To those of you who are Christians, let me ask a very direct question: Is Jesus the centre of your Christianity? It’s easy for it to become about something else. If we’re not careful, our religion can become about how well we observe a certain set of rules, or about a certain denomination, or a … Continue reading An unworthy focus
Jesus Christ
Tomorrow will worry about itself
Sometimes, no commentary is necessary: Jesus said… “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or … Continue reading Tomorrow will worry about itself
Jesus is coming back — look busy!
I once saw a bumper sticker that said: “Jesus is coming back – look busy!” It made me Lol. And although busyness doesn’t really matter, faithfulness certainly does! When people talk about the return of Christ to judge the world, end all evil, and usher in the glorious new heavens and the new earth, the … Continue reading Jesus is coming back — look busy!
Access to the greatest power on earth
Listen to Paul’s powerful prayer in Ephesians 3:16-17: “I pray that out of [God’s] glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” When you decide to be a Christian — that is, when you acknowledge your brokenness and … Continue reading Access to the greatest power on earth
“Ordinary” miracles
It's probably clear that I believe in miracles. In Matthew 19:26 Jesus says, “with God all things are possible.” And I fully affirm that God can and does do mind-bending things. But God doesn’t just work in dramatic ways—he works in “ordinary” ways too. The reason I put “ordinary” in quotes is because what we … Continue reading “Ordinary” miracles
The more prosperous and educated we are
When you read through the New Testament healing stories, you start to see some patterns. One is that the people who come to Jesus for help are desperate. Another is that they are convinced he can actually do something about their situation. For example, in Matthew 9:18 a respectable synagogue leader kneels before Jesus in … Continue reading The more prosperous and educated we are
For those who are suffering
There is a lot of suffering in the world. There is personal anguish and anxiety. There is family and relationship stress. There is oppression and violence and war. None of this surprises me because we live in a broken world. But it bothers me. It bothers me because it’s not what God intended. So, in … Continue reading For those who are suffering
Something that contaminates and dilutes faith
In North American, “self-help” is a huge 11-billion dollar industry. In fact, it’s so huge that we don’t even realize how much it surrounds us—like water surrounds a fish. If we’re not careful, it can both contaminate and dilute our faith because it takes the focus off of Christ and puts it on us. So … Continue reading Something that contaminates and dilutes faith
On the days you feel most defeated
I think there can be a darkness within each one of us that loves to reach up, take hold of our confidence, and pull it down into an abyss of self-pity. Don't let it. Here's why -- and how.
Hypocrisy (on both ends of the spectrum)
“You’re a hypocrite.” Has anyone ever said that to you? It’s a nasty and unpleasant thing! A hypocrite is a pretender—someone who says they believe certain ideals but doesn’t actually live them out in their own life. Hypocrites were the people Jesus often railed against. But guess what? Regardless of your theological leanings, it’s easy to become one!
