Believing in yourself is something Jesus never said. Looking inside yourself for the answers to the big questions of life (who am I, why am I here, where am I going, how does all this end) will be a fruitless search. In the same way, looking inside yourself for answers to the guilt, shame and… Continue Reading Who to believe in: a matter of life and death
We are told today to “be true to yourself.” Yet this is never the counsel of Jesus. In preparing to preach through this for Sunday, I looked for a guide to “be true to yourself.” And what I found is that there are so many of these guides. One of them gives a six-step process… Continue Reading Be true to yourself – through Christ
An idol is anything (attitude, person, thing) that we allow to pre-empt our worship of God. An idol is anything we chase for our satisfaction and purpose in life more than God. So we need to ruthlessly and completely tear down and eliminate any idols that are in our lives or that we are tempted… Continue Reading Idols will not lead you to God — only back toward bondage
The last two Sundays we have looked at the false gospels from Lucifer and Judas Iscariot. I say false, because while on the surface some may think this is good news, the reality is that living life according to either leads to facing the wrath and judgment of God. Paul, in writing to Timothy in… Continue Reading When the gospel is not good news
As we looked at the gospel of Lucifer yesterday, we read the text of the temptation of Jesus by the devil in Matthew 4. Satan accuses us in the temptations we face, causing feelings of guilt and shame. Yet remember all men are tempted: “No temptation has overtaken you except as is common to man; but… Continue Reading Don’t shop in Satan’s aisle
One of the most profound sermons preached in America was “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Jonathan Edwards clearly sets forth the reason why sinners, those lost and apart from God, should repent and turn from themselves and their sin, and embrace by faith the holy and just God. The reason is that… Continue Reading Do you have a fear of Hell?
I have had some moments of great joy in my life. What about you? As a sports fan (I have rooted for the Buckeyes, Vikings, Redskins, and Reds for most my life), I have known lots of “the thrill” or joy of winning. But even when the teams I root for win, there is always… Continue Reading Unending joy
The story of Christmas is also the story of two kings — one who is born in 70ish BC and the other who has always been King. In Luke 1:5 we read, “in the days of Herod.” This would be the man the historian Josephus calls Herod the Great. Herod was born into a family… Continue Reading Two kings, one kingdom
Peace is a fragile thing. It took only a single thought with a simple action to exile Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and God’s presence. So even when we have some [WORD MISSING?] to trust Christ for our salvation, peace remains only in the presence of our obedience and submission. How easy it… Continue Reading Grace, mercy, forgiveness – and peace — are just a moment away
