Bernard Lawrence Madoff. No name, other than perhaps “Ponzi” itself, is more closely equated with the term “scam artist.” Over the course of a quarter-century, using an elaborate Ponzi scheme, Madoff defrauded tens of thousands of people out of tens of billions of dollars. The US Justice Department reported distributing over $4 billion dollars to … Continue reading Are You Caught in the Trap of Approval?
Don’t Stop Praying
“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him.” The book of Judges closes with these haunting words, a fitting summary of the final four chapters of the book, which give a picture of what it looks like when people do “whatever seems right” to them. And if … Continue reading Don’t Stop Praying
Let’s Turn Pride Month into Prayer Month
It’s upon us once again: 30 days of unremitting, unapologetic, rainbow-banner-waving support for the LGBTQ+ movement. While I admit that I’d much rather bury my head in the sand and ignore this aggressive campaign, I’m convinced that we followers of Christ must launch a campaign of our own. I’m not talking about petitions, protests, or … Continue reading Let’s Turn Pride Month into Prayer Month
Are You Casual with the Holiness of God?
Imagine that, after suffering a loss on the battlefield, an American army general decided to galvanize his troops by taking the Declaration of Independence into battle. Sounds a little farfetched, I know. What kind of general would play so fast and loose with one of the most precious artifacts in the nation’s history? Though it … Continue reading Are You Casual with the Holiness of God?
Did Hannah Manipulate God?
“God, if You get me out of this alive, I swear I’ll turn my life around. No more drinking. No more women. I’ll fly straight from now on, I promise.” Meanwhile, bombs and grenades explode all around this terrified soldier, terrified for his life. You’re probably familiar with this movie trope in which the desperate … Continue reading Did Hannah Manipulate God?
Discipleship: Back-Breaking Work
If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been given one job. Before leaving His disciples and ascending back into heaven, Christ commissioned the eleven (and all future generations of disciples) to one major task (Matt. 28:19-20). Though you may see other verbs in the Great Commission as imperatives in your English Bible, the … Continue reading Discipleship: Back-Breaking Work
He Was Forsaken That We Might Draw Near
Nearly 20 years ago, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ depicted in graphic detail the horror of the crucifixion, bringing to the big screen a depiction of the most agonizing, painful form of execution ever conceived. In fact, our English word excruciating, literally “out of the cross,” derives its meaning from this Roman punishment. … Continue reading He Was Forsaken That We Might Draw Near
Remember to Remember
How many of the seven dwarves can you name? How about kids from the Brady Bunch? States that begin with the letter “M”? Or, if Bible trivia is your thing, can you list all twelve disciples? Or the twelve tribes of Israel?1 What about spiritual disciplines? How many of those could you name? Of course, … Continue reading Remember to Remember
God’s Providence Despite Bad Leadership
Esther, the unique Old Testament narrative, could compete with any New York Times bestselling thriller: assassination attempts, conspiracy, hidden identities, vendettas, suspense, romance, and poetic justice. Most curiously, the book never mentions the name of God. Yet, undeniably, one if its major themes is the providence of God. At first, this may seem counterintuitive. How … Continue reading God’s Providence Despite Bad Leadership
God Can’t Wait to Forgive You
Bloodthirsty, vicious, fearsome, violent, wicked, indomitable—these are just a few of the words that describe the ancient Assyrian empire. Though Israel was just a bump in the road to these pillagers, it was a bump they desperately wanted to own. So they started breathing down the neck of God’s chosen people. As they felt the … Continue reading God Can’t Wait to Forgive You
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