Biblical theology is your friend Every time there is a tragedy or catastrophe in the world, some well-meaning “teachers” will declare that it is an act of God to bring humanity to repentance or just to punish some of us (no one ever testifies about themselves being punished by God). They will usually base their […]
Renewed living
There is kind of shift in the fourth chapter of Ephesians. Paul starts writing about everyday living. He says to live in a way that fits God’s call for you to have new and abundant life in Christ. First, he writes about the body of Christ: be united, be cohesive so you can follow God’s […]
Built to do God’s work
We own an exercise bicycle. It’s in my storage building/workshop. All of its parts are intact. They’re all there and none are broken. It should work fine. I do use it. I hang an extension cord on the handlebars. It sits close to my table saw and sometimes I balance a board on it while […]
Glory to awesome God, part 2
My previous post was about Ephesians 3:20-21, which is the close of Paul’s prayer: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations […]
Prayer: glory to awesome God
Once upon a time a student at Duke University in North Carolina was invited to a masquerade party. He decided to go dressed as the mascot of the college – the Blue Devils. He put on a blue devil costume and headed for the party. Somehow he got the wrong address and walked into a […]
While empires clash
While empires clash authorities bully religions vaunt cultures corrupt families hurt and individuals hope In a secret shelter of wood, hay, and dung, as shepherds wonder and angels praise, the Lord Almighty is birthed in our flesh, inaugurates his holy mission, and the kingdom […]
Prayer: filled with God
One time Jesus said “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matt 13:45-46 NAS) Juan Carlos Ortiz shared a parable to illustrate Jesus’ teaching. It’s a […]
God with us
“There is no God like YHWH, and He declares that with definitive finality when He descends into the deepest trenches of our suffering through the cross of Christ. In the freedom of His sovereign love, our Lord and our God penetrates to the heart of hopelessness and bears the full horror of His Bride’s godforsakenness […]
Prayer: massive love
A mother was having trouble with her young son and daughter at the supper table. They just would not behave. She looked up and said, “Oh, God, please help me with these children.” Immediately the 4-year-old girl bowed her head in prayer. Mama was happy, thinking her daughter was asking for help to be good, […]
Prayer: steel in your soul
Sometimes kids can pinpoint obvious needs better than anyone else. A mom was putting her daughter to bed one night and reminded her to pray that God would bless grandma and let her live to be very old. The girl replied, “Oh, she’s old enough. I’d rather ask God to make her younger.” Well, yeah. […]