We call ourselves Christ-followers. We’ve stated our allegiance and rejected the world’s counterfeits. We study Jesus’ words and even memorize them. But following Jesus means more than that—it means patterning our life after his. It means dying to self for the sake of others. Jesus gives us this word picture, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But … 
Another mass shooting—an all-too-common phenomenon that has become part of our cultural landscape. The perpetrators, often called psychopaths and madmen, leave people searching for explanations and motives. Many ask, “What is our world coming to?” and “When will this stop?” Voices from the Twitter-sphere: “senseless” “unfathomable” “no words to express.” People are asking sincere questions. The same responses keep circulating on social media without providing real answers. Perhaps it’s time we take … 
With loved ones living in Florida, I listened intently to the weather channel for the duration of Hurricane Irma. Days ahead the meteorologists were plotting the path of the hurricane and describing the potential for destruction, warning residents to prepare. I was struck by these words announced by what I presumed to be a brilliant meteorologist “This is all we know, now we have to keep our fingers crossed.” Really? A few days later … 
Now is a good time to check in with the memorizers in our community. Memorizing Scripture can be compared to bicycling. Learning a new passage is like pedaling hard, exploring new territory, and enjoying the beauty of the experience. Coasting is more like reviewing your passage, going at a slower pace. Both pedaling and coasting are part of the process. With summer fading and fall soon upon us, it might be time to … 
Have you ever wondered why other religions bow down to their gods but Christians do not? If our God is the one true God, as we claim, why would he deserve less honor than false gods? Personally I never thought about it until I studied Psalm 96. Verse 9 reads: Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. I looked up the word worship in the … |