Biblical Christianity is not limited to one culture. The earthly biblical heritage of Christianity is the Ancient Near East, which has influenced Asian, African, and European traditions. In short Christianity addresses not the heart of a particular culture or ethnic background, but the heart of man. Sin is not limited to one culture. It is deeply ingrained in all cultures. Wherever there is man, there is sin! Thus, God has revealed his righteousness to all the nations. All of the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of God. God chose a time and place in the timeline of human history where the message of the gospel would be spread to all the earth. So, Christmas is about the […]
Gospel
350 posts
The darkness of the world is total. When you are overcome by anger, resentment, bitterness, despair there is no light – only darkness. God has something better for you. People who are walking in darkness will see a great light. Light is the great promise of the Christ-child. As Isaiah proclaims, it is God who turns darkness into light. Take time to remind your children and yourself that life without Christ is deep, utter darkness. May God grant you faith to live by the light and turn from darkness. May the light of Christ shine in the dark, troubled places of your heart. Rejoice! The light of Christ has come. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; […]
Peace on Earth is a phrase associated with Christmas. But then a quick survey of the planet brings the response, “Not so much!” Why is that? Could the promise of Peace on Earth be false? Let’s start with what was the proclamation that the angels made over 2,000 years ago: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 So, yes, peace on earth was promised. But to whom? The Holy Spirit does not speak in sound-bites. That means that we are not free to decide which words of his we like and which ones we don’t like. The truth is that peace comes to those know God’s […]
The coming of Christ has greater significance than we can possibly imagine. Often lost in the Christmas rush is the comfort the coming of Christ means for mankind and for creation itself. His coming makes all things right. You can know comfort in the face of injustice. But also look at the message that Psalm 98 and Romans 8 reveal about creation. The groaning creation rejoices at the coming of its King. Without his coming, sin would so corrupt the Earth that it would collapse under its ugly weight. The rivers and hills are not rejoicing in a vacuum. The creation knows that Christ is their salvation. Sin’s toxic curse is broken. For God’s people this means comfort is possible. […]
Where can you go to escape from God? Of course, you have to believe there is a God before you can worry about escaping from him. Too many politicians, professors, and media pundits have made God the moral equivalent of Santa Claus. He is nice to remember once in a while, but no one takes him seriously. But God is for real. He is not to be ignored or taken lightly. This generation has turned away from God. How has that worked out? While people stumble over material wealth unimaginable just a few years ago, on each Black Friday crowds trample on folks lusting to have more. The thirst for stuff cannot be quenched. Extra-marital sex, otherwise known as sin, […]
Pictures of infants and toddlers are adorable. These pictures appear to represent every thing good about life: joy, beauty, innocence, vulnerability, potential. They fill us with hope that this sweet, precious child will somehow not be scarred by the harshness of life. However, there is danger in these photos. They can also blind us to the hidden reality of the dark heart lurking beneath the surface. We are stunned by that first lie, that first blatant act of ugly selfishness. Where did that come from? The temptation is to say who did this to my baby?!? To be sure, outside influences are significant. But there is another, more significant source of the problem. The real enemy is within. If we […]
by Paul Tripp One of the interpretive problems that gets us into trouble in midlife is that our typical cultural categories for organizing human life are woefully inadequate. We tend to organize the full range of human development into only four categories: child (0-12), youth (13-20), adult (21-65), elderly (65+). When you examine these categories it doesn’t take long to uncover their inadequacy. The categories of child, youth, and elderly are relatively brief spans of time, while the category of adult encompasses forty-five years! Consider for a moment the massive differences between a man twenty-one and a man who is sixty-four. Or, let’s narrow the scope. Consider the remarkable difference in maturity between a person who is twenty-two and […]
Teenagers are often like Absalom. They present an image of arrogance and power. Yet inside they are hurting. Parents see the power but not the hurt. They may become intimidated and fearful—or angry—at the images their teenagers project. An angry teen is at odds with the God of heaven, and therefore lives with a desperate need for contentment—but he doesn’t know why. Absalom was powerful, handsome, arrogant, winsome and popular. This was the image that he projected and cultivated. However, the image he displayed was not consistent with who he really was. Inside he was hurting. He relied on subversion and raw intimidation to achieve what he wanted. He had no balm for the pain caused by the rape of […]
Human anger and biblical discipline do not mix. Man’s anger will not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:20) The key phrase is the righteous life that God desires. God did not give you your children so that you could teach them to follow your desires and wishes. When you make parenting about your desires, then, in your mind, God exists to serve you, to support your agenda and standards. When this role reversal occurs, even if unintentional, you attempt to make God subordinate to your will. This will produce anger and frustration, first in you and then in your children. Anger is an indication that your desires have become the most important thing. God has not […]
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 […]