Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ~ Colossians 3:16 Music is powerful. If I were to ask you to memorize a list of items, you might struggle; but if I were to put words to music and even make sure they rhyme a bit, chances are you’ll pick up on them quite quickly. After all, how often do we find ourselves driving down the road listening to the radio, mp3s, or a CD and a favorite song comes on and then we sing along? Even if not in a car, we will … [Read more...] about The Music that God Loves (a meditation on worship through song)
Christians and the Law: A Friendly Response to Tim Keller’s “Making Sense of Scripture’s ‘Inconsistency’”
With the recent marriage ruling by the Supreme Court, I’ve seen several people on Facebook link to this 2012 Gospel Coalition article by Tim Keller: Making Sense of Scripture’s “Inconsistency”. Keller sought to give a brief explanation as to why Christians still seem to hold to Old Testament teaching that condemn homosexuality yet “ignore lots of Old Testament texts—about not eating raw meat or pork or shellfish, not executing people for breaking the Sabbath,” etc. Keller addressed the charge that Christians seem to be inconsistent in what they accept from the Old Testament, and especially … [Read more...] about Christians and the Law: A Friendly Response to Tim Keller’s “Making Sense of Scripture’s ‘Inconsistency’”
Enjoying God through Creation
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. ~ Psalm 19:1 (ESV) Some of my favorite spots are in the midst of nature. One is the Current River in southern Missouri—a place where miles of protected land and waters meander through the hills and bluffs. Yes, especially on the weekends, it can be crowded and loud; but during a weekday away from a holiday there is serenity. I can kick back in a canoe or a kayak and be carried along under a blue sky pocked with cotton ball clouds. I used to no enjoy kayaking, they used to give me bad back aches, that is until I … [Read more...] about Enjoying God through Creation
Obey King Jesus, Honor Everyone (a pastor’s thoughts on the same-sex marriage ruling)
This morning news broke that is not surprising when given the direction our culture in the United States combined with previous Supreme Court rulings: same-sex marriage is now a right that must be legally recognized in every state. Here are some opening truths for us to remember: Jesus is still King, God is not surprised or caught off guard, Jesus will continue to build his church until his return, and he has tasked his church to be a continuing witness of his love and grace. With these in mind, here are a few of my thoughts: First, this does not change how the church should view … [Read more...] about Obey King Jesus, Honor Everyone (a pastor’s thoughts on the same-sex marriage ruling)
The Source of Happiness
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. ~ Psalm 1:1-2 (NLT) Everyone wants to be happy. Well, most everyone. There are some curmudgeons who seem to take delight in complaining and making everyone miserable. But most people want to be happy in a more self-adjusted manner. But we often wonder how we get there. The Psalms is a book of collected ancient songs and prayers. Each, in some way or another, stands as a meditation on God and his … [Read more...] about The Source of Happiness
Topsy-turvy Upside-down Greatness
“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” ~Jesus, Mark 10:43-44 What makes a person great? If you look at the people we exalt in society, it would seem that greatness comes in money, power, fame, popularity, and ability. Yes, we will scoff at people with money or fame if they have a moral slip deemed too immense by society; but, for the most part, we flock to certain movies because of the headlining actor or actress, we listen to certain speakers because of the business they’ve built, and we pine for the … [Read more...] about Topsy-turvy Upside-down Greatness
When Individualism and Autonomy Rule (a meditation on the sense of self in the Christian life)
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. ~ Judges 21:25 If you were looking for a Bible verse to describe the attitude and ethic in western culture today, Judges 21:25 might be your verse. We live in a culture that values individualism and autonomy so much that the greatest wrongs seem to be offending someone’s feelings about himself or herself and limiting a person’s self expression. We even see a love for autonomy in many churches. The churches of my tradition tend to wear it proudly as a badge: We are an autonomous body under no other … [Read more...] about When Individualism and Autonomy Rule (a meditation on the sense of self in the Christian life)
One Generation’s God Is Another Generations… (a meditation on how our lives witness to our children)
After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. ~Judges 2:10 The Old Testament is filled with a lot of sad commentary about people and human nature, even among the nation that was supposed to be the people of God. One reason is that the God did not intend for us to idolize any one person or group of persons. He alone is God. The Bible recounts the many flaws, even of men and women of great faith, so that we will not look to anyone outside of Jesus for our salvation and hope. Still, there are some … [Read more...] about One Generation’s God Is Another Generations… (a meditation on how our lives witness to our children)
Children of Promise
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. ~ Galatians 3:29 We all want to belong. The place God designed for us to naturally belong and be welcomed and accepted, to feel like we’re home, is family. Of course one of the sad realities of living in a post-Genesis 3 world is seeing so much brokenness and division in family life. But as much as Jesus came to redeem individuals, so he came to redeem family. In the story of scripture one family stands apart from all others: that of Abraham. After all, it was in Genesis 12 where God promised a land, … [Read more...] about Children of Promise
The Journey (a little project I’ve been working on)
I had back surgery in March and the number 1 thing I discovered with it--when you have that kind of surgery, you have plenty of time to lay around and...write. At least that's what I did (between catching up on the Price is Right and Family Feud). I'm much more mobile and active again now, but during my down time I wrote a chunk of a little book I had been wanting to do for my church that I've titled The Journey: A Guide to Spiritual Growth. I was even able to tab one of my friends to do cover art for it. It is a book with some workbook elements based on a discipleship paradigm I've been … [Read more...] about The Journey (a little project I’ve been working on)