Be a Soul Strengthener

You probably remember the craze from the mid-90s. Chicken Soup for the Soul books were suddenly everywhere, showing up on shelves in bookstores, grocery stores, gas stations, and libraries. These collections of feel-good stories quickly gained popularity and began to target specific audiences with titles like Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul, Chicken Soup for … Continue reading Be a Soul Strengthener →

3 Dangerous Responses to God’s Word

“I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” With these words, Paul begins his long journey toward Rome to make a defense before Caesar, the epilogue to the book of Acts not preserved for us in Scripture. Luke keeps the story moving through … Continue reading 3 Dangerous Responses to God’s Word →

Be a Noble-Minded Student of the Word

I recently finished re-watching Downton Abbey, experiencing again the ups and downs of the Crawley family as they learn to adapt to the post-war world. For six seasons (or series, if you’re British like the Crawleys), Downton helped ratings on PBS soar. An Emmy magnet, the show garnered fifteen awards and many more nominations for … Continue reading Be a Noble-Minded Student of the Word →

The Gospel Is the Power of God

I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise, that spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies. We sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day; the moon shines full at his command, and all the stars obey.1 Mountains, stars, and seas certainly proclaim the omnipotence of our Creator. Who among us hasn’t … Continue reading The Gospel Is the Power of God →

God Always Uses the Right Tool

“If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.” If, like me, you watched The New Red Green Show in the ‘90s and 2000’s, you recognize these words as the catchphrase with which host Red Green ended each segment of “Handyman Corner” during the show’s fifteen seasons. While Red may … Continue reading God Always Uses the Right Tool →

A Divided Heart Brings Disaster

A healthy couple dead within three hours of one another. No foul play. No health problems. No trauma of any kind. They simply fell down and stopped breathing, their life cut short as judgment from God. This type of death is rare but not unheard of throughout Scripture. Judah’s sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah, were … Continue reading A Divided Heart Brings Disaster →