Why You Don’t Have it All Together and What You Can Do About it
I like to think I have it all together. There are times, though, where I’m completely fractured and anything but. That may be why I am fascinated by stories that have highly flawed people in them. It keeps me grounded and mindful that I too am highly flawed. It’s more...
The Freedom Gained Through Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a tricky word. That’s partly because most of us are always tempted to spell it with an unnecessary “e” between “for” and “giveness.” But it’s mostly because of the deep-rooted emotion attached to the concept of forgiveness. In fact, I suspect the...
What the Bible Says About Making Comebacks
God is a God of Comebacks. I know this to be true. You see, when I first wrote this post back in 2016, I really wondered if I could stage a comeback, or if I was done for. I was down and out, feeling very much a failure. Emotionally spent and clinging to hope, I asked...
Our Messed Up World and That Time Jesus Came to an Anxious, Waiting World
Lost in the demands to “keep Christ in Christmas” and the requests to “remember the reason for the season” is a broader purpose: hope for a messed up world. You see, the Old Testament ends with a prophesy through Malachi. He was one of several prophets who tried...
Aligning with God’s Ways – Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119 – Part 3
God’s ways are called many things; mysterious, unpredictable, wise, just to name a few. One phrase often said in relation is “God’s ways are not always our ways.” So much of this is true. God’s ways are mysterious. And they are unpredictable (to use at least)....
The Gripping Fear of God and God’s Rejection
God’s rejection is real. That’s a very tough reality. And it’s a fear that – at least secretly – haunts every Christian at some point. Perhaps even non-Christians give this some serious thought. There are two things I have observed about Jonathan Edwards...
Let’s Restore Charity Back to its Fruit-Filled Roots
Benevolence is a word for charity that we hear less often that we once did. It’s usually in the context of an organizational benevolence fund created to help people during distressed seasons of life. Today, though, I think we just commonly lump everything into...
Heartfelt Words Don’t Have Dictionary Definitions
We hear the phrase “Heartfelt Words” or similar expressions from time-to-time. Most of the time, we say it in context of expressing sympathy or to show genuine care. However, angry words or words and phrases that are rooted in bitterness, jealousy, envy, or other...
Give Real Grace… Even When its Fake as Sh*t
How do you spot a fake? More importantly, how do you realize you’re being a fake? Or more challenging, how do you be true to who you are even when you must behave a certain way to be sensitive to others? I grapple with these questions more than most will ever...
Must We Lament? How Can We Not Lament?
It’s good to lament. Or maybe not. Who knows? Maybe we better back up and first ask “what does it mean to lament?” To answer that, let’s consult Got Questions, where they say: To lament is to express deep regret, grief, or sorrow. We can lament through words or...