I’ve noticed that I can be defensive. A little. Just sometimes. Mostly, I feel that I am really nice – given the circumstances. But yes, sometimes I can be a wee bit touchy. Like the other day, I was doing push-ups in the living room. My wife, who I thought would be impressed, suggested helpfully […]
This guy Denis recently told me, “No one can live without some center or focus, some cherished end and purpose that shapes our ambition, even if we seem singularly unambitious to those who have adopted different ends.” Denis edits a magazine called Critique, and in the most recent issue (Issue 1 of 2017) he’s determined […]
I have an addiction to self-righteousness. I am a recovering pharisee. God declares me “Not condemned!”, and yet like Satan I contend with God’s Word and endeavor to prosecute – without hesitation launching into my opening argument, “Did God really say?” How arrogant is that!? If God sez, “Not guilty” who am I to argue […]
I was recently reminded of Martin Luther’s preface to his commentary on Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia. A primary part of being a steward of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1) is joyfully coming to grips with the fact that we will never completely understand the FREE – utterly unmerited – imputed […]
Yesterday I studied the Bible with a man who doesn’t (physically) look like me. We are both of the same race (the human race), but our ethnicity is different. Also, our life experiences and cultures are a bit different. As we talked about what we see God saying to us in Scripture – our interpretations […]
It is sometimes said, “There is neither rhyme nor reason.” I feel that way about many things – mostly technology issues. But there are other things as well. For example, about 3 months ago I had a friend move in with me. Usually, that is not such a major event. But I had lived alone […]
It was this past Wednesday around 10a. We were at Marlin’s house. Keith, Jason, Marlin, and myself. We were reading Hebrews chapter 4 together and discussing what God says to us about entering His rest/trusting Him. Later that same day I listened to what Wendell and Eugene had to say about what God has to […]
How are we supposed to feel about the people we love, who are not interested in personally repenting and relying entirely on Jesus (like the woman in Mark 14:3ff)? How are we supposed to react to the people we care about, who say, “I don’t need to read the Bible or regularly examine myself as […]
As my eyes fell upon the bible this morning for my daily reading, the bold print read “Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry”. For some reason I found this statement strange. Jesus, the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity actually has a ministry?? Ministries are for men like my pastor who has a ministry to his flock […]
Is it too early for New Year’s Resolutions? Just hear me out… Back in 1989 Eugene wrote a book called Answering God: The Psalms As Tools For Prayer (published by Harper Collins). In 2016 Margie read that book by Eugene. Here’s what Margie said about it: This little book reached down into the seat of […]