Hi friends, I wrote the following poem 20 years ago the day after Christmas. It’s called “Christmas Truth” and I’ve packaged it here between two great verses of Scripture. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6, ESV Wise men left their homes … Read More
A Guide for Pastors on Making the Most of Sanctity of Human Life Sunday
Hi friends, this week I thought I’d share a version of an article I just wrote for Care Net. Not only might some of you find it interesting to see how I talk about the life issue, but some of you may also find some of the linked resources valuable for your own purposes. Blessings and the beautiful pic is … Read More
The Case for Catechesis
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes … Read More
My 2021 Favorites
Happy New Year, dear friends! Besides a favorite pic of my grandkids above and one of our church plant below, here are my favorite quotes from 2021 on… How We Treat People: “The Bible calls on us to develop a theological imagination within which we see the world as a community and not a collection of hostilities.” -Esau McCaulley “Condemnation, … Read More
On Dragons and Manger Scenes
“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten … Read More
Praying for Our Kid’s Hearts
In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago. Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign. In … Read More
Malachi’s Vision of Hope: Remember, Return, and Rest
“On the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts. Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children … Read More
What It Means to Be Adopted by God, Part 2 of 2
Last week, we concluded with Jerry Bridges’ three precious things adoption means for the Christian:[1] We have been brought into close personal relationship with Him. We have confident and ready access to Him. We receive the full rights of sons. Let’s now illustrate these three meanings in various ways by taking a deep dive into the infamous story of the … Read More
What It Means to Be Adopted by God, Part 1 of 2
Long before ABBA was associated with a Swedish pop group, songs like Dancing Queen, and movies like Mama Mia, it was a Greek term akin to “Papa” or “Dad,” connoting “affectionate respect.”[1] Many of us know something of these intimate terms in that when we’ve called our father to share our heart, we begin by saying, “Dad…” Or when our … Read More
Reading Genesis 1 with Saint Augustine
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3, NLT I love Genesis 1 and one of the cool things about … Read More