By:
On:
In: Bible and Theology, Lament, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

“ And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24) In a classic putting of the cart before the horse, the rabbi’s words are delivered to us as the verse of the day the day after his disciple Peter expounded on it. In context, this speech is recorded right after  Peter confesses Jesus is not simply another John the Baptist, Elijah, or some other prophet, but the Christ,Read More →

By:
On:
In: abuse, Bible and Theology, Gospel, Prayer and Devotions, Sin and Holiness, Suffering

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24) In context, if I understand correctly, Peter tells us in verses 13-25: Obey the local, state, and federal government, and the leadership of any other institution you may belong to, attend, work for, or serve under. This is God’s will because it silences the historical objection to Christians’ assertion that Jesus is Lord. Based on the the Emperor of Rome’s assertion that he is Lord, non-Christians of the day felt to be a ChristianRead More →

By:
On:
In: Bible and Theology, Faith, Fatherhood, God's love, Grace, Prayer and Devotions

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10) Sometimes we feel like we shouldn’t bother God so much, that he expects us to have gotten it by now and be able to handle it ourselves. This lie of course tricks us into doing things in our strength rather than God’s and failing to get the victory over our sin. Paul reminds us, in his letter to the Romans, that Christ laid down his life for us while we were hisRead More →

By:
On:
In: Bible and Theology, Faith, Grace, Legalism, Prayer and Devotions

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Is this true of us? Have we crucified the desires of our sinful flesh and nailed them up along with our failures and mistakes? Are we also then living by faith in Christ’s finished work rather than our own righteousness? Is our good deeds also Christ living and working in us or the efforts of the flesh? OneRead More →

By:
On:
In: Abuse, Bible and Theology, God's love, Prayer and Devotions

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16) What is love? John tells we learn what love is at the cross. Jesus and Paul both tell us that to love god and to love others fulfills all the laws and regulations handed down to us in the scriptures.  We love, John tells us elsewhere, because Christ first loved us. To love is to sacrifice and put others needs (not their wants) before our own. Scripture places the greatest burden here upon the leaders in our communities:Read More →