Those who like to think in “big picture” categories have probably noticed that the topics of my blog postings/newsletters generally fall within two rather distinct and separate divisions—gospel or kingdom, grace or law, tree or forest, internal or external, what is above you or what is beneath you. Martin Luther believed being able to understand and then translate to real life these “truths in tension” was the very essence of Christianity.  For the last few weeks, we have been looking at the first half…

The world looks at the church today and sees us as self-righteous Pharisees. They watch us as we try to live righteous lives, obediently following the Lord and His commands as best we can, just as we have been taught, and then they call us hypocrites when we inevitably stumble and sin. We come to church and involve ourselves in its programs to learn to obey God more successfully, and eventually we find ourselves leading others in what we see as a universal quest…

Did you know that a family, civil government, a church, a business, a sports team, a school or university—indeed an organization of any kind—will only be successful to the degree it runs by the principles of the law of God as found in the Bible? This is called the “external use of God’s law.” However, Paul teaches us in Galatians 3:23, 24 that there is another, very different use of the law, the “internal use of God’s law.” The external use, ordering behavior according…

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). In previous blog postings, we have discussed at some length Paul’s idea of carefully distinguishing between the two edges of the sword of the Word of God—God’s holy righteous, perfect law and His limitless, unconditional grace—our two fraternal, distinctly different twins. In the verse above, Paul tells Timothy that as he is diligent to comprehend that distinction, the…

Nothing is as useless as a kitchen knife with a dull blade. The same is true of the word of God, the sword of the Spirit, Who resides in our hearts as we live here on the earth. If our swords are not sharp, we will not be effective in the spiritual battles we face every day in the world.  Several weeks ago, we discussed the fact that in the Bible the word of God is said to have two edges:  “Out of [Jesus’]…

The most vicious, destructive and unrelenting dragon that all Christian men are called to slay is the dragon of pornography. It lurks in magazines, advertisements, television and particularly on-line, waiting to strike at any time. It has the power to destroy marriages and has even been a handle Satan has used in men’s lives to drag them into heinous crimes. Ted Bundy was a notorious serial killer in the 1970’s, and the admitted slayer of over 30 young women and possibly many more. He…

The following was penned by Steve Goodier in Joy Along the Way (2000). It’s called, “Affirmation for the Day.” Read it thoughtfully and then we’ll discuss it. Goodier writes:   “Ralph Waldo Emerson has accurately said, ‘One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.’      “Today is an important day. That problem you solve, that decision you make, that time you enjoy…

Just after Jill and I were married, a family friend, who appreciated the campus ministry in which I was involved at the time, died and left me $10,000. As a  newly married, 30-year-old campus evangelist with a degree in chemical engineering, I was completely ignorant of what I might do with such a substantial (at the time!) nest egg.  My father had never discussed anything about investing with me. He had been a salaried, very frugal, geophysicist, working for an oil exploration company, who…

I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but continually be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:1, 2). As I memorized these verses as a young, eager Christian, I saw them…

Growing old is an adventure. No one is good at it. No one has had any experience at it when they first get old, so it takes time to learn the ropes. There are definitely some difficult things that are a pain—terrible balance and mobility, impossible to sleep more than 3 hours at a time, not being able to do things you would like to do after 5:00 P.M. when your energy plug is pulled. However, there are some really good things about growing…