O Lord, you have searched me and known me … and in your book every one of my days is written before they ever come to pass (Psalms 139:1, 16). I grew up in a house that looked like a miniature library. My parents believed that reading was a kind of sacred exercise and experience...... Read More

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who – though he was rich – became poor for your sakes (2 Cor. 8:9) After my last post, one reader pointed out that the content was rather high on the idealism scale. I have to admit that I shared the same concern. The problem...... Read More

 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1). For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who, though he was rich, became poor for our sakes so that we might become rich in him (2 Cor. 8:9). (The first in a series on freedom from avarice and greed to...... Read More

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1). Certain ideas are more subject to becoming clichéd than others. Love, life, happiness – and our word for today, freedom – are all abstract, big-picture concepts that writers, singers, and casual conversationalists abuse every day. We constantly trivialize and banalize the fundamental questions...... Read More

Abraham believed God, and this was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). It is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). I would say that I experienced a blessed childhood. I had good parents, a stable family environment, lots of friends in the neighborhood and at school, no real fears to assail me....... Read More

The Father’s relentless, gracious pursuit of us is meant to deliver us from our consuming desire to love and serve ourselves above everything else. I don’t think that it would be shocking or controversial for me to say that Jesus is not particularly tolerant of unbelief or that he strongly opposes our indulging in or...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Do not lie to each other but speak the truth to each other in love. (Ephesians 4:14, 25; Colossians 3:9) On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus ends up in a philosophical debate with, appropriately enough, a politician, this one named Pontius Pilate. In the midst...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Don’t bite and devour each other, or else you will end up destroying each other (Gal. 5:15), part 2 I have always been grateful that neither of our kids were biters. This is, of course, a good thing in and of itself. None of us is...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Don’t bite and devour each other, or else you will end up destroying each other (Gal. 5:15) Most people find different eating habits either fascinating, distasteful, gross, or all three. For example, if you’ve ever watched an anaconda swallow an entire pig, you might be amazed...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Encourage and build up each other (1 Thess. 5:11), Part 2 I was thinking that this week we would move on to a new “one another” passage, but a comment by my good friend Sam Williamson (see his excellent blog at beliefsoftheheart.com) has vaulted me right...... Read More