At the church I pastor, I’m teaching a series about miracles. And one of the things I sometimes hear is this: “I don’t believe in miracles because science doesn’t allow them.” Makes sense, right? Wrong. According to Michael Ruse, a respected philosopher of science, science “deals only with the natural, the repeatable, that which is … Continue reading Are miracles anti-science?
theupdevo
A God-sized dream
We all have dreams… Dreams to be a certain kind of person. Dreams to make such-and-such contribution to your community. Dreams to achieve this or that… That’s great. But I think it’s helpful to occasionally look at yourself in the mirror and ask whether your dreams are too small. That’s right, too small. Life has … Continue reading A God-sized dream
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
Do miracles still happen?
Miracles are everywhere in the Bible: The world is created out of nothing, water is turned into wine, and dead people come back to life. But there’s a lot of skepticism, and I get that. David Friedrich Strauss once speculated that Jesus must have been walking close to shore so it only appeared like he … Continue reading Do miracles still happen?
For your pastor and spiritual leaders
When I was growing up, do you want to know who I NEVER prayed for?—my coaches, teachers, Sunday School teachers or pastor. It was an insane oversight. Granted, I was just a kid. But they had a huge impact on me. And as far as I can remember, I never prayed for them. So today … Continue reading For your pastor and spiritual leaders
Distraction is deception
In yesterday’s devotional I said that you need to deliberately establish godly priorities and put them into your schedule. Why? Because at first you make your schedule, and then your schedule makes you. In other words, the routines you establish shape who you become. So today I’d like to further motivate you with one more … Continue reading Distraction is deception
Put them into your schedule
I’ve always said that September is the REAL New Year’s. We may not count down from 10 to 1 at midnight, but it’s when we set in motion the patterns and practices that will drastically shape the next 12 months of our lives. That’s why you need to deliberately establish godly priorities and put them … Continue reading Put them into your schedule
Seeing straight in a time of name-calling, controversy and spin
We live in controversial times. Race riots make the news, big internet companies are accused of suppressing speech, ‘identity politics’ is all over the place, environmental laws seem to get sidelined for economic gain, and there are random shootings in public places… Part of the problem with these hot-button issues is all the rhetoric and … Continue reading Seeing straight in a time of name-calling, controversy and spin
Advice that only a friend can give
Some people have annoying habits and don't do anything about them. But what if that annoying person was you? Here's what to do about it with the help of a friend.
