Blog: February 2023

Coming face-to-face with sin in our lives often leads to one of two responses: It may lead to feelings of guilt and shame that cause us to either run and hide or to simply stop trying and give ourselves over to a particular pattern of sin, or it may lead to a place of genuine confession and repentance followed by a deep trust in the power of God to help us walk in freedom. Romans 8 provides for us a warning against living according to the flesh, but it also declares a promise that we can cling to in our battle against sin. Romans 8:8-9 ...

Over the last couple weeks, various media outlets have reported on the “Asbury Revival.”  On Feb. 8, students at Asbury University, a Christian college in Wilmore, Kentucky, gathered for their morning chapel service, but the gathering didn’t end.  Student-led sharing, praying, confessing of sin, singing, and rejoicing in the saving love of Jesus went on and on—all that day, then through the night, and it’s been going on for over two weeks now. On Feb. 14, Timothy Tennent, President of Asbury Theological Seminary, explained.  “The Lord began ...

What comes to mind when you think about confession? Do you think of sadness? Weeping and guilt? Shame and failure? What about worship? When was the last time you came before God in true confession? What led to your admission of failure before a holy God? The Bible is clear that “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4). But what does the Bible say about what confession should look like? What does the Bible say should lead us to confession? Nehemiah 9 gives insight in how to answer that question. The Israelites ...

In our series on Matthew’s Gospel, we’ve been getting a high overview of the Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7).  And it has revealed that Jesus’ community of disciples (i.e., the church) is a Christian counter-culture:  our beliefs and values and attitudes and actions differ dramatically from those of the world around us. Jesus intends for us to stand out in society as “salt” and “light”; he aims for us to embrace God’s commandments in our hearts as much as in our deeds (e.g., no hate, no lust, no retaliation); and he calls us to release worry ...

Find 1 John 1:9 in your Bible and read it slowly two or three times. Many Christians are familiar with these words; perhaps you have them memorized. We agree that God wants us to confess our sins to Him. We believe that God is faithful to forgive His children by the blood of Jesus. But do you find it easy to confess your sin to God? If not, why? Do you believe the lie that keeping quiet about our sin will prevent God from knowing about it? In Ezra 9, leaders approached Ezra and declared to him the grim reality of the people of Israel who ...

An ad popped up on Facebook the other day from Jasper.ai (the “ai” standing for artificial intelligence).  It said, “Marketers:  This new AI will write high quality blog posts for you in seconds.” Just think:  non-human, impersonal digital equipment generating blog posts—and high quality ones at that!  At Jasper’s website they also say, “Create amazing love letters 10X faster with AI.”  How about that—and just in time for Valentine’s Day. Maybe you’ve already moved past the shock of encountering AI services—like voice-activated Siri on ...

We check the news and the death toll keeps rising.  The scale of this disaster is overwhelming.  The human community is reeling. In the midst of it all, we can ask:  How would God have us look at this?  How are we to understand a world in which such seemingly random, dread­fully severe suffering strikes as it does?  Let me offer a few ideas: “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10).  Resist the impulse to accuse God of wrong, and instead cover your mouth.  “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away” (Job 1:21).  Does the pot have a ...

Recall the last time you were faced with devastating news or found yourself filled with angst, worry, or fear. How did you respond? Anger and bitterness are common reactions to bad news. We may feel tempted to isolate ourselves from others. Grief is complex, and responses vary greatly. However, according to the Bible, Nehemiah’s response is the best response. Read about Nehemiah’s general response in Nehemiah 1:4. Then in Nehemiah 1:5-11, we discover the specific way that Nehemiah prayed in response to this devastating news. He recognized ...

Does Jesus exaggerate?  Does he stretch the truth? No, he doesn’t mislead us:  he says what he means and means what he says.  But the way Jesus does this includes overstatement.  Our challenge, then, is to discern when his words are to be taken literally and when not.  We also need to guard against rationalizing our disobedience by saying, “Well, Jesus didn’t really mean for us to take him literally!”  So how do we sort this out?  Consider a couple examples: If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  For it is ...

If Matthew 4:17 gave us the short version of Jesus’ message (“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”), the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) provides the long version.  Not that it conveys everything Jesus taught—after all, it’s just one of five major discourses Matthew records.  But chs. 5-7 do give an in-depth, extended, demanding, and exhilarating word from Jesus. Over the next few Sundays, we’ll explore the Sermon on the Mount—yet not in the “traditional” way.  What do I mean?  It’s common for pastors to expound this section of ...