One of the most amazing things about Jesus is that he not only came and died for us but before that, he took the time to understand us. Before he even started his ministry, he spent thirty years just living, understanding the human experience. He was tempted in every way we are, so he understands […]
A Shepherd’s Tale
There I was, propped up against a rock in the middle of a field, trying to stay awake at least enough to keep track of the sheep. It had been a long day. We saw a lion to the east and had to steer the flock closer to Bethlehem so it didn’t cause any trouble. […]
The Church and the World
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul addresses a rather sensitive and oft-avoided topic in the church. In this chapter, he discusses the issues of immorality in the church, excommunication, and the difference between those in the church and those outside of it. Let’s read the beginning of the chapter and dive into its meaning: “It is […]
The Story of Hosea
Hosea is a book full of rebellion, redemption, destruction, and healing. Throughout the entire fourteen chapters we see parallels from Hosea’s marriage to the adulterer Gomer to the relationship between God and His chosen people. At the very beginning, we see God do something very strange. Instead of simply commanding Hosea to deliver a message […]
The Rich Young Ruler
“And a ruler asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and […]
The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’” – John 19:26 The disciple Jesus loved. For those of you who don’t know, this phrase is referring to John… in the book of John. Now, some critics have used this to point out […]
Genesis 1-3: The Story of Man
Last week we unpacked the beautiful story of the creation of the world, but I saved the creation of man for this week. This story is also beautiful, but it carries with it great sorrow and pain as well, so hold tight. To begin, we look at day six of creation. God spent five days […]
Genesis 1: In the Beginning
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1 It is a simple, straightforward statement, yet it lays the foundation for an epic story wrought with beauty and tradgedy, filled with love and fear, and riddled with life and death. The very first words in the beginning of the Bible mark […]
The Safest Place to Be
In the world today, every company advertises the safety of their product; the safest car, car seat, insurance, bank, anything. This generation has been raised in a “safe” world, no immense dangers threaten the children born into the American life. We are comfortable. Have we forgotten, then, that God is in charge over all things, […]
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
There was a man with two sons. The youngest of them said to his father,”Father, give me my share of inheritance to me.” The father did. A few days later, the younger son gathered his belongings and journeyed to a far off country. When he was there, he wasted his property in reckless […]