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; […]
Gospel
350 posts
Dear Father, grant that I would be blown away by the gift of your son to me. Grant that this season of “gift-giving” would not blind the eyes of my heart from the one gift that matters. If not for the gospel, all gifts would be nothing more than bribes and tokens of appeasement. If not for the gospel, there would be no selflessness. If not for the gospel, I would only give to get. If not for the gospel, I would obsess on I what I think I deserve and despair over what I do not have. I pray that your Spirit would illumine the beauty of your word to my needy heart. In Christ, I truly have everything […]
Human anger must not characterize your discipline. If it does, you have made discipline about satisfying your requirements. As a parent you are granted authority to enforce God’s commands, not your own preferences. Your authority is derived, not earned. 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 exits to serve you, to support your agenda and standards. When this role reversal occurs, you attempt to […]
Sometimes at night I find myself awake, wide awake, hopelessly awake. In these moments I am confronted with piercing clarity about past sins. I remember the stupidity of thinking I had a good reason to trust my flesh and ignore my God. I remember the allure of self-justification, of the fog of self-pity. Why could I not have had this awareness of the deceitful awfulness of sin forty years ago, twenty years ago, twenty hours ago? In these moments I am also aware that I am the same pathetic creature of my past. The opening plea of Psalm 130 perfectly describes the state of my heart with eyes wide open in the bleakness of night. From the depths of despair, […]
497 years ago one man driven by his passion for the gospel wrote some things down on paper. Then he nailed the paper to a church door. The sound of the nail driven into that door still reverberates to this day. Social media has been around longer than we think! If you have a passion for God’s gospel truth there are no limitations. No, your name may not be remembered as Martin Luther’s is, but your voice will resonate in history. You may not have a church door in Wittenburg to post your thoughts. But you do have a voice, you may have a Facebook page, an email account, a phone to send texts, a friend to talk with, a […]
How often do you think about your rescue? Years ago, I pulled a lifeless body off the bottom of a pool. The young man was a friend and a top-notch swimmer who had passed out underwater. I was the lifeguard responsible for the afternoon watch at a large pool at a Y in Miami. I noticed he was laying motionless underwater. The other guards were not paying attention because of this young man’s known excellence in the water. But I knew something was wrong, so I yelled to the other guards, dove in and lifted him up to waiting hands which successfully performed CPR. Over 10 years later I ran into my friend unexpectedly in downtown Miami. […]
In the fall colors that were vibrant in the spring become drab. But just before the bleak hues of brown become dominant, there is one final dramatic burst of color. Leaves change from green to brilliant displays of red, yellow and gold. Rose bushes yield a final canvas of delicate beauty. This final bloom reminds us that after winter’s reign the peaceful watercolors of Spring will come again. This last rose is like the contrast of the beauty of Christ set against the barren backdrop of a world that has lost its way. Don’t hide the wonder of Christ by clothing yourself in the drab colors of a fallen world: frustration, fear, sarcasm, irritation, despair and worry. Show your children […]
A man was walking in a field and came across something that was buried in the ground. In a moment his life changed forever. What he found caused him to dispatch all of his personal wealth and then buy this field with its great treasure. This is what happened to Paul. He was willing to give up everything to know Christ. His life overflowed with the joy of that choice. He didn’t give up his respected position of religious leadership and then look back and moan over his loss of prestige. Like the man who bought the field, Paul considered knowing Christ the greatest of all treasures. What do your children think is your greatest treasure? Would […]
Not too long ago, I was shopping at the grocery store. An eager three year old started to go down a different aisle than where her mother was headed. The mother spoke to her child in a calm but icy voice. She said something like this, “I knew it was a mistake to bring you shopping. If you don’t come here right now, I’ll never take you shopping again.” The little girl sadly turned back to her mother with her head down. She was being treated as her mother thought she deserved. Mom seemed pleased that her power play worked. Often this tactic does not work, but for this little girl, earning her mom’s approval was all that mattered. For […]
Sin is making headlines these days. However, the media does not use the word sin to describe what is being reported. That might offend someone. And, of course, the list of wrong behaviors being reported is quite limited. Certain acts of violence, both nationally and internationally, provide opportunities for sound bites and attract viewers, listeners, and readers. But there are other acts, other sins which are ignored. Abortion is a brutally violent act, but there is no media outrage over the thousands of unborn children who are legally murdered each year. Sexual sin is tearing apart the fabric of our culture and country. Yet, immorality is reported as progress, tolerance and freedom of expression. The sin of praying to any […]