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Bleeding Toes And Sufficient Grace Several years ago I had taken a shower early one morning. I slid the shower door open to step out of the shower when somehow it suddenly jumped off its track. The door instantly fell right to the floor with its edge landing straight across the top of my big toe, like a guillotine. (I probably wouldn’t become a war hero in battle, if this experience is indicative of my potential.) When the doo.. 2009. 12. 16.
Unholy Hyperactivity One time I found myself lost in the woods alone. It was late at night and a friend and I were going fishing. We had left the car parked on the side of the road and had gone through the woods down to the water’s edge where our boat was tied. The plan was that we would load the boat with the supplies we had brought from the car, then he would take the boat across the lake to a bridge on the oth.. 2009. 12. 14.
Are We Literally Righteous Or Positionally Righteous? For years I couldn’t reconcile what I saw taught in the Bible. I read verses that clearly say we are righteous (Romans 5:17, Ephesians 4:24, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, etc.), but struggled with my own inconsistent behavior. So I took this aspect of truth to be only a positional truth. My argument went like this: “We aren’t literally righteous. God only sees us that way. Our position is one of.. 2009. 12. 8.
Sweet Tea - The Nectar of Heaven Ingredients: 2 Family Size Tea Bags 1 Gallon Water 2 Cups White Sugar Place the tea bags in a small simmering pan containing about two cups of water. Bring to a boil. Steep for ten minutes then pour tea concentrate into gallon pitcher. While liquid is still very hot, add two cups of sugar. Stir. Fill gallon pitcher with water and stir. Serve over ice. On behalf of everybody who grew up in the s.. 2009. 12. 7.
My First Date . . . I've shared this story a thousand times, but assume many of my FB friends haven't heard it. It's about my first date, which turned out to be the girl I've been married to for over 36 years, pictured at 18 years old here. I met my wife when I was sixteen years old. On the day of that date, I went to great effort to cause her to like me. As soon as I came home from school that Friday, I drove dad.. 2009. 12. 7.
Energized By Grace Nothing is more invigorating to the life of a believer than continuously experiencing the grace of God. Religion drains a person. A religious man is a driven man. Grace doesn’t drive us, but directs us in a way that we enjoy serving God from a heart filled with gratitude. One walking in grace becomes increasingly energized as he serves, not spiritually exhausted. Although he may at times expe.. 2009. 12. 3.
When We Are In Deep Pain When my son, David, was about three years old, he woke up one night crying in agony. Melanie and I rushed into his bedroom and could immediately tell that something was seriously wrong. We agreed that she would stay at home with the other children and I would take him to the hospital. When we arrived at the emergency room, the attending physician examined him. He turned to me and said, “I kno.. 2009. 12. 2.
Why I'm Against Religion Sometimes people are taken aback when they hear me say that I'm against religion. That's the last thing that they'd expect to hear a professing follower of Jesus Christ say, and even more true of a pastor. Why am I against religion? It really a simple answer. It's because of what it is and what it does to people. Religion began in the garden of Eden when Eve believed the lie that there was some.. 2009. 12. 1.
Resting In Christ It is amazing how the default setting in contemporary Christian culture tends to oppose the concept of spiritual rest when that is exactly what Jesus promised to give those who follow Him. (See Matthew 11:28-30) This concept requires a new mind set for most people, especially in western culture. We live in a society where people go on vacation with their Blackberrys and laptops. To rest in Chri.. 2009. 11. 30.
Negative Faith Some people have a negativity being broadcast inside them practically all the time. Sometimes it is a conscious broadcast. At others it is subconscious. This negativity causes them to look at a scenario and immediately see the negative aspects of it. “Do you want to get well?” Jesus asks them. They don’t even hear the question. Like the man beside the pool of Bethesda, their response is i.. 2009. 11. 30.
You Shall Know They Are Christians Imagine giving a description of what God is like to somebody who had never heard of Him. How would you describe Him to them in a short summary? I hope you would mention God's love in your description. Since that is the essence of His nature, to do justice to any description of Him requires that we talk about His love. If the world only understood the truth about the love of Father, so many more.. 2009. 11. 30.
When Others Try To Put Expectations On You One of the greatest changes grace brings to followers of Jesus when we are set free from legalism is the release from being controlled by the religious expectations others try to put on us. The essence of religion is that it binds you up and controls you. (The origin of the English word "religion" is religare (Latin) and means "to bind." See http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200804040.. 2009. 11. 25.
It's Not True That Grace Is An Important Doctrine "Why do you stress the grace of God, but don't talk much about His other characteristics?" I'm often asked. People often like to remind me that there's much more to theology than grace. "We need grace but there are other important things too," somebody recently said. I think this kind of criticism misses the point altogether. Grace isn't an important doctrine that takes its place in line with o.. 2009. 11. 24.
Did The Father Forsake Jesus On the Cross? No! For many years I taught the seven sayings of the cross and when I came to the words of Jesus, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" I used the text as evidence that the Father had turned His back on His own Son when Jesus was on the cross. "The Bible is clear that God cannot look upon sin!" I would boldly proclaim. It seemed reasonable to me that God turned away from Jesus. After all, isn.. 2009. 11. 24.
Theodicy And My Own Idiocy Okay, friends - I traveled to Florida yesterday to arrive and find there was quite an interest in what I wrote in yesterday's blog about suffering. Here's a follow-up which will probably stir the pot more but at least will clarify my thinking :) Theodicy is the word used to describe our attempts to explain the existence of evil given the fact that our God is a good God. "How can a loving God al.. 2009. 11. 23.
A Throne In Heaven Things don't just "happen" in this world. A sovereign God has written the script for the drama we call life. The world is not hanging in the balance, with the outcome yet to be determined. Some people seem to believe that the throngs of heaven are on one side of the stadium and the demons of hell are on the other, each hoping their side wins. Within the context of their twisted theology, it bec.. 2009. 11. 23.
