“Accept Christ.” Sounds good, right? You read it on church signs and hear it in sermons. But is that all there is to it? Certainly “accepting” Christ is necessary, even good. But it’s not the full picture. I’d like to suggest some bolder language, and here’s why: • It’s not a very clear message. What …
Tag Archives: faith
The Last Straw…
I would like to applaud McDonalds and Sonic for standing strong in the face of a modern fast-food tragedy. Although some of their peers (ie. Taco Bell) have given in, they have resisted the pressure to compromise on what makes them great: big, thick straws. You know, the kind that don’t break when you are …
Which Way Are You Going?
Apostasy refers to a person who has once heard, understood, followed, and professed the gospel of Christ, and yet turned away. This is not the same as a person who hears an evangelistic plea and says, “no, thank you.” This is a person who has been walking the walk and talking the talk before abandoning …
Don’t Bet On It
Genius. That’s the only word I can think of to describe Blaise Pascal. If you aren’t familiar with Pascal, let me just give you a quick bullet-point bio: Renowned French scientist, inventor, psychologist, philosopher Child prodigy –mastered Greek and Latin by twelve He invented the first mechanical calculator as a teenager in 1642 “Pascal theorem” …
She Still Encourages My Faith
Jill wrote this in her journal on her 34th birthday. Two years earlier we had suffered a miscarriage. Eight and a half months later, Bryce was born. Eleven and a half months later, Jill went home to be with the Lord. 12-20-07 God, You who are mighty have done great things for me –and holy …
The Greatness of God’s Faithfulness (4 of 4)
(These are excerpts from a recent sermon from Genesis 15.) Part 4: “The Solution to the Covenant” If you feel the tension in your heart like I felt when I read this text (Genesis 15, see Part 1 here and Part 2 here and Part 3 here) and tried to see things from Abraham’s perspective, this will be a great …
Continue reading “The Greatness of God’s Faithfulness (4 of 4)”
The Greatness of God’s Faithfulness (2 of 4)
(These are excerpts from a recent sermon from Genesis 15.) Part 2: “The Covenant With Abraham” In Genesis 15, Abraham had already been given a pretty lengthy covenant by God. Part of the covenant was the fact that God had promised Abraham that He would make him into a great nation, which entailed Abraham having …
Continue reading “The Greatness of God’s Faithfulness (2 of 4)”
Delightful
Over the years, I’m afraid many of us have tried to separate faith from feelings. Don’t get me wrong -there is a healthy balance here. For instance, I don’t love God merely when I feel like it, and my faith is much deeper than being swayed by feelings of peer pressure, shame or guilt. And, …
Holy Wrestlemania!
What are you wrestling with right now? Finances? Relationships? Grief? Loss? Opportunities? Disappointments? In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with God. It’s one of the most mysterious passages in Scripture. In the background, Jacob had another wrestling match taking place. A reunion with his long estranged half-brother Esau was on the horizon. Jacob and Esau had …
Stairway to Heaven?
In the 4th century, a set of marble stairs known as the Scala Santa were transported from Jerusalem to Rome. What is so special about these steps that someone would go to such trouble? The Scala Santa are the stairs upon which Christ stood before Pilate. Over the centuries, the Catholic Church has granted indulgences …