We don’t need more good works. We need more freedom granted to the Holy Spirit to do His work. That will, of course, produce more good works, but His main work is to form Christ in us. My children, again I am in the pains of childbirth for you until Christ is formed in you. (Galatians 4:19-20 Holman Christian Standard […]
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but the One who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to take off His sandals. He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the […]
If you happen to love your theology more than you love Jesus or His family, it will show up in your relationships with people with whom you disagree. It won’t be pretty. Loving the Truth (and the Way, and the Life) is different from loving knowing things about Him.
Sin is inexcusable. There are always reasons, but never excuses. Especially the second time we do the same stupid thing. The Holy Spirit is always warning or pressing or instructing us with regard to how we should respond to trouble or a person or an opportunity. He is never short in supply of what the particular strength is that we […]
Some lessons we might learn about our ministries from Jesus during the last Passover meal (John 13-17): You are a servant to the people you are called to influence and help (washing feet). Do not fear the people who are intent on controlling or destroying you or your work (Judas was invited to the meal and the foot washing). Expect […]
You need to repent. And you may need to pay for your mistake. That’s what my flesh usually thinks, anyway. With regard to my failures, I think I need mercy and grace to avoid having to pay for my sin. It’s the syndrome that says those bugs are water bugs in my house, but cockroaches in yours. Or when my […]
We have many instructors, but not many fathers. One of our most effective instructors is named Failure. He leads us into places where we make mistakes in judgement or action. Since he really has no desire to see us succeed, he then tries to lead us into a place of condemnation and self-hatred that keeps us under his influence. Often […]
There are times when it becomes a prize-less fight to defend myself or my opinion. When my character or my doctrine are being challenged, what should move me to defend them? When should I refuse to invest in the argument? When someone accuses me of having made a mistake that someone else really made, when I have been misquoted, when […]
When we pray for healing and receive it, we praise our God fervently. When a worried-over bill is paid just in time, when a lost daughter returns home, when our prayers are answered in a way we like, we are full of praise, and sometimes worship. I praise Him toward you, I worship toward Him. Why are we not confident […]
When I am pitying myself, I am denying myself the power to have my problem solved. I don’t gain answers to my needs of comfort, healing, revelation, or provision by focusing on what is absent and causing my pain. I can only find the relief I need by focusing on Yahweh, Who is my Provision, and my Peace, and my […]