and decent? A songwriter felt this tension 3,000 years ago. In frustration, he complained that fat cats got whatever they wanted. God and biblical morality were mocked in his world, very much like they are today. People lived for pleasure and suffer no harm from their lustful pursuits. The songwriter observed that people were not […]
Abram and Lot had a good problem. The Lord had blessed them abundantly, so much so, that they needed to separate because the land could not sustain them both. Abram offered a gracious plan to Lot. He told Lot to choose the direction he wanted to inhabit and he, Abram, would go in the opposite direction. It was a generous offer! However, Mr. and Mrs. Lot made a choice that did not reflect the honor of God as Abram’s did. Standing on the high plains, they looked down at the rich and lavish lower valley of the Jordan River. They chose what was best for them, or so they thought. The land was well-watered and beautiful, earning the name “The […]
The book of Judges speaks of a people who once loved justice and truth, a people who loved God. But these people grew weary of the constraints of loving God and his truth. They devolved into being true to themselves. They became focused on doing what was right in their own eyes. They did what they wanted and expected God to bless them anyway. America, too, has moved on from the Bible and its views of morality. She now worships three modern substitutes for the living God of the Bible. These new “gods” have emerged to succeed and improve the supposed outdated structure of biblical Christianity. Here they are: Public Opinion Public opinion has assumed the role of Scripture. When […]
Well, let’s not get too extreme! Yes, you love going to church, but on balance, everyone has a life apart from church. It is important to avoid going to church just out of a sense of duty. Legalism is depressing. Sometimes a chill Sunday morning is priceless. These are easy thoughts to have, even when you do go. However, there are places on our planet where Christians are literally dying because they go to church. News agencies like the BBC are reporting that the murder of Christians is approaching genocide levels, especially in sub-Sharan Africa and in many places in Asia. Yet, people continue to go to small, wooden buildings knowing that they could be burned alive inside on any […]
You may think you know exactly who your enemy is. Your enemy is your unhappy spouse. Your enemy is your stubborn teenager. Your enemy is your ungrateful boss. Your enemy is your friend who said something you don’t like. Your enemy is the economy or the job market. Your enemy is your sickness. Your parents are your enemy. In short, you may think life is your enemy. The truth is that most of the time you are wrong. You are likely to believe the enemy is the people and circumstances you encounter. When this happens your energy is spent fighting the wrong target! You need God’s wisdom to identify your actual enemy, otherwise, you become like the fool in Proverbs […]
If someone asked you what is your goal in life, and you answered “to pursue purity,” it would, for sure, be an unexpected answer. However, when James describes what wisdom that honors God looks like, the first word he selects is pure. Peter urges us to love one another from a pure heart. Purity is vital to a life that honors God. In the New Testament, to be pure is to be genuine, authentic, and undefiled. These are qualities that would enhance any life endeavor and any relationship! So, being pure is sounding a little more attractive. Here is an extended definition of purity: Purity is a dynamic expression of godly character. It radiates through the whole person. Purity is […]
Men, pornography is a lie. You think you are attracted to it because of sexual temptation. That is a lie of the enemy! Yes, the lure is about sexual lust is real. But the attraction to pornography is also about the degradation and humiliation of women for your own lusts. Indulging in pornography promotes and aids human trafficking, slavery, physical abuse, emotional abuse, rape and, in some cases, death. In short, viewing of pornography is finding pleasure in the slavery and destruction of women. The enemy has deceived you into thinking that pornography is about fulfilling your sexual fantasies and lusts. The enemy is laughing all the way to hell as, literally, tens of millions of men and women believe […]
Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Gifts were given. Some carefully planned and thoughtful, others, not so much. The flowers are in their vases, the chocolate has been enjoyed, the calendar has a new date. But the most important question still remains. How is your relationship? Did last night help to make it stronger? Do doubts still remain? Does the new morning bring new worries? The answers to these questions are found in the relationship that matters most – your relationship with God. Knowing and loving God gives significance to all other relationships. This morning after, one thing is certain above all others, God has not changed. He is constant. This means the content of love does not change. […]