“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). This is a teaching by James, an influential leader in the early church. Last week I highlighted what he meant by being … Continue reading Powerless and vulnerable
holiness
The clean of heart
In Matthew 5:8 Jesus says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” The words “pure in heart” imply being clean before God. He’s not talking about taking a shower. He’s talking about holiness and integrity in God’s eyes. By adding the words “in heart,” Jesus is emphasizing the inner aspect of … Continue reading The clean of heart
Don’t shortchange your life
Talking about the return of Jesus, the apostle Peter wrote, “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Peter 3:11-12). But what does it mean to be holy? Something that is holy is set apart; it is made for a special, … Continue reading Don’t shortchange your life
Earmarked for God’s purposes
This week I’ve been answering some questions about the Holy Spirit. On Monday we explored whether the Spirit is an “it” or a “who.” On Tuesday we asked if the Spirit makes you “feel” differently? Here’s today’s question: What does it matter to you that the Spirit is “holy”? First, we need to understand what … Continue reading Earmarked for God’s purposes
In a world of pride and vulgarity
The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of the Trinity. And when you become a follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within you. But we can easily lose sight of the word “HOLY.” With each passing year in our society, the idea of something being “holy” seems more and more strange. But that’s … Continue reading In a world of pride and vulgarity
On your face
I like to be practical. That’s because we can wrongly think of faith as something theoretical which is somehow disconnected from our daily lives. But it shouldn’t be. So I spend a lot of time thinking about things we can do on a daily basis that reinforce the daily reality of our beliefs. One of … Continue reading On your face
Sin is progressive
“Sin is progressive.” That’s what doctor Rosaria Butterfield writes in her book The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert. “That is, while sin does not stay contained by type or trope, if ignored, excused, or enjoyed, sin grows and spreads like poison ivy.” When it comes to sin, we often we employ the ostrich strategy. … Continue reading Sin is progressive
