"Follow your heart." What could possibly be wrong with that statement? Presently, I'm reading a biography on John Newton (1725-1807), author of the beloved song, Amazing Grace. The seafaring Newton, at 17 years of age, stumbled upon Earl of Shaftesbury’s “The Moralists: a Philosophical Rhapsody.” Newton loved it, reading it over and over again. Shaftesbury, … Continue reading Follow your heart?
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‘Twas the Night Before Jesus Came
‘Twas the Night Before Jesus Came ‘Twas the night before Jesus came, And all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, Not one in the house. Their Bibles were laid on the shelf without care, Thinking that Jesus would never come there. The children were ready to crawl into bed, Not one … Continue reading ‘Twas the Night Before Jesus Came
The problem with “God just wants us to be happy.”
In 2014, on the platform at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, his wife, Victoria, told the crowd, "Do good 'cause God wants you to be happy. When you come to church, when you worship Him, you're not doing it for God, really. You're doing it for yourself because that's what makes God happy." … Continue reading The problem with “God just wants us to be happy.”
When Facts Don’t Matter
In a post-Christian/post-modern culture, facts don’t always matter. Michael Kruger writes, “C.S. Lewis captured this reality well in his book The Magician’s Nephew (part of his Narnia Chronicles). “While Narnia is a land filled with magic—where animals can talk and even sing—not all people can hear them. Indeed, Uncle Andrew cannot. “When the animals speak … Continue reading When Facts Don’t Matter
Prove to Me I’m Wrong.
In John’s biography of Jesus he recorded many instances of people accusing Jesus of being a sinner or all the way to being demon-possessed. In one such story Jesus confronted his accusers: “When I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I … Continue reading Prove to Me I’m Wrong.
Advice from a Demon
I place C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, published in 1942, in my personal Top 5 Books list. My copy is well-worn. Recently in my class, as we talked about Paul's emphasis on our spiritual growth in Ephesians 4, and Satan's hope that we will remain "spiritual infants," I cited The Screwtape Letters. That excerpt I … Continue reading Advice from a Demon
Ancient Cancel Culture….and Why It Failed.
I've been teaching weekly through Paul's Letters from Prison. Presently, we're in Paul's letter to the Ephesians believers. To give some context into what the believers in Ephesus were up against you need to read Acts 19 which recounts Paul's two-year stay in Ephesus. First, Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia … Continue reading Ancient Cancel Culture….and Why It Failed.
You are God’s Work of Art!
When we look in the mirror, most of us don't identify with Mac Davis' classic, "Lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect way." 🙂 On the contrary, we see the "real" us. Full of flaws, defects, etc. Here's what the Bible says: you are God's masterpiece! Check out this out... I n the … Continue reading You are God’s Work of Art!
“Jesus is Not Enough”
"Jesus is not enough." That's what we're saying when we buy into the lie that salvation is not "by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone." (cf. Eph. 2:8-9; Romans 10:9; John 3:16; Galatians 3:1-14) Working our way to heaven... what a miserable life. Never knowing if we're "good enough", if we've "done enough." … Continue reading “Jesus is Not Enough”
Is the Christian faith compatible with Science?
Is the Christian faith compatible with Science? 100%. There is no conflict between faith & science. “It’s not science that squeezes God out of the equation. Rather, it’s philosophy that squeezes God out of the equation.” “‘There is no God’ is never a scientific claim, but rather a philosophical claim.” Never allow yourself to be … Continue reading Is the Christian faith compatible with Science?