The longest chapter in Deuteronomy begins with hope but ends with horror. Moses has finished reiterating the Law to the new generation who will conquer the Promised Land; now in chapter 28 he tells them what to expect in return for keeping the Law—and what to expect if they don’t. Of the 68 verses in … Continue reading Far as the Curse Is Found →

Fueled by fury, hatred, and hubris, the serpent strutted into the Garden and smiled. He knew the woman would soon wander near the forbidden tree, making his plan almost too easy. He arrived well before her to make sure everything was in order. He had been planning for too long to make a careless mistake … Continue reading The Greatest Avenger →

Had our grandparents heard, “I need to sync my watch with my phone,” thirty years ago, they would have thought you wanted to submerge your phone and watch in water—and would probably have been quite nervous about your sanity. Today, however, the idea of “syncing” is everywhere. Google and Apple sync all compatible devices on … Continue reading Synced with Culture →

Not much creates rifts and divisions within a church like opinions over music. Contemporary or traditional? Band or no band? Hymns, contemporary songs, or psalms? Projector or hymnals? For each of these questions, I'm sure you have the "right" opinion. We feel quite strongly about our worship. No, let me rephrase that. We feel quite … Continue reading My Praise →

It’s a word that carries great meaning, and at the same time has lost almost all meaning. We use it so frequently, that we don’t even realize that the myriad nuances we assign it have muddied it nearly to the point of obsolescence. I’m talking, of course, about the word love. In the same breath … Continue reading L-O-V-E →

It’s one of those stories that breaks my heart. I’m not talking about a Hallmark movie, Shakespearean tragedy, or tear-jerking human-interest news story. I’m talking about Moses being kept out of the Promised Land. You probably feel the same way. If you’ve made much progress it all in a yearly Bible reading plan, you’re familiar … Continue reading A Very Big Deal →

Cry Crocodile Tears Tears are non-negotiable when it comes to non-repentance.  Make sure everyone knows that you’re sad and upset by your sin. This will demonstrate just how sorry you are that you got caught. Then many people will believe that you have genuinely seen the error of your ways and that you’re on the … Continue reading The Israelite Guide to Fake Repentance →

Have you ever gotten lyrics to a song wrong? Or misunderstood them? I remember swearing up and down that the hymn lyric was “When the roll is a called a b’yonder.” Now, I didn’t know what a “b’yonder” was (probably because it doesn’t exist), but I was ready to go the mat that it was … Continue reading A God Who Fights for You →

“The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27a). A dwelling place. This phrase has been rolling around in my brain the past few days. The word means “habitation” or “den,” like the home of a lion. It is both a place to live and place of safety. But … Continue reading My Dwelling Place →

The time has finally come. The children of Israel have been wandering in the wilderness for forty years, and now, finally, they are on the cusp of the Promised Land. Moses, over a century old, is giving his farewell address to the nation he has led for a third of his life. We know this … Continue reading Beginning to See God’s Greatness →