Life is full of data, whether historical facts, personal experiences, or scientific measurements. Data by itself, though, does not say anything; all data must be interpreted to have meaning or helpful application to life. As we all know, people frequently have differing interpretations of data. And why? Because people use differing starting points for their…
In light of the new baptisms and new memberships at our church, I have been thinking again about God’s design for the church according to Ephesians 4:7-16 and Romans 12:4-8. Fundamentally, the church is the spiritual body of Christ; Christ is the head and Christians are the various body parts. Though all within the body…
One important lesson I learned in seminary relates to how we must be careful not to overestimate our own spiritual ability. A professor and some students and I were talking about how a prominent Christian leader at that time had been vacillating on a hot-button issue in the church instead of taking a firm biblical…
Since we did not have a sermon this past Sunday, I thought I would share something today on the passage the elders recommended for family study: Matthew 13:1-23 and the Parable of the Sower. One issue that can confuse modern readers of this parable has to do with whether more than one of the soils…
The Bible has a lot to say about speech, even speech offered in worship and service to God. In the Sunday sermon, I mentioned a few cross-references to Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 but had to leave out many more. Therefore, I wanted to share with you some of the other references that go really well with what…
As we continue to hear God’s warning against false teachers from 2 Peter, it’s important for us to keep in mind what a false teacher actually is. A false teacher is not merely someone who proclaims something false or in error, for, under such a broad definition, all of us growing Christians would qualify as false…
Christians often differentiate the terms “mercy” and “grace” in the following way: “mercy” is not receiving the bad that we do deserve and “grace” is receiving the good that we we do not deserve. While this distinction is adequate, the biblical Hebrew and Greek terms actually have broader and even overlapping meanings: “mercy” is simply…
Thank you for continuing to think through and pray about these words of exhortation. In part 1, I directed you to beware the demonic, spirit-targeting conspiracy more than any human conspiracy. In part 2, I identified two satanic pitfalls in our day that we must carefully avoid: shallow discernment and prideful isolation. In this third and final part, I want…
In part 1 of my exhortation, I discussed how, in these days, we believers face a demonic conspiracy far greater than any human conspiracy. This bigger conspiracy is not ultimately concerned with destroying our governments or harming our bodies but with leading our spirits into distraction, division, and despair. But we should not be ignorant…
America has been duped by a vast and nefarious conspiracy. This conspiracy has infiltrated our government, our scientific establishment, and even our church. No, I’m not talking about a racism, Covid-19, media, or election conspiracy. The conspiracy I’m talking about is much bigger. In fact, for those with the eyes to see, this malicious conspiracy…