Articles (Page 3)
God Doesn’t Need You
“He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” Acts 17 Paul on Mars Hill in Athens proclaimed the entire self-sufficiency of God. We are his body, it is true, which is the fullness or completion of the Head. He uses us. But he needs nothing from us. Let that sink in. We do not add to him in any way, but rather, he gives…
From Here to There: How We Obtain the Inheritance
The inheritance for the Christian begins with eternal life, a transformed body, new heavens and a new earth, and extends literally to all there is. We are co-heirs with Christ, meaning all that Christ has received in his ascension and final victory over evil, we will receive. The realization of all that won’t come until later, yet it is ours. We will reign under him over all the universe! Jesus told his disciples to not be afraid of provisional lack…
The Value of Hanging Out
I have just spoken to a lady from Germany about her kids in college while my Lebanese friend was standing by. Both work at the local coffee shop where I am writing this piece. Just prior to that I spoke with other acquaintances from South Korea who own a T-shirt business at the city market downtown. Business is not so good for them right now, but they smile and talk with me most mornings I’m there. I met yet another…
Ten Correctable Mistakes We Make When Preaching and Teaching
I’ve been teaching the Bible regularly and often since 2001, and I’m still surprising myself, sometimes in the worst ways. I went back to listen to a message on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, a story that everyone should find riveting. The first half or so seemed engaging, but about 60% of the way through, my tone and word choices communicated a major reduction of awe and wonder. This led me to reflect on this question: “What…
Paul and Prayer: Colossians 4:12-13
Colossians 4:12-13 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.” Epaphras was, according to the Apostle Paul, the person who started the church at Colossae. This was his hometown, situated about 100 miles…
When Your Pastor Thinks He’s Brother Molehill
It might surprise you to know that many pastors who have generous smiles on their faces each Sunday are, deep down, very disheartened. Pastoring a church is difficult work. For one thing, it is usually thankless. I know there are some churches that seem to remember their pastors with much fanfare, but most churches do not ever esteem them. They don’t work for just the members ultimately, so they can get over it, but never hearing those words, “Thanks for…
Responding to Admonitions
I knew I was going to miss my connecting flight. Still, I sprinted through one of the world’s largest airports to get to my departure gate. As predicted, I was too late and put on the stand-by list for a flight three hours later. As I sat at my new gate, tired from a weekend of ministry, I noticed an unfriendly ticket agent who never quite made eye contact with anyone, even people speaking directly to her. The wrinkles on…
What a Man Knows in Hades
It is almost alarming to consider the difference between a man or woman in hell and a man or woman in heaven. In that amazing story from Jesus about Lazarus the poor man who ate the crumbs from the rich man’s table we learn, after the death of both of them, something which we might not know otherwise. The rich man is in Hades, the first dimension of hell. He is in torment, and asks for mercy from Abraham, the…
The Surprising Story of Bill Beery
My brother pastored an unconverted man on the rolls of the church. When it was discovered, some of the men in the church began to share Christ with him and soon he became a true believer in Christ. His name was Bill Beery, a direct relative of the famous deceased actor Wallace Beery. Bill was a physically imposing mechanic at 6’ 6”. But Lou Gehrig’s disease, the illness that physicist Stephen Hawkins endured, soon wilted him into a shadow of…
Seriousness In Children and Teens
It is increasingly obvious that children and young people in many evangelical churches are anything but serious about Christ. There are notable exceptions, but in many churches a cursory look at the behavioral signals put out by the young people reveal a profound disinterest. On the one hand there is a sort of giddiness and silliness by some who believe that church is there only to provide them a place for enjoying friends and impressing the opposite sex. On the…
Say “Goodbye” to Social Media?
I used to utilize social media much more. I still view it, but I can’t remember the last time I posted. I’ve wondered if I should eliminate it entirely. Here are a few reasons why I might just say “goodbye” to social media. 1. Social media is an easy way to waste time. That does not mean all time on social media is wasted, but too much of it in my life has been. What I think will only be…
How to Find a Wife
The proverb says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord” (Prov. 18:22). But wisdom also tells us that one should seek this blessing from the Lord at the appropriate time and in a godly way. Many Christians enter the dating scene while they are still in their teens. This practice is fully endorsed, and even expected, by a society that holds a completely inadequate understanding of what it actually means for a…
What It Means to Praise the Lord: a Brief Primer
If I say, “I just want to praise you, Lord,” I’m saying something good about my motives. If I say, “I praise you, Lord,” I’m describing my good actions. If I say, “Thank you Lord for answering my prayer,” I have not praised him, but thanked him. If I say, “Praise the Lord!” I’ve asked others to say something to honor him. If I say, “Lord, you alone know the future and will accomplish all your plan,” I have praised…
Single, Yet Pursuing Marriage
There are two places in the New Testament that teach about singleness as a chosen way of life for some (Matthew 19:10-12, plus various verses in First Corinthians 7), but that’s just about it. Have you ever noticed in Paul’s letters, when he lists categories of people, he includes wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters (cf. Ephesians 5:22-6:9; Colossians 3:18-4:1), but there is no category of single adults? Why? Paul was writing to the norm, and the shift from…
Appreciating and Correctly Reading the Stories within the Gospels
If you have read Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John — the Gospels — you know that not only do they tell the story of Jesus’ life and present Jesus’ teaching, but they are made up of individual stories. I prefer to call these brief accounts “episodes.” So the one story about Jesus is made up of multiple episodes about Jesus. For example, we see the “leper” episode in Mark 1:40-45, followed by the “paralytic down through the roof” episode in…
God Above All Governments
You may disagree, but I believe biblical history and subsequent Christian history demonstrates that radical internal holiness, godly enthusiasm to follow Christ, and courageous truth-inspired faith in him regardless of the societal externals or the diffidence and even hatred of those around us, do more to accomplish the will of God in the world than the seating of any government over the people. The government may or may not support the Christian viewpoint. It did not in New Testament days…