I discovered my need for glasses in college. Friends would say “hi” to me and I would just squint at them, trying to figure out who they were and if they were talking to me. They’d often tease me for being aloof, but I wasn’t trying to be. I was just trying to identify them. … Continue reading Spiritual Myopia
Yesterday, we started talking about Scripture’s “Magnificent Seven” and covered virtue, knowledge, temperance (self-control), and patience (endurance). We’ll finish that up with the last three of the Mag Seven: godliness, brotherly kindness and charity (love). “Godliness” means “God-likeness.” God created mankind to be an image bearer of Himself. “And God said, ‘Let us make man … Continue reading The Mag Seven (Part 2)
The Magnificent Seven is a classic Western about seven gunfighters hired to protect a small village from marauding bandits. In 2 Peter 1:5-7, Peter mentions Scripture’s magnificent seven, they are character qualities of the Christian walk that are vital in protecting us from the marauding influences of sin in our lives. 2 Peter 1:5-7 (5) … Continue reading The Mag Seven
Peter declares himself the author of Second Peter, mentions his office as apostle to establish his credentials and then hurries to make the point that he and his readers enjoy equal standing before God on the basis of their faith in Jesus Christ: Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them … Continue reading Three Affirmations
The apostle Peter is the most imperfect Christian in the New Testament. And that’s why we love him so. All his faults, foibles, fumbles and flubs are on display for us to see and when we look at him, we see ourselves. To quote Warren Wiersbe: “He had a tendency in his early years to … Continue reading Imperfect Yes, But Still Growing
What binds all Christians together is their common faith in Christ. When I served at our faith-based recovery program it was that bond that most amazed me. We had people with all kinds of different life stories, all kinds of different experiences and abilities, all different races. What brought us all together despite these obvious … Continue reading Our Common Bond
I’m not a huge fan of board games (except maybe for Monopoly). To me, most board games are more like “bored” games and nothing is more frustrating to me than to have someone pull out the rule book and start reading it before we can start playing. Usually about an eighth into the first paragraph … Continue reading Living the Example
There was this one time when I lost my glasses. Well, at least I thought I’d lost my glasses, and I was looking everywhere trying to find them until one of my kids said: “Dad, you’re wearing them!” To which I said: “No wonder I could see so clearly to find them.” Sometimes we “misplace” … Continue reading Misplaced Confidence in God
My wife Jane is a retired nurse. She’s still very good at it. There are other nurses that come to her for advice on how to do their jobs better. Am I bragging? No. In the words of Bear Bryant: “It ain’t bragging if you can do it,” and when it comes to being a … Continue reading Careful for Nothing
One day there was a preacher who was invited to fly across the country to preach at a meeting. This preacher had never flown before and when he got to the check-in desk, he was obviously nervous. Through a brief conversation, the lady at the desk learned that her nervous customer was a preacher and … Continue reading Remembering the Abiding Presence of God
Grace in Waves 