I’ve written about the word “belief” before, and how in the Hebrew culture to believe means more than mental knowledge.  It means you act on what you believe.  So, we err when we think salvation by believing in Christ only involves mental acceptance of him.  It involves obedience also.  Obedience doesn’t save us.  We’d have to be perfect for that, but it does give evidence of real belief, real fai...  Read More

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you know what the number one complaint about the church is from those on the outside.  “Yeah, I might consider going to church if it wasn’t for all those hypocrites.”  Often the remark is made about a specific congregation where they know several people, who they consider to be hypocritical. What are we to think about that statement?My first respo...  Read More

The CEO of Northwest Airlines was a strong business leader, saving the airline from bankruptcy.  He then became CEO of Burger King and helped turn them around.  He excelled at achieving his goals.  But when his 6-year-old daughter was killed in a car accident, he no longer had control.  Grief was overwhelming.  What could help him through this tough time?  Would you believe the book of Isaiah?  Th...  Read More

“Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons.  The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me my inheritance.” So, the father divided his property between them.  Not many days later the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country. There he squandered his property in reckless living.  When he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he b...  Read More

A story is told about a person who had been a habitual gossip.  He spread hurtful rumors all over town and did much harm in a nonchalant way.  He decided to repent of this sin and went to the village rabbi seeking to make amends.  “Rabbi, is there something I can do that will make things right?”  The rabbi stroked his beard and replied, “Go home and come back with a pillow.”  It seemed an odd requ...  Read More

“As we were going to a place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination… She followed Paul and us, crying out, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.’ Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit in her, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!’  And it came out.” Acts 16:16-18To...  Read More

Many people call themselves “Christian,” but in the context of being a Christ-follower (the meaning of the word Christian), let me ask: Is it a free-for-all process, or must we pay attention to what Jesus said and to what the Bible teaches?  The answer, I would hope, is obvious.  Consider what it means to follow Christ as Lord.The Old Testament.  Many people who go to church and are seeking to liv...  Read More

“Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?... You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:...  Read More

All languages have figures of speech that outside of that culture might not make sense.  If you talk about “beating around the bush,” what does that mean, for example?  We kind of understand, but probably don’t know its origin.  The phrase dates to medieval times when hunters hired men to beat the area around bushes as they hunted, to flush out game that was hiding underneath.  The animal being hu...  Read More

I truly enjoy the story portrayed in Fiddler on the Roof.  Rexanne and I went to see the play on one of our early dates, at The Muny outside theater in St Louis way back in 1998.  The main character in the story is Tevye, who is stressed because his daughters, one by one, choose mates in unconventional ways.  Tevye has an ongoing habit of talking to God out loud when alone, trying to reason throug...  Read More

After Jesus answered the questioner about what the greatest commandment was (to love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind), he knew that wasn’t enough, so he offered a second most important command, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39).  The Apostle Paul went so far as to say the whole of the law is fulfilled by obeying this one command (Galatians 5:14). The Apostle...  Read More

It’s been pointed out that unfortunately far too many people are emotional addicts when it comes to searching for a church that excites them, where the music moves them, where they get a high from a thrilling song service or sermon.  When they come down from such a high, instead of being motivated to live better, to serve more, they just delve into a downer period, anxious for their next high.  An...  Read More