Inward Transformation to the Outward Expression of Life
This past Sunday our preaching series at our church through the Book of Revelation focused on Jesus' letter to the church at Ephesus. If you are at all familiar with these seven letters from the book's opening chapters, the phrase "you have abandoned your first love" probably popped into your mind when you heard the... Continue Reading →
My primary purpose here is pastoral, not political. I am simply exhorting you to remember and consider your supreme and primary identity as ambassadors of King Jesus and His Kingdom. I am simply exhorting you to remember and consider your greatest stewardship; the one that comes before any other aspects of stewardship you consider. Our greatest stewardship is in regards to the gospel.
As I have continued to think about it this morning, especially alongside some prep I am doing for a sermon for this Sunday, I realized what is so very powerful about it to me:
When anything other than Jesus becomes our hope (or our wealth, security, sufficiency, completeness, joy, safety, etc...), whatever we have replaced him with has become an idol. And when we place anything on that throne, we will defend it. We will justify it. We will protect it. We will cease to allow the gospel to confront it. We will hang a Do Not Disturb sign on it. As Gerald said on Sunday, "Our idols will always make demands of us."
Several years ago I offered some advice to parents on how Christian families should think through involvement in extra-curricular activities. My own kids have now been involved in different activities, and our oldest has entered the world of middle school. This has caused me to consider how Erin and I should help them understand their objectives for each activity. What should be their primary goals? What is the WHY that governs their HOW and WHAT, so to speak? As I have thought about this I decided it would be good to put these thoughts into writing as I prepare to formally set this before them.
It has been interesting to see the effects of social media on our culture over the past several years. One aspect that I find particularly interesting is the way that many people perceive what they believe to be a new or different identity online. So many seem to struggle with the ethical guidelines of this new... Continue Reading →
Hey T Swift! It’s us. You know, the tall, "handsome as hell" bad guys who "do it so well." We’ve been following your career and music for some time now, and our appreciation for you just continues to skyrocket. It’s funny, we never thought we would say that, but you have no idea how... Continue Reading →
I had the honor of preaching yesterday at my church, Westwood. Our pastor has been faithfully walking us through the Book of Isaiah. Last Sunday we arrived in chapter 28. Peter quotes a portion from this chapter in the second chapter of his first letter: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone... Continue Reading →
I have been horrified at the recent videos released exposing Planned Parenthood's selling of tissue and organs of aborted babies. I am thankful, though, that they have once again shed light on the issue of abortion. I am thankful for the resulting dialogue. I am thankful that some seem to be thinking twice about abortion... Continue Reading →
The term worldview can be intimidating, but it really shouldn’t be. In fact, the term describes one of the most basic aspects of our everyday lives. Our worldview makes up what we can call the subconscious steering of our lives. Although it may be difficult to articulate, the decisions we make in all areas of... Continue Reading →
know. be. do. 