Obedience: Life-Giving or Limiting?

Obedience doesn’t limit the believer. It actually enables the believer to truly live. This is the heartbeat of Proverbs 7:2, where Solomon exhorts his son to “keep my commandments and live.” This simple statement, which opens the chapter, is set against the solemn warning that … Read More

The Counter-Culture Christ

Jesus Christ was the consummate counter-culture communicator. Consider Matthew 5. Six times he said to the crowds, “You have heard it said…”, laying out the then-current societal norm on various issues. But he followed that up with “But I say unto you…”, clarifying the spiritual, … Read More

Why Jesus Makes Himself Known

Jesus makes himself known for at least two reasons: so that you will faithfully believe and fearlessly follow. I draw this from John 21, where twice we read in the first 14 verses that Jesus “revealed” (21:1, 14) himself to the disciples. The word revealed … Read More

Seven Days

Except for nine years, all of my life has been lived under the horrifically wicked ruling of 1973 when the Supreme Court decided it was constitutionally “right” to allow the murder of babies in the womb. Commonly known as Roe v Wade, that case legalized, … Read More

Putting on the Armor of God: A Prayer

Lord of Hosts, Bind me to your TRUTH, cover me with your RIGHTEOUSNESS, plant me on your GOSPEL, secure me through your SALVATION, Defend me by FAITH, protect me with your WORD, and embolden me through PRAYER so that I stand strong against the schemes … Read More

Just Ask the Birds

God is not distant or unreachable. He is not remote or unaware. He is, instead, close. Personal. Near. Concerned. This is precisely what Jesus was communicating to his disciples when he illustrated God’s intimate knowledge of and care for them by talking about birds and … Read More

God’s Incredible Commitment to His People

God rightfully and jealously desires to know his people and be known by his people. And he will do everything to ensure that occurs. Ezekiel is the proof of the previous statement. In fact, one of the recurring statements in this Old Testament book, especially … Read More

The Dividing—and Starting—Line is Life

We witnessed yesterday one of the clearest and most horrific displays of what separates liberals and conservatives in America: the 218-211 vote in the House of representatives to approve codifying the Roe v Wade opinion of the Supreme Court into law, protecting the “right” to … Read More

Finally Fully Blameless

Being “blameless” is a biblical goal for God’s people. Believers are exhorted to live blamelessly as lights in the world (Phil. 2:15), the Hebrew hymnbook declares a blessing upon blameless people (Psalm 119:1), and men who desire to shepherd the church (i.e., elders) and serve … Read More

No Part-Time Sovereignty

There is no part-time sovereignty with God. He is, in every way and every day, in control of everything. Consider the weight this Scripture: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good to those who love God,  for those who are called … Read More