The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:20) Our world, including our Christian circles, gives us opportunities galore for anger. It’s not as though provocations lie on only one side of the theological, political, or cultural divides. Bob Dylan was right: “Everything is broken.” No wonder, then, that a whole lotContinue reading “Don’t Trust Your Anger”
Category Archives: Exposition
An Old Affliction
Most of the time, we are right to separate sufferings from sins. What you do is different from what happens to you. Your sins are bad things about you as a moral agent. Your sufferings are bad things that happen to you. Agent and victim are opposite in principle. As a new creation in Christ,Continue reading “An Old Affliction”
A Weekly Dose of Compressed Dignity
I went to the home of a woman who attended the church I pastored. When I walked into the flat, her husband was asleep on a cot in the living room, a gaunt shell of a man, his substance sucked out by whiskey. His skin was yellow. When he awoke and we met, his voiceContinue reading “A Weekly Dose of Compressed Dignity”
What Is Lacking
The book of Colossians will make you scratch your head. In this little letter, Paul refers to Jesus as “the firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15), talks about “the circumcision of Christ” (2:11), refers to strange worship practices (2:18, 23), and mentions his unknown epistle to Laodicea (4:16)—just to mention a few tricky passages. ButContinue reading “What Is Lacking”
Life Is Full of It
AH, PREDICAMENTS . . . LIFE IS FULL OF THEM. Sometimes they are of our own making. Other times they mysteriously happen to us, apart from anything we caused. Occasionally they are comical and borderline crazy . . . then, on the other hand, they can be irritating and troublesome. One thing is for sure:Continue reading “Life Is Full of It”
Is My Suffering a Result of My Sin?
Hunter: When God brings suffering into our lives, how can we discern if that suffering should be met with patience and endurance, or with immediate life evaluation and alteration?” Good question — so well thought through; so well articulated. First, let me say that I very much agree with Hunter that those two ways ofContinue reading “Is My Suffering a Result of My Sin?”
The Heart of the Matter
Most Used Word Appearing just under 1,000 times, the word “heart” is used in the Bible more than any other for the inner self.1 The Old Testament uses the Hebrew terms לֵב (leb) 598 times and לבֵָב(lebab) 252 times, and the New Testament’s Greek word καρδια (kardia) appears 156 times. 2 Something that occurs thatContinue reading “The Heart of the Matter”
The Missing Thread
Less mature Christians may grimace at the so-called “doctrines of grace” like children frown at sushi. They do so, however, only because they haven’t yet come to know its deeper joys. The mature grow into a rigor and depth and seriousness about doctrine, and knowing that doctrine produces joy, not boredom. For many, a kindContinue reading “The Missing Thread”
3 Places God’s Feet Touched the Ground
One of the most wonderful truths of Scripture is that God wants to be near to us. He isn’t a distant deity, unconcerned with the world’s affairs. God has actually chosen to step down from the heavenly heights and plant his feet here in our midst. Here are three places the Bible says God’s feetContinue reading “3 Places God’s Feet Touched the Ground”
Calling Out Oppression
Micah 2:3-43 That is why the LORD says: “Look, I am planning trouble against such people, and you won’t be able to save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, because it will be a terrible time. 4 At that time people will make fun of you and sing this sad song about you: ’WeContinue reading “Calling Out Oppression”
Intentional Faith 