Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourself, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! ~ Paul, 2 Corinthians 13:5 To close out his second letter (at least second letter that we still have) to the church at Corinth, Paul called the church to a moment of introspection. He wanted them to examine and test themselves to make sure their faith was genuine. You can’t blame Paul for this request. In the first letter we see again and again how much the Corinthians got wrong, though they were still … [Read more...] about A Moment of Introspection (a meditation)
Some Thoughts on Spiritual Gifts
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, by the same Spirit is the source of them all. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:4 In two main places Paul wrote about spiritual gifts: 1 Corinthians 12-14 and Romans 12. In these passages we find some similarities and differences, with 1 Corinthians offering the most detail. You could sum up Paul’s core teaching on spiritual gifts as this: When we come to follow Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit and he provides us with different talents or abilities (either different from or enhancing our natural talents) in order to serve others, especially in our churches … [Read more...] about Some Thoughts on Spiritual Gifts
Brothers, let us guard our hearts
Above all else, guard your heart because everything you do flows from it. ~ Proverbs 4:23 I will admit this is a bit slow, I must have missed the news days ago of another big-name pastor forced from his position due to various sins (news I missed in my home state, no less). This isn’t about big name or small name, big stage or tiny country church—we all face the temptations of sin, forgetting in the moment that the wages of sin is death or that more eyes are on us when we hold positions of leadership in church. Honestly, I’ve seen the depths of potential in my own heart, thinking before in … [Read more...] about Brothers, let us guard our hearts
I would take hell so that others might have heaven
Say what you want about the Apostle Paul, but one thing is certain: he was not a boring writer. As the Holy Spirit inspired his words, much of Paul’s passion and emotion bled through onto the parchments. Romans 8 ends with a grand, ringing cry: a great reminder that those who belong to Jesus will be victorious over sin, darkness, and persecution, for through the love of Jesus we are more than conquerors and nothing is big enough, powerful enough, or dangerous enough to separate us from Jesus’ love. The sureness of faith’s victory and the eternal security of our salvation is not found in … [Read more...] about I would take hell so that others might have heaven
The Nearsighted King
Reigning between Ahaz his father and Manasseh his son, Hezekiah was a good king of Judah who sought God and worked to turn the hearts of the people back to the One True God after years of chasing idols. Yet later in his life, Hezekiah blundered in pride and the result was a nearsightedness that failed to have care for the future generations so long as things went well in his time. Isaiah 39 records how, after the king’s near death and recovery, an envoy from Babylon came bearing gifts. Babylon was a growing empire that would in time take down Assyria and for their season become the most … [Read more...] about The Nearsighted King
The Cross and the Empty Grave (a meditation for Good Friday and Easter)
…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. ~ Paul, Philippians 3:10 At the heart of Christianity is a cross and an empty grave. Everything else centers around these two experiences of Jesus. The cross was the aim of Jesus’ time on earth. In the beginning God created us in his image, but it didn’t take long for us to rebel against the One whose image we bear and strike our own path. Deceived by Satan, yet culpable for our own actions, we chose to reject God’s goodness for that of the enemy. We drew our battle lines and … [Read more...] about The Cross and the Empty Grave (a meditation for Good Friday and Easter)
The Verses Project: Perhaps one of the best sites on the web
I can’t remember how I first found the site theversesproject.com, but in my opinion it is one of the best websites for Christian devotion. Ran by three friends who are worship pastors is Colorado and Oklahoma, they have one primary goal: help people learn and memorize scripture through the use of music. They have an extensive library of offerings in various musical styles. The lyrics of each song are word-for-word verses taken from the ESV. The page for each song also contains a short devotional reading on the verses as well as artwork that can be used for backgrounds on smartphones, … [Read more...] about The Verses Project: Perhaps one of the best sites on the web
Speak Evil of No One
While recently memorizing Paul’s letter to Titus, one verse in particular hit me hard. It occurred at the same time that my church was having difficulty with a company we had hired for some work, and there weren’t too many nice thoughts that I could muster about them. Yet in the final chapter to young Titus, we read: Remind them…to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people (3:1-2). Oh, the sins of the tongue… The Bible says a lot about the words we use. Probably because life is so defined by words. Words were the means … [Read more...] about Speak Evil of No One
Pursuing Unity in Disagreement: A Foundation
Near the end of Philippians, a letter you could call Paul’s Book on Joy, we get a glimpse of his heart-felt and loving concern for two church ladies in the midst of a disagreement. There is plenty that we don’t know about this situation including what the disagreement was about, what caused it, how long it had been going on, and how it affected others. Whatever the answer to these questions, the issue was significant enough for Paul to publically call out the ladies and urge others in the church to help correct the issue: I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I … [Read more...] about Pursuing Unity in Disagreement: A Foundation
Do what you want! But…
Do what you want! Do what makes you happy!—these seem to be modern mantras for many people. Life is short, don’t waste your time doing a bunch of things that make you miserable, and enjoy being happy while you can. In a way, the Bible agrees. But in the pages of scripture we also find a fence drawn around this idea—a boundary to help guard one’s heart from destructive things that will ruin a life and an eternal soul. Throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrote about his experiences. He tested various pleasures and withheld nothing from himself that he desired. Yet, with time, it all proved … [Read more...] about Do what you want! But…