I’m not saying that I have already achieved these things or that I have reached perfection. But I press on to gain that for which Christ Jesus first took hold of me. Although I have not achieved it, I focus on one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to...... Read More

Saul, however, was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear. 8 He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering. I Sam....... Read More

For you are a chosen people, royal priests … God’s very own possession, so that you can declare the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his glorious light. 1 Peter 2:9 A few months ago I attended a retreat where the participants spent a good deal of time seeking to...... 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: Don’t bite and devour each other, or else you will end up destroying each other (Gal. 5:15), part 3 Our daughter Annie is spending most of this summer volunteering at an orphanage for special needs children. One early morning a few weeks ago I answered my...... 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

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 5b: Bear each others’ burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2) Carrying stuff is one of those near-universal experiences of the human race, exempting only the fabulously wealthy who hire or force others to assume the drudgery of burden bearing...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 5: Bear each others’ burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2) A couple of weeks ago in my previous blog, we were sitting at table with Jesus, the Son of God, having our feet washed in a kind of act...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 4: When God kneels in humility to serve us, we are raised to unbelievably great stature in his eyes, and rightly made infinitely small in our own. If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each others’ feet (Jn....... Read More