Do you have things, or do they have you? When we “have” things, we own them. We control them. But when things “have” us, they own us. They control us. Consider the man in Mark 10:21-22: “Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and … Continue reading Do you have things, or do they have you?
Gollum and precious things
In The Lord of the Rings there is a character named Gollum. He becomes obsessed with possessing a ring of great power. Gollum even kills to get it. Over time, he becomes infatuated with the ring, even calling it “my precious.” He has lost all perspective, and it distracts him from other things. He hates … Continue reading Gollum and precious things
Glorious
Recently I was walking our dog, Buddy. It was a cold morning, but a beautiful morning. I could see my breath, but also the sun streaming through the trees. There was fresh snow on the ground. As the sun hit the snowflakes, it made them shimmer, like ten thousand sparkling diamonds. I stopped walking and … Continue reading Glorious
Liberated for greater things
“And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). When Jesus talks about carrying a cross, he’s using bold language to teach us a bold principle: Whoever does not crucify their own self-serving desires and instead pattern their lives on him cannot be his apprentice. This kind of … Continue reading Liberated for greater things
No matter the cost
The cross is central to the Christian faith. After all, Jesus says: “whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). Clearly, it’s not just about what he did, but about what we do. It’s easy to forget how jarring the cross was (and is). We see it on … Continue reading No matter the cost
When Jesus puts on a BBQ
In Luke 14:15 we read: “he said to Jesus, ‘Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.’” At Westminster Church we’ve started a barbeque in July to celebrate our successful Bible camps. Picture a couple hundred people, music playing, kids’ in bouncy castles, face-painting, and hamburgers sizzling. A … Continue reading When Jesus puts on a BBQ
Jr A hockey and Luke 14:11
In Luke 14:10-11 Jesus says: “But when you are invited [to a wedding feast], take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves … Continue reading Jr A hockey and Luke 14:11
Not old-fashioned, but God-fashioned
With every passing year here in North America Christians will be increasingly criticized. One of the things you sometimes hear is that our ways are “old fashioned” and out-of-date. So today I’d like to invite you to think about this idea from a certain perspective—one that will, I hope, give you confidence and some words … Continue reading Not old-fashioned, but God-fashioned
Humility: Your first thought of the day
You'll find it difficult to grow and develop as a disciple of Jesus if you aren’t intentionally cultivating humility. Augustine says: “If you try to build a tall house of virtues you must first of all lay a deep foundation of humility.”* He’s talking about the castle of your character. Without a “deep foundation of … Continue reading Humility: Your first thought of the day
From mouthpiece to mouth-peace
Technically speaking, a “mouthpiece” is a spokesperson for someone else. But it can also be used derisively. If someone is called a mouthpiece with a certain tone of voice, it means they’re mouthy—that they are using words that are rude, insensitive or arrogant. Because we’re sinful creatures it can be easy to backslide and start … Continue reading From mouthpiece to mouth-peace
