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: John 20:19-29 One of the most tragic and dangerous developments in recent times is what’s known as Christian deconstructionism. Just as one deconstructs a building by tearing down the roof, the walls, and eventually the foundation, some today are claiming that persuasive arguments from science, philosophy, and other religions have filled them with enough “reasonable doubts” to deconstruct their faith, thus tearing down biblical beliefs they once held
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
Have you ever experienced a dark time in your life? A moment when it seemed like everything good was unraveling. It could have been a major health crisis when you were diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease. It might have been receiving word that you lost your job, and you didn’t know how you were going to make ends meet. It could have been a season of intense sadness or
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: John 18:28-40 One of the most thought-provoking literary devices is irony. Writers often grab our attention by describing situations that — to our surprise — turn out differently than we expected. We might read about a fire station burning down, or a marriage counselor filing for divorce or a pilot with a fear of heights. These twists are often given to display deeper truths, such as the vulnerability
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: John 18:1-11 In our fallen culture, it’s not uncommon for criminals to scramble from police to avoid arrest. A few weeks ago, a man in West Tennessee was accused of assaulting a family member. When the police arrived, the suspect barricaded himself inside the home and threatened to open fire on the officers. The standoff lasted for over four hours until a special response team carefully made their
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: 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
Focal Passage: John 20:19-29 One of the most tragic and dangerous developments in recent times is what’s known as Christian deconstructionism. Just as one deconstructs
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
Have you ever experienced a dark time in your life? A moment when it seemed like everything good was unraveling. It could have been a
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
Focal Passage: John 18:28-40 One of the most thought-provoking literary devices is irony. Writers often grab our attention by describing situations that — to our
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
Focal Passage: John 18:1-11 In our fallen culture, it’s not uncommon for criminals to scramble from police to avoid arrest. A few weeks ago, a
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
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
