The (Real) Message of the Church
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.” (Luke 16:16, NIV84) When was the last time you saw someone so excited about the kingdom of God that he’d force his way in? […]
The Church and the Gates of Hades
“… and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18, CSB) This is Jesus’ very first mention of “the church” as he’s responding to Peter’s confession of Jesus as Messiah. That truth would be the bedrock of the church – the church would build […]
Weighing Calamity
“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales!” (Job 6:2, NKJV) Man, oh man. What a crazy week? COVID 19 couldn’t force us stubborn Texans to quarantine, so SNOVID ’21 said, “Hold my beer!” Roads impassable. Loss of power. Frozen water lines. Burst pipes. Gasoline shortage. Empty […]
Wearing Justice
“I clothed myself in righteousness, and it enveloped me; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.” (Job 29:14) Job makes this statement in the midst of a discussion about his involvement with social justice. When he says he clothed himself in righteousness and justice, he is telling us that a social consciousness […]
Who is My Neighbor?
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, ESV) Look around and you will see injustice everywhere. Some of it is perceived…but most is very real. After all, ours […]
Justice and Grace
“When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the […]
What is “Doing Justice?”
“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, NASB95) There are a lot of competing theories in our world about how to “do justice.” The debate is part of the […]
Everything that can be Shaken
“But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ,” (Philippians 3:20, The Message) That verse came to mind Wednesday as I watched the unbelievable images from our Nation’s Capital. Regardless of your political views, I’m sure you’d agree that our […]
Do You See what I See?
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had […]
God Moves Deliberately
“And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) God’s in the business of meeting needs: When Adam and Eve discovered they were unclothed…God made them coverings from animal skins When the world needed saving from a flood, God gave us Noah When Abraham needed […]
God Moves Personally
“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means God with us.” (Matt. 2:23) Monday was Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. December 7, 1941 is a day that will live in infamy – the vicious attack led our nation to war. We had […]
The God of Miracles
“For nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).” We serve a miraculous God. From time to time he will suspend his own laws of nature to help his children. Why, you ask? C.S. Lewis says it best: “Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole […]
