In your light we see light. When the Pilgrims set sail from Holland on the Mayflower, John Robinson offered a farewell speech. He encouraged them to seek more light from the Word of God by reminding them of their church covenant: “Whereby wee promise and covenant with God and one with another, to receive whatsoever […]
Read More »Write them on the tablet of your heart. Scribes in the ancient world wrote on wax tablets to preserve the message. Many people thought the human heart was also made of wax to preserve memories. That same metaphor is used here in this passage. In order to keep our commitments, Proverbs tells us to engrave […]
Read More »The humble, poor, and disabled can teach us so much about grace. Jesus calls us to sit in the cheap seats and to invite people to our parties with no ability to return the favor. Why? So we can learn what it’s like to simply enjoy the party with people who couldn’t earn or buy […]
Read More »Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. In autumn, falling leaves remind us of the hope for loved ones who have died in Jesus. They are like seeds planted in the ground […]
Read More »But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. A few years ago, I returned to the church on a Sunday afternoon and saw one of my friends in the parking lot leaving with a stuffed duck. I assumed the toy was for his 3 year old. He confessed, “Our son left the […]
Read More »Deep calls to deep. Someone suffering from depression know the waves of despair the Psalmist describes. She can remember a time when going to God’s house was delightful. She sang the songs with a smile on her face and read scripture in worship. She’s been lying in bed all night long remembering those days. She’s […]
Read More »But the Lord was with Joseph. The path to success in the Christian life is downward. While the rest of society seeks to climb higher, preserving what little control they have on their family and future, believers are willing to descend to the depths. Consider Joseph, while on the upward path of power through the […]
Read More »For the grace of God has appeared. The word “appeared” in Titus 2:11 means “an epiphany.” Normally we would say, “I had an epiphany,” or “I suddenly realized something I had missed all along.” Pastor Titus says, “God’s grace has an epiphany for you. It helps you realize something that you’d missed all along. God’s […]
Read More »First be reconciled to your brother or sister. People treat religion the way that most teenagers treat parental boundaries. They follow the rules while asking, “How much can I do without getting grounded for life?” Jesus saw our faith and the people in our world as an ongoing love relationship with him. Righteousness for believers […]
Read More »If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit A child came into my office last week to talk about his decision to become a Christian. He asked me a great question, “How did sin start?” Paul tells us how. Sin is anything that causes my life to be focused […]
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