Blog
We have seen three attempts on the life of President Trump, fueled by deranged thinking. It is not surprising that some mentally unstable person would be willing to attempt an assassination, believing the President is so evil that he deserves death. They see their...
One summer in our college years, Jan and I worked as lifeguards at different locations. We were trained how to approach a drowning person so they would not take us down with them. We were of no use to anyone if we didn’t personally train, practice, and prepare. Jan...
A persecuted faith does not fade away. It grows stronger. The persecuted Church demonstrates that reality under oppressive regimes like Nigeria and Iran, among others. Under the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, we carry the heritage of a godly justice...
I’ve been thinking of new ways to appreciate, expect, and desire the Holy Spirit’s warnings and corrections. I’m well aware of how easy it is to try to escape the discomfort it brings. I have been praying for years to have and keep a teachable heart. In 1980, at a...
This morning, I turned on some quiet instrumental worship music. I listened and waited. Then I was impressed to say, “Lord, I love you above all things.” I began reciting a list of people and situations. I love you above my family and friends. I love you above the...
The Old Covenant ended, and the New Covenant began with the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God. Rather than a repeated yearly ritual, reconciliation on this side of the cross is a finished work we receive. God’s mercy seat isn’t in a tabernacle. The mercy...
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). On the other hand, those who do not know God are blind and deaf because they are not alive spiritually. Paul described it as a veil...
Of late, I have seen well-rehearsed heresy hunters broadcasting their evidence on social media. It’s nothing new in Church history. At times, it can resemble a public burning at the stake for the offenders. A few days ago, I wrote about a house church in Corinth that...
When I was a young pastor, another pastor more experienced than I told me that one of the most concise representations of our faith is found in chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians. The importance of Christ’s resurrection is mentioned at great length in these verses. Paul...
When I read Paul’s description of the Corinthian church, it’s similar to what we see in the Western church today. The Corinthians boasted about their spirituality, but lacked a demonstration of what it meant to be consecrated—set apart to God. The leadership had...
I got saved when I was 8 years old. But it wasn’t until age 29 that I allowed Jesus to become my Lord. I knew that to be saved was a complete work, but it also meant I had entered a process of being saved from the things that stood in the way of my knowing...
As another Easter comes and goes, and they seem to roll by faster as we grow older, I have felt an increasing receptivity to God’s love. His love was demonstrated for all eternity by the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. The power of that love was mightier than any earthly...
Paul quoted the prophet Isaiah: “As the Scriptures say, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.’ So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of...
Thirty years ago, Jan and I began to pray over our remaining time on Earth. We have prayed that we would end this life having remained faithful to the Lord and to each other. Our hearts greatest desire is that we would finish well. We want to live without bringing...
I can relate to Peter in so many ways. There were two times when Jesus asked Peter to follow Him. The first call was simply, “Follow me.” The second call came after Peter had utterly failed Jesus by denying Him (see John 21:19). The first call brought Peter into...