THE IMPORTANCE AND PURPOSE OF CONTEXT

Theologians and teachers of God’s word frequently discuss the importance and purpose of the cultural context in which Scripture was written. This is a wise understanding to grasp. It helps us accurately apply Scripture to the cultural context in which the word was...

GOD’S IMAGE BEARERS

Knowing where we came from and discovering our true identity is an important realization. At creation, we were created to bear God’s image: “So, God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them; male and female he created...

YOU’RE A PIG!

 When I was a street cop, I never quite understood some people’s reactions to me when I had to make an arrest. The popular refrain from those who did not like what they witnessed was, “You’re a pig!” It didn’t occur to them to wait to discover a fuller...

FIRST WORSHIP

The Lord wants us to discover and, for some, rediscover the powerful simplicity of worship. We need that simplicity to release the concept of worship to a wider audience than just those who attend our primary worship service. After the fall into sin of Adam and Eve in...

THE CREATIVE BREATH OF GOD

Without the Spirit of God inside our lives, motivating us to do the will of the Father, we will manifest a lifeless and wayward expression of God’s Creation. Only the breath of God at work in us is what defines us as the people of God. At the creation of Adam, the...

REFUSING AN INVITATION TO LUST

I remember a message preached by an old and respected pastor. In his message, he shared an illustration that changed how I process one aspect of my life—lust. He described what happened on one of his many flights back and forth to his speaking engagements. This was...