Last week, a friend asked an interesting question: What did I think about ISIS and the situation in Iraq? What did I think God was doing or allowing in Iraq? Had I blogged on this topic? I confessed: Other than being grieved by ISIS’s crimes, I hadn’t given the topic a lot of thought or blogged…
Tag: Jesus
Yard Sale Theology
My wife co-ran a yard sale recently. One item for sale was a small decorative cross. My wife planned to sell it for 25 cents. Before she could price it she noticed a man looking at it. Subtlely, he removed a 50 cent sticker from a neighboring item and placed it on the cross. My…
The Fruitlessness of the Cross
The following is excerpted from a booklet I am close to finishing–Despising the Lamb: Pictures of Contempt in First Samuel *** First Samuel opens with a story about Elkanah and his wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Hannah was unable to have children. Peninnah bore children for Elkanah and smugly needled Hannah about it: “Her…
Whoops!
My last post featured an excerpt from New Birth Fundamentals by Mallory Patrick. However, I forgot to post a link to the rest of the book in case people are interested in reading the whole book. Whoops! Proof I’m human 😉 A note about the book: It is formatted for print so the pages aren’t exactly…
Comet
My voice takes flight, soaring on my breath, and my very self is caught up, like the tail of a comet, released in a rapture of adoration (my body becoming a ghost as everything fades and we commingle in a place that is not heaven or earth but You).
Slimy
There are many days when I’m painfully aware of my shortcomings. My thoughts, reactions, feelings, and judgments flow by like sewage. If I dwell on things at all, it’s easy to start drowning in it. Psalm 40 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of…
Off the Clock
I’m going to move this week. I hadn’t planned on taking a blogging break until I realized it’s been four days since my last post! Planned or not, apparently I’m taking a break. Typically, when I take a break, I encourage people to read past posts of mine or check out some of the pdf…
Can Wrestlers Baptize?
Baptism scene from Nacho Libre In other posts, I’ve mentioned I’m wrestling my way though Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. I’m currently reading a section about sacraments. Calvin sees sacraments like communion or baptism as signs of the work of Christ. Baptism, for example, pictures our death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. Baptism doesn’t only signify forgiveness. It…
Break Time…
I’m going to clock out for a bit and take a blogging break. For the last month, my family has been very busy selling our house and buying another. It’s quite the transition. We’ve lived in our current house for over a decade. It’s the only house our kids have ever known. But it’s time…
Keep on the Shunny Shide
A book I’m reading advocates for the Matthew 18 model of church discipline: If someone sins, talk to him one on one. If he doesn’t respond, re-approach with two or three others. If that doesn’t work, take him before the church. If he doesn’t listen to the church, “let him be like an unbeliever and…
The Voice of One 