One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”Then he asked them, “But who do ... Continue reading
Power, life, and love in the blood
February 13, 2023 By Leave a Comment
I'm going to talk about blood. If you're squeamish, you might look for a post about kittens and puppies.After working in our yard, I often return to the house with my arms covered in bleeding scratches and punctures. The desert is alive with thorns, many of them cleverly barbed and remarkably ... Continue reading
The real problem with sin
February 6, 2023 By Leave a Comment
Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.Seeing their ... Continue reading
The Church as a colony
October 26, 2018 By Leave a Comment
"Christianity is more than a matter of a new understanding. Christianity is an invitation to be part of an alien people who make a difference because they see something that cannot otherwise be seen without Christ." – Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony by Stanley Hauerwas and William ... Continue reading
Un-rejected
December 16, 2016 By Leave a Comment
“Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’” — Mark 12:10 (NLT)He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did ... Continue reading
He saved others
March 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment
"He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" — Matthew 27:42-43, NIVA large crowd followed ... Continue reading
Second chances
November 9, 2012 By
People make bad choices. It happens to individuals, it happens to nations. For some reason, Americans have given a failed President a second term. Those who elected him, and Mr. Obama himself, are convinced that all of his past and present troubles should rightly be laid at the feet of former ... Continue reading
Monuments Men: Living redemptively
June 30, 2012 By 1 Comment
"Can anyone hide from Me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?" says the LORD. — Jeremiah 23:24, NLT War is the application of violence against an enemy for political ends. It's a brutal business, but in the midst of the killing and destruction men can act with honor, ... Continue reading
