There seems to be no relief. Our world has slipped into a persistent agitated state. Perhaps you see it in local and world events, or even your own life. People are agitated, angry and fed up. Our politics are agitated, our race relations are agitated, our international relations are agitated and all that agitation is … Read more
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may … Read more
You can’t be human and completely avoid conflict. Sin has it’s way of turning us inward and lashing outward. When it comes to conflict we know how to dish it and we know what it feels like to take it. What doesn’t come so naturally is how to resolve it. So, here are a few … Read more
Bewildered. That’s how I would describe so many faithful Christians recently. They’ll express a deep confusion about how so many people could exist without faith of any kind. They’ll wonder how so many Christians could embrace teachings and lifestyles that are clearly against God’s created order and even spoken against by Jesus. They’ll speak with … Read more
Living on the edge? While we like to talk about how exciting it is to live on the edge, most of us don’t really like it there. We like things to be secure, comfortable and predictable. So long as we have a safety net of our own creation we can dabble in edgy things without … Read more
When I was a kid I loved to decorate the house for Christmas. I would pull all the dusty boxes out of storage and happily untangle the garland and the Christmas lights. I would assemble our fake tree and load it with enough decorations so that nobody would know the difference… or so I thought. … Read more
I just bought a brand new smartphone. It’s fun to play with all the new features and enjoy the afterglow of having something new and admirable. But I’ve been through this before. Soon the feelings fade and I’m left with an electronic device that will either be a help or a hinderance. It can be … Read more
Things have changed in America. Christianity and the teachings of Jesus aren’t as openly accepted any more. Have you ever felt like you didn’t know what to say or how to act around someone whose beliefs and life were very different than ours? It’s not just you! This is tough! We see Christians compromising on … Read more
Recently, our church had the opportunity to spend some time in Psalm 37. It seems like the perfect Psalm for American conservative Christianity as we explore how to be true to what we believe in a land that seems to have turned on many of the things we hold as foundational. Let me recommend, that … Read more
Christians have a unique way about them. When faith in Jesus comes into our hearts, when we know that our sins have been forgiven, when we have the freedom to live life according to God’s design, we stick out in a crowd. We have a different way of approaching life. We have confidence that we … Read more