Sanctification

159 posts

Praying for Fun

If you are like most people, you like to laugh and have fun. And if you are like most people you seldom pray for God to help you have fun. If you are a teenager praying to God to have fun may appear counter-productive: what does God have to do with having fun? That is a really good question!  As strange as it may seem, fun is God’s gift to us. If it was not for God we would have no clue that fun was even a thing! All the things that are good in life come from the hand of God. It is true that humans can distort the good things that God is given. But just because people […]

Specks & Planks

Jesus was the most extraordinary communicator in all of human history. He was the ultimate guide for bringing truth to everyday life.  So it is not surprising that his craft as a carpenter provided rich illustrations for his teaching.  Specks of sawdust were part of his life. He used words with the skill and grace of the ultimate master woodworker. His crafted vivid word pictures that connected his hearers to everyday life. Thus, in Luke’s gospel, he uses the common elements of his carpenter’s life to connect to my life and yours. Here is what Jesus says: Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own […]

Who Is the King Of Your Heart?

It was about mid-day on a Friday. An anxious Roman governor named Pilate plead with the Jews for the life of Jesus. Pilate knew that this Jesus was innocent and though he claimed to be a king, he was not worthy of capital punishment.  But the Jews responded harshly to Pilate’s attempt to spare Christ. They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Blinded by rage and anger at Jesus, the Jewish leaders spoke from their darkened hearts. The long-awaited Messiah, Jesus, was not their king! Imagine the people of God shouting, “We have no King but Caesar!” It was a […]

Patience: You Can Trust God!

A judgmental spirit is a dangerous thing. It leads to doubt, mistrust and broken relationships. But there is another form of judgment that is even more destructive: the practice of judging God. When you begin to question God’s faithfulness, when circumstances are not what you wanted, you are actually judging God. When your general response to life is that life stinks, you are judging God. Why? Because the Holy Spirit says that God is causing all the events in your life to be a good thing for you. So, when you look at life and fail to see God’s goodness, even in the painful things, you are judging God. You are critiquing God based upon your perception of how your […]

Does Your Pastor Know You?

Does your pastor know you? It’s an important question! You are struggling with financial issues and are battling fear and worry — does your pastor know you? You are feeling overwhelmed with your obligations as a parent — does your pastor know you? You feel the weight of anxiety and depression — does your pastor know you? Your teenagers have questions about their faith — does your pastor know you? Tensions in your marriage are rising — does your pastor know you? You are burdened about the political and social unrest in your country — does your pastor know you? You often question how can God be good when there is so much evil — does your pastor know you? […]

Mom! I’m So Bored!

Is it wrong to be bored? Given that boredom is a common complaint, especially with children, this is an important question. When your children announce that they are bored, how can you respond in the way that is most helpful to them? Often the response to an expression of boredom would be, “Well, go find something to do!”  But this response is not productive because it does not provide any positive direction. It is important to ask whether it is wrong to be bored. Let’s attempt to answer this question from a positive perspective.  Here are three points to consider: The Holy Spirit commands that everything you do should be done for the glory and wonder of God with a […]

I Don’t Like Correction!

I don’t like correction. There I said it. I like to be right. More importantly, I like it even more when you think I am right.  By admitting these things I have also shown a propensity for stupidity. This is but another reminder of the danger of being wise in my own eyes. If I care most about being right, I care most about myself. This desire to be right is destructive to relationships, especially relationships in families. This is not wisdom but stupidity.  If I am to learn, I must first love discipline and rebuke. When I recoil at the correction and rebuke of those closest to me, I make myself weak. Instead of trying to find a way […]

Motivation and Your Teenager

Kevin, a teenage boy, has an opportunity to be alone with Tiffany, a girl that he is attracted to. If he thinks that he might get caught and his parents will find out, or that he might get a sexually-transmitted disease, he might decide not to be with her. However, suppose he thinks no one will find out and he can use protection to keep him safe. In addition, he and Tiffany have devised the “perfect” plan to hide their encounter. Thus, the fear of consequence fades against the powerful lure of temptation. It is no secret teenagers face powerful temptations.  Parents want to make sure that consequences are in place to help protect their children. And it is good […]

Discipline and Anger: A Toxic Mix

“There, I told them that was the last time! I finally got fed up and did something about their disrespect and disobedience. Maybe this will change their attitude. Yes, I was angry, but something needed to be done!” Mom might feel good for the moment, but she has actually made things worse. Human anger and biblical discipline do not mix. Your anger will not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:20) 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 rules, even if they are helpful, then, in your child’s mind, God exists to serve you, to support your agenda. When […]

Joy in Suffering

The way to ever deepening joy in God is suffering. There are joys unspeakable and glorious in knowing God. Do you want to experience the fullness of Christ? Do you want to be overwhelmed with the vision of this one who is the chief of 10,000? Do you want to be emptied of yourself and swallowed up in Christ? Would you want to see his glory as the mediator between God and man? Do you long to have a full sense of his wonderful, pure, sweet grace and his meek and gentle condescension to such as we? Do you want to glory in his excellence and so that the glory of him swallows up all thought? Do you want to […]