Focal Passage: Numbers 12:1-15  Being unduly critical, without warrant and grace, is sin. In fact, the Bible calls believers to put away all kinds of attitudes, behaviors, and speech. As Ephesians 4:29-32 notes we are to put away filthy talk, bitterness, anger, slander, malice, and gossip. If most people followed this biblical admonition they would say very little. Through the story of Moses recorded in Numbers 12 we see what

Focal Passage: Ephesians 6:10-18  Temptation is real. So real that we must be on constant guard against falling into temptation.  But how does one guard against temptation? What tools or resources has God given us to ward off the temptation to sin? The good news is that God has given us every resource we need. We call these resources the armor of God. The armor of God is of little

Focal Passage: Psalm 32:1-7  Can a person who has sinned be restored to usefulness in the kingdom of God, especially a Christian leader?  This has been an age-old question in the church since the Donatist controversy of the fourth century — does the efficacy of the work of the church (the ordinances) solely depend on the character of the minister or does their efficacy reside in and of themselves? The

Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 6:10-15; Matthew 4:8-11   We love people, places and things. We rightly love people, we cherish places, and we rightly enjoy the good things of life. Yet, when we love people, places, and things more than we love God we have committed a form of idolatry that is dangerous and deadly. We are prone to idolatry. Sixteenth century theologian John Calvin fought the battle of idolatry when

Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 6:16-25; Matthew 4:5-7  To say that we trust God is one thing, but to deliberately put God in a position where He must prove His trustworthiness without necessary warrant is sin.  In other words, we can trust that God will take care of us as we obey His commands.  Yet, it is sin to deliberately “set God up” in such a way to show others that God

Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 8:2-10; Matthew 4:1-14  We are self-assured, aren’t we? We think we can handle just about anything on our own. Sadly, many Christians think this way. In fact, I would argue that many Christians think that the course of the Christian life goes something like this — I trust Jesus for salvation, but the rest is left up to me.  Salvation belongs to God, but we are on

Focal Passage: James 1:13-18   To be tempted to sin is the universal experience of humanity, both for Christians and non-Christians.  The difference between the two is that the Christian has the awareness and the tools to overcome a variety of temptations, the unbeliever does not. Let’s do an autopsy on temptation through James 1:13-18 so that we might see how it works in order to conquer those temptations that

Focal Passage: John 20:1-2, 11-18  Christianity is a historical religion. While there are many historical events recorded in Scripture for our benefit, two events form the basis of the Christian faith — the substitutionary, atoning death of Jesus and His resurrection from the dead. Apart from these two historical events there is no Christian faith.  As I Corinthians 15:12-19 notes, if Jesus has not been raised from the dead: (1)

Focal Passage: John 19:16-19; 28-30, 38-42  The great Puritan theologian John Owen once wrote that through the death of Jesus Christ the death of death has been accomplished.  Even more, because of the death of Jesus Christ the sins of all who would believe — past, present, and future — would be forgiven. The One who knew no sin bore the penalty for our sins so that we might be

Focal Passage: John 9:1-7; 32-33, 35-38  Why? This is one of the primal questions of life, along with How? When? Where? Who? We want to know why things happen, especially if those things cause suffering. Often, God will give us whole or partial answers to these questions. At other times, God remains silent reminding us that He has reasons for how He providentially cares for His creation that are above