Today is Ash Wednesday. Some Christians are in the habit of putting ashes on their foreheads because they symbolize our mourning and regret for sin. In fact, we’ll do that tonight at a youth-led service at the church I pastor. [This one is in-person only and at 7pm.] Ashes also symbolize our mortality. This recalls … Continue reading Ash Wednesday and holiness
holiness
Entangling media
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…” (Hebrews 12:1-2). In these verses, the writer of Hebrews is drawing imagery … Continue reading Entangling media
Make our hearts a map of heaven
The Puritans are often given a bad rap. If someone says you are “puritanical,” they are not giving you a compliment. This is an unfortunate result of people not knowing what they’re talking about. The actual Puritans (and not the modern, dismissive caricature) were a group of Protestant Christians who primarily lived from the mid-1600’s … Continue reading Make our hearts a map of heaven
Being Christlike to one another
The great Reformer Martin Luther, wrote: “each person ought to become to the other a kind of Christ, so that we may be Christs to one another…“* One of our goals in life is sanctification. I know, I know, big word. But all it means is to become holy, or to become more like Christ. … Continue reading Being Christlike to one another
What Jesus prayed for you
Do you know that Jesus prayed for you while he was still on earth? In John 17, he prayed these words for his disciples, and also for those who would come to believe in him through their message. If you are a believer, that means you! Here is a small sample of what he prayed: … Continue reading What Jesus prayed for you
Visual cues for spiritual truths
A stop sign is a visual reminder to stop your vehicle. A stove is a visual reminder that dinner needs to be made. A bed is a reminder that we need sleep. Our world is filled with visual reminders. So why not use them as visual reminders of great and wonderful spiritual realities? Here’s what … Continue reading Visual cues for spiritual truths
More him, less me
Speaking about Jesus, John the Baptist said: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). This is a succinct statement of what it means to be more like Christ and to grow in holiness. The voice, influence, and power of Jesus must become greater and greater in our lives. This is helped as … Continue reading More him, less me
Who you’re becoming
Hebrews 10:14 says: “For by one sacrifice [Jesus] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” What I’d like to focus on from that verse is the fact that Jesus’ people are “being made holy.” This refers to the work God himself is doing in and through us. This manifests in our daily … Continue reading Who you’re becoming
Unlocking doors for the Spirit
Do you sometimes feel like you’re not a real Christian because you continue to struggle with sin? The Bible teaches that when you believe in the risen Jesus, the Holy Spirit starts to live inside you. In Galatians 4:6 (NLT) Paul writes: “because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son … Continue reading Unlocking doors for the Spirit
IHS: Integrity Holiness Simplicity
A man was walking through a cemetery and saw a tombstone engraved with I.H.S. He wasn’t sure what it meant so he thought for a minute and then took a guess. “Integrity. Holiness. Simplicity.” These were good biblical things, he thought. As a result, they became a kind of personal motto. Every time he saw … Continue reading IHS: Integrity Holiness Simplicity
The Up Devotional 