I’m changing the schedule for new posts from three times per week (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday) to two times per week. New posts will be published every Monday and Thursday. If you prefer receiving new posts in your email, you can do that by signing up to the right. For those who prefer visiting this site, rest assured it’s here to stay. The new schedule simply affords me more time to work through each post. Thanks for reading!
What’s Next?
It’s easy to become discouraged in our walk with Christ. The mission ahead is daunting and the pressures against us mount every day. There are so many in the world who hunger and thirst, how can we ever reach them all? Every day wars are creating more orphans and widows, and we haven’t yet begun to be able to help the ones we had the day before. We long to live a life that looks like Jesus, but the odds against us seem increasingly overwhelming. So many die without ever knowing the peace and love that can come only from Jesus; our hearts ache and we become paralyzed at the work before us.
From Inspiration to Implementation
I was recently attending a conference where I heard Bill Hybels say something that resonated deeply with me. He said that there comes a time when “we must move from inspiration to implementation.” We have more learning tools available to us than any other generation in history. Answers to virtually any question are just a few clicks away on the internet. The abundance of courses available through traditional, online, audio, and self-study courses is truly astounding. Lack of knowledge is no longer a viable excuse for a lack of action.
The Lie of Acquired Significance
We all want to feel significant; we want to know we are here for a purpose and are making a difference in the world. I think the reason so many people ask the “Why am I here?” question is because they feel insignificant and are searching for something to fill the emptiness within them. Even Christians who realize that Christ is the only one who can satisfy the deep longings in their soul often struggle with trying to figure out their purpose in life. This is another of Satan’s favorite tricks; he has convinced you of the need to search for something to make you feel significant. [Read more…] about The Lie of Acquired Significance
The Christian and Self Defense
Photo courtesy of Brian Lary
I’ve been reading John Howard Yoder’s little book entitled, “What Would You Do?” which deals with the philosophical question of what would you do if someone were threatening your spouse or child. It’s always been a difficult question for me to think through, as it is for most followers of Christ. To start with, I’m a jumble of contradictions when it comes to violence. As an American citizen, I believe in the individual right to bear arms as written in our Constitution. I own multiple guns and am a card carrying NRA member. Yet I’m anti-war and anti-hunting. I’m very much for animal rights and a massive lover of all of God’s creation. I suppose you could say that I own guns in hopes I never have to use them. Still, I’ve worked to become a very accurate shot should the need ever arise. It’s a dichotomy I’ve never really been able to unravel.