Life Ain’t Fair
“In my futile life I have seen everything: someone righteous perishes in spite of his righteousness, and someone wicked lives long in spite of his evil.” (Ecclesiastes 7:15) Newsflash: Life isn’t fair. Human sin turned our world upside down. Bad things happen to good people. So, what is God’s response to an unfair universe? Grace. […]
The Ongoing Battle
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. […]
Reaping the Whirlwind
“Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:7–8) It is so fun watching my two-year-old grandson […]
You are the Man!
“God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:10–12) The Scriptures tell us David was a “man […]
Lost and Found
“David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old…David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken…Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or […]
The Valley of Hinnom
“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Those are the words of wise ol’ King Solomon. I guess every generation wants to think their generation is special. Their generation is smarter. They’ll fix the world’s problems. […]
Where is the Lamb?
“Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, ‘My father.’ And he replied, ‘Here I am, my son.’ Isaac said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’” (Genesis 22:7) That haunting question was asked atop Mount Moriah 4,000 years ago. Little did ten-year-old Isaac know […]
Where Are You?
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:8–9) In my sermon […]
From Bad to Worse
“Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.” (Genesis 39:11–12) Potiphar’s wife commands Joseph to sleep with her the way […]
Who Is Counseling You?
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4, NIV84) In James’ letter to the church, he is picking up where some of the OT prophets like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea left […]
The Perfect Sacrifice
“…by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:14, NIV84) There’s an old story of a church in England with a stone archway inscribed with the words: “We preach Christ crucified.” Years passed and generations of preachers came and went. By then, the cross seemed too old-fashioned and […]
Salvation in Jesus
When most of us in church talk about salvation, our discussion begins with a test…a test of morality. We ask certain questions of ourselves and sooner or later, even the most upright citizen answers incorrectly. Miss just one question and we fail. The penalty for failure is, of course, hell. Our ticket has been punched. […]
