The truth is, almost every single one of us knows that we need to change at least one specific behavior because it is harmful. Maybe it’s smoking, drinking, over-eating, or maybe it’s not exercising. Whatever the behavior is, we know, usually without any doubt, where that behavior will lead, and yet, we continue along our … Continue reading –>
Several years ago, when we were all much younger, I was taking my older son, KC to his first cello lesson with a new teacher. I think he was in the third grade, and my younger son, Justin, was in second grade. If this hadn’t been the first lesson with this teacher, I would have … Continue reading –>
I’m not sure what you call them in your neck of the woods, but where I grew up they were called sticker burs – little globes of pricklies that can cause large amounts of pain to the barefooted and the four-footed. I’ve heard them called sand burs. They’re not like the polite but troublesome burs … Continue reading –>
In the late 1860s in the United States, shortly after the Civil War, which abolished slavery, a former slave owner is loading sacks of vegetables onto his wagon near the town square. Across the street he sees his former slave and yells out to him, “Get over here and load these bags onto my wagon … Continue reading –>
In his book, The Three Edwards, Thomas Costain tells the story of three kings of England from 1272 to 1377 all of whom were conveniently and confusingly named Edward. According to a well-used illustration from Costain’s book, in the mid to late 1300′s, there was a Duke Raynald III. He was extremely overweight. He was … Continue reading –>
[Thought questions for Creation and the Fall February 6, 2013] 1. Enmity from God. Why did God put enmity between the woman and the snake in the Garden of Eden? (Gen 3:15). How is that sense of hostility carried out even to this day? Why does the Bible refer to the devil as a snake or serpent throughout Scripture? … Continue reading –>
Where does morality come from? How do humans decide how to behave? As a Christian we see that moral behavior is a product of my belief in a Creator God. But what if a person does not believe in God? What dictates his morality? In a sermon on “Evolution and the Christian Faith,” Phillip E. … Continue reading –>
I have had a rough couple of months when it comes to driving – I’ve gotten three tickets! One was because I didn’t “stop” when I was turning right on a red light, and the other two were for speeding. All three were my fault. I couldn’t say the red light camera didn’t actually have … Continue reading –>
There is a song I remember singing a hundred years ago, when I was a teenager. It went something like this, “I owed a debt I could not pay. He paid a debt He did not owe.” Beautiful song, but not exactly theologically correct if you want to get technical. And no, I do not … Continue reading –>
[Thought questions for Salvation: The Only Solution October 24, 2012] 1. Salvation the only solution. Since we can’t have a solution without a problem, what is the problem that salvation addresses? If you said, “sin,” what sin or sins are you including? Did Satan’s sin and rebellion long ago define the need and set the stage … Continue reading –>
There’s a TV show that my family and I watch called American Restoration. The star is Rick Dale. 1 Watching Rick restore whatever his clients bring in is an amazing process. Usually what they bring in has been dropped, crushed, rusted or in some other way destroyed. But after Rick and his employees have worked … Continue reading –>
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the … Continue reading –>
In order to have victory over sin, we must properly define sin. I believe the sin defined in John 16:9 is the cause of the sin in 1 John 3:4. Thus we must deal with the sin of unbelief in John 16:9 as our primary definition of sin. As we take a look at this … Continue reading –>
[Editor's Note: When we think of prophecy, our minds often turn to the message of Rev 14:6-10 and Rev 18:4, and we are reminded that it is our responsibility to call God's people out of Babylon. But do we understand the sin of Babylon so we can be sure that we do not participate in … Continue reading –>
Marilyn Sewell, a Unitarian minister, made the following statement while interviewing Christopher Hitchens, a well-known atheist: “The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the Scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement 1 (that … Continue reading –>