We had an awesome sermon this week at Valley Church! We’re working our way through the book of Acts and are up to chapter 18. Here’s the reference if you’d like to follow along: Acts 18:8-17 A few takeaways: 1. The passage begins with Crispus as the ruler of the…
Category: Discipleship
The Wussification We Did To Ourselves
I watched my single mom neighbor race down the sidewalk to meet her two boys at the school bus stop, holding her umbrella so they wouldn’t get wet after their half a block walk home. This same mom was yelling at one of them last week because she caught him…
The Ten Variants?
Remember those ten plagues that came across Egypt toward the beginning of the book of Exodus, but stayed away from Goshen, where the tribes of Israel were living? If the story were from today, I wonder if the plagues would have been referred to as “variants.” Sure, God brought these…
Blessed are Those who are Left Behind
I remember a documentary on the History Channel about the Black Death that killed a large swath of Europe, Asia and northern Africa in the mid 1300’s. The documentary explained some of what was going on, why it was happening, what effects it had on the victims, and what lasting…
The Great Covenant
First a little context: Moses and Aaron had confronted Pharaoh and God unleashed ten plagues upon Egypt, showing the might of God and the impotence of the gods of Egypt, until the Israelites were allowed to leave after 400 years of slavery. Even then, Pharaoh sought to enslave them again…
Rejoice when you are persecuted. How are we doing with that?
Matthew 5:11-12 ESV“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. I’m opening this post with…
Why are there so many versions of the Bible?
Before you read this post, it really would be a good idea to read this article by the same name on The Aquila Report, written by Greg Gilbert. The reasons he gives for multiple Bible versions in this article are all true and accurate. I would add one more reason…
Untitled
If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty…
Macro Theology
First, allow me a moment to clarify terms. I imagine we’ve mostly heard of systematic theology. That is the practice of taking a variety of topics and gathering all of the biblical data available and then reaching a conclusion about each topic. The most faithful ones will describe how the…
The Slippery Slope Is Undefeated (but not forever)
In my lifetime, short as it seems, there have been several occasions where Christians sounded the alarm. Some new event happened and we were concerned about the ramifications. If this were allowed to stand, there would be no logical reason for another event to be allowed and celebrated. And time…