The Value of Laughter When Nehemiah led the people of Israel to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, they had a ceremony after the reconstruction was complete. Ezra, the priest, stood before the people and began to read the Law of God to them. As he read, the people were moved to tears and began to weep as they worshiped God. Nehemiah encouraged them with these words: “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is y.. 2009. 11. 23.
2월 15일 (세세토록 찬양 받으소서) “여호사밧이 다시스의 선척을 제조하고 오빌로 금을 취하러 보내려 하였더니 그 배가 에시온게벨에서 파선하였으므로 가지 못하게 되매.” [열왕기상 22:48] "오직 우리 주 곧 구주 예수 그리스도의 은혜와 저를 아는 지식에서 자라 가라 영광이 이제와 영원한 날까지 저에게 있을지어다." (베.. 2009. 11. 23.
주 안에서 기뻐하라 이사야 49장을 통해 우리는 주님이 당신의 투쟁을 알고 계신다고 배웠습니다. “주 안에서 항상 기뻐하라 내가 다시 말하노니 기뻐하라”(빌4:4). 이 말은 빌립보인들에게 보내는 바울 서신의 끝맺음 말입니다. 바울은 “나는 감옥에 갇혀있고 이 족쇄들은 축복입니다. 나는 이 고통으로 인해 아주 행복.. 2009. 11. 23.
Being Salt in the Workplace 오늘의 말씀 마태복음 5:10-12 (쉬운성경, NASB) 10. 의롭게 살려고 하다가, 박해를 받는 사람은 복이 있다. 하늘 나라가 그들의 것이다. Blessed are those who have been presecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11. 사람들이 나 때문에 너희를 모욕하고 박해하고 온갖 나쁜 말을 할 때, 너희에게 .. 2009. 11. 23.
Can You Go Too Far With Grace? One of the most frequent accusations I hear as I teach the truth of grace is that we have to be careful about not taking grace too far. After all, people will go crazy and abuse grace if you aren't careful. Some suggest that there is "grace and truth" and that we need to keep the two in balance, as if there is anything else we could do. You can't divide truth from grace. When we do, truth stops.. 2009. 11. 16.
Celebrating Life In Every Situation Celebration was a foundational aspect of the growth of the early church. The second chapter of Acts portrays a group of people who laughed and loved, who shared meals and money; people who took seriously the practice of partying under the direction of God’s Spirit. They would have fully affirmed C. S. Lewis’s claim that “joy is the serious business of heaven.” The result was that “mul.. 2009. 11. 16.
Christian Cataracts Sometimes people with failing vision have been known to pretend to see better than they do. They find it hard to admit that they can't see clearly. That’s what a Christian legalist does. In an effort to keep up appearances, those blinded by legalism profess all the more loudly about how clearly they can see. They go through religious motions, but with each passing day their view of the Divine.. 2009. 11. 16.
Is God In A Bad Mood? “I think God is out to get me!” George Castanza once said to Jerry on the popular Seinfeld television sitcom. “I thought you didn’t believe in God,” Jerry answered. “I do for the bad stuff!” George replied. George’s comical answer reflects a sad attitude common among many people, even many Christians. Legalistic religion often paints a portrayal of a god who is perturbed most of.. 2009. 11. 16.
Joe Cocker And Grace? One time I was speaking at a conference on the subject of hearing our Father express His love to us in nonreligious ways when I asked the group, “Are you able to hear God speak to you if there is no religious tone who what you hear?” The audience waited for me to continue. “Close your eyes and listen to the song I’m about to play, “ I encouraged them. “Perhaps you have heard the son.. 2009. 11. 16.
Hearing God Speak In his book, Without Feathers, Woody Allen offers an essay which spoofs the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac. As Allen tells the story, Abraham is reporting to Sarah and Isaac about how God has instructed him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. While this description contains elements of humor, it isn’t so far removed from the way some Christians think that God must speak to them. And Abraham a.. 2009. 11. 16.
A Jed Clampet Sort of Grace To practice the discipline of contentment, we must be set free from an all-consuming goal to increasingly achieve and attain. It’s still true that a man can’t serve two masters. (Luke 16:13) Real contentment comes when we begin to focus on spiritual depth instead of the superficial breadth lauded by modern standards. Contentment never comes to those who are held captive to the eternal lust .. 2009. 11. 16.
Looking Beyond The Religious Lens My wife, Melanie, and I have loved the chance to occasionally vacation in the Carribean. At times I have stood in scenic spots overlooking the ocean, with my camera in hand. I’ve felt overwhelmed by the majestic beauty that surrounds me. Blue, crystal clear water stretches out to the horizon until it becomes impossible to tell where the water stops and the sky begins. White, powdery beaches r.. 2009. 11. 16.
Idleness With Jesus In Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, there is an intense scene where Captain Ahab’s whaling boat presses through a churning sea in pursuit of the great white whale, Moby Dick. One can almost smell the salt air and feel the ocean spray as Melville describes the chase. For the sailors onboard at that moment, nothing else exists apart from the pounding waves, violent winds and the great sea monster.. 2009. 11. 16.
2월 14일 (매일 먹을 은혜의 양식) “여호사밧이 다시스의 선척을 제조하고 오빌로 금을 취하러 보내려 하였더니 그 배가 에시온게벨에서 파선하였으므로 가지 못하게 되매.” [열왕기상 22:48] "저의 쓸 것은 날마다 왕에게서 받는 정수가 있어서 종신토록 끊이지 아니하였더라." (열왕기하 25:30) 유다 왕 여호야긴은 몇 달 동안 .. 2009. 11. 16.

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