The below is a part of a letter I wrote my son on his 12th birthday. His 21st birthday is coming soon. My prayers for him have not changed... Son, you are beginning your journey towards manhood. 1 Corinthians 16:13 says: “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” … Continue reading A Prayer for My Son on His 12th and 21st Birthdays
May the Lord Unveil His Beauty to You
Holy Father, give me increasing views of the infinite dignity of Jesus' person, work, merit, offices, relations, characters, and in short, everything that relates to one so dear, so lovely, so glorious, and so suited to a poor sinner like me, as the Lord Jesus Christ is in all things. AMEN. - Robert Hawker, The … Continue reading May the Lord Unveil His Beauty to You
Why Worship God with Others?
How easy it is to succumb to the privatized faith syndrome summarized in this statement: "Jesus and I have a good thing going and I don't need the church to mess it up." Certainly the church is always working to match its conduct with its creed. However, we can never give up on gathering together with … Continue reading Why Worship God with Others?
Using Your God Tools in a Dog Eat Dog World – A Lovely Paraphrase
“The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way- never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped … Continue reading Using Your God Tools in a Dog Eat Dog World – A Lovely Paraphrase
With Jesus in the Boat
The early church viewed Jesus’ miracle of calming the troubled sea (Mark 4:35-41) as a sign of His saving presence amidst persecution that threatened to overwhelm the church. In early Christian art, the Church was portrayed as a boat being driven about on a perilous sea and, with Jesus in the midst, there was nothing … Continue reading With Jesus in the Boat
Two Alternate Paths to Take in Life
Henry David Thoreau, in his classic Walden, sets forth two alternate paths that lie before each of us: One is broad, common and natural. The other is narrow, uncommon and supernatural: " The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. What is … Continue reading Two Alternate Paths to Take in Life
Do you feel yourself spiritually and physically weak today?
The prophet Isaiah describes people like us: Bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. Listen to how our Savior deals with people like us: "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory..." (Matthew 12:20) What are we to understand by the bruised reed and … Continue reading Do you feel yourself spiritually and physically weak today?
Success & The Dictatorial Demands of Incessant Expansion
Success exposes a man to the pressure of people and thus tempts him to hold on to his gains by means of “fleshly” methods and practices, and to let himself be ruled wholly by the dictatorial demands of incessant expansion. Success can go to my head, and will unless I remember that it is … Continue reading Success & The Dictatorial Demands of Incessant Expansion
One Neglected Implication of Jesus’ Incarnation
Donald Macleod, Scottish theologian and professor, writes: “How often is the incarnation brought before God’s people as their chief incentive and motivation to service. Paul urges us to think the way Jesus thought. He humbled himself. He made himself nothing (Philippians 2:3-8). He said, ‘I don’t matter!’ There is scarcely a month that a church … Continue reading One Neglected Implication of Jesus’ Incarnation
Augustine: Why the Incarnation?
During Advent we marvel at the purpose of Christ’s incarnation. He became poor to make us rich. Here is an excerpt from a sermon by Augustine, a North African pastor from the 4th century: “The Word of the Father, by whom all time was created, was made flesh and was born in time for us. … Continue reading Augustine: Why the Incarnation?
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