“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” (Acts 15:19) There has always been a tension in the church between grace and truth. In reality, such a tension shouldn’t even exist. Too often we think that we need 50% grace and 50% truth, but Jesus, the embodiment of both, was 100% of each. He was all grace ... [Continue Reading]
Fighting God (Acts 5-6)
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:38-39) There are people, who with good intentions, end up opposing God. It’s a scary thought, ... [Continue Reading]
How Bold Are You? (Acts 3-4)
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. (Acts 4:29) What you do in the face of opposition speaks significantly of what you believe. People who are uncommitted to a belief system rarely stand up for what they believe when pressure comes because they don't want to face pain or difficulty from something they're not ... [Continue Reading]
Malarkey (Luke 24)
But [the disciples] did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. (Luke 24:11) If you grew up going to church, then for you, it's probably somewhat assumed and accepted that Jesus died and rose again. After all, we tend to believe the things that we're taught from a young age without giving them a lot of thought. However, the idea that ... [Continue Reading]
Are You In the Closet? (Mark 11; John 12)
...for they loved human praise more than praise from God. (John 12:43) The miracle involving raising Lazarus from the dead was a pretty convincing sight for those who hadn’t yet decided what they thought of Jesus. It’s hard to deny the deity of a man who is able to bring someone else back to life. John (as well as other Gospel writers) tells us that the Pharisees wanted ... [Continue Reading]
The Truth Will Set You Free… (Jeremiah 20, 22-23)
When the priest Pashhur son of Immer, the official in charge of the temple of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the Lord’s temple. (Jeremiah 20:1-2) "The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable" - so said the poster at my Grandma's house when I ... [Continue Reading]
To Whom Do You Listen? (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18)
The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” (1 Kings 22:8a) To whom have you given permission to speak truth into your life? King Ahab only gave permission to those who would speak positively of ... [Continue Reading]
Finding the Truth (2 Samuel 16-18)
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.” (2 Samuel 16:9) When David was confronted by the curses of Shimei he had a couple of choices. One option was to have his mighty warriors destroy Shimei right there on the spot. Another option was to listen to Shimei's words and to take ... [Continue Reading]
Instilling Faith (Deuteronomy 11-12)
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 11:18-19) Parents have an enormous responsibility of passing their faith on to their children. I ... [Continue Reading]
To Tell You the Truth (Numbers 16-17)
Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come! Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? And now you also want to lord it over us! (Numbers 16:12-13) Failing to accurately represent the whole truth is just as dishonest as telling a flat out lie. In ... [Continue Reading]
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