The Christian life is not about gaining more blessing, but entering more deeply into the reality of the blessing we already have, and living in the light of it. Paul’s response is thanksgiving and prayer. Thanksgiving for what God has done for us and prayer that we may have every greater knowledge of God.  ... Continue Reading

Christ suffered hatred, abuse, and shame so that you might have the gift of being included in God’s family, so that you could be encircled by God’s love and care. You could know the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the faithfulness of your heavenly Father, the love of your elder brother, Jesus. In Christ, you... Continue Reading

Jesus is our Rescuer. And, according to the Bible, He rescues from sin and death. Jesus jumps into the sea of sin and death and hauls our lifeless bodies to the shore. Then, He leans low, and breathes new life into us: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,... Continue Reading

Eli and his sons serve as warnings to both parents and children. As parents, we need to obey God in our parenting. We cannot honor our children’s desires to the neglect of honoring God. The cost could be great for ourselves, our children, and future generations. And our children need to be faithful to obey... Continue Reading

There is one who perfectly mastered the art of living a true, beautiful, and perfect life. There is one who lived free from flaws and imperfections. There is one to whom we look as an example for living now and as a promise of how we shall live when we are finally called home, finally... Continue Reading

To have a heart-knowledge of God is one that can never be taken away; it is an abiding knowledge that will remain to our final day. In the words of Spurgeon, “Memories of the heart abide when all others depart.”[7] The man of faith can be assured that as the knowledge of the mind decays,... Continue Reading

When your heart fears God and desires to keep his commandments, your heart is set upon what is good and right. The writer, in Ecclesiastes 11:9, is not advocating reckless living but Godward living, decisions made overflowing from a heart that fears and follows the Lord.    Before we look at Ecclesiastes 11:9, let’s get a few... Continue Reading

There is only one rabbit worth chasing: God himself. He is the only rabbit who can be caught and, at the same time, remain elusive. In Christ, you can catch God.[i] And yet, because he is infinite, you will never really catch him. Once you’ve tasted the true presence of God, you should know that... Continue Reading

Like we might search a child’s face to figure out who she looks like, John bids us to search our hearts to see if the truth of God is in us. If it is, we will discern a love for the law of God and a delight in doing what He commands. If not, we... Continue Reading

One could look at that human achievement simply in terms of human arrogance—or we could see it as a fulfillment of the mandate that God gave us to have dominion over creation. Fundamentally, stewardship is about exercising our God-given dominion over His creation, reflecting the image of our creator God in His care, responsibility, maintenance,... Continue Reading