I am concerned that our increase in virtual activity is affecting us more than we realize. There is a theology of place that needs to be considered. I hesitate to use that phrase because it is often used by those who claim to be Christians but deny the faith's core doctrines—those who try to dress … Continue reading The Theology of Place in a Virtual World
If high culture is like a gourmet meal, folk culture like a homecooked dinner, and pop culture is like fast food, what is social media? We live in a culture that is quick to accept something simply because it is popular. Today, cultural expressions are often considered classics simply because millions of people like it, … Continue reading Where Does Social Media Fall on the Cultural Spectrum?
I am often troubled when I attend a funeral, and the leader refuses to let the people mourn. Those in charge of funeral arrangements, and often the families themselves, put so much effort into making the occasion a celebration of life, a graduation to heaven, that those in attendance might feel like their faith is … Continue reading It is a Weakness of Faith to Refuse to Mourn the Death of Loved Ones
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul?" -Psalm 43:5 It is one source of the eternal freshness of the Psalms that they tell the story of a struggling soul. They open a window on to that battlefield with which no other battle can be compared, the moral struggle of the individual with himself. And … Continue reading The Poetry of the Disheartened Soul
The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. (2 Cor. 3:6) The law of God is holy and just and good; it is inexorable, and we have fallen under its just condemnation. That is at the bottom what Paul means by the "the letter killeth.’ He does not mean that attention to pedantic details shrivels … Continue reading The Letter and the Spirit
This morning I awoke to heartbreaking news. I opened my email and saw Tim Challies’ newest post titled, My Son, My Dear Son, Has Gone To Be With the Lord. I always look to see what Tim has written, so he tends to be part of my morning routine; a daily companion. I never expected … Continue reading Pray for the Challies Family: Their Son Has Gone to Be with the Lord.
What does God think about you? How we answer that question tends to reveal what we think about him. Most people tend to imagine God as barely able to endure his children. As if he looks down from on high with his arms crossed, thinking, “Once they stop being so prone to wander, I will … Continue reading What Does God Think About You?
Contrary to popular opinion, you will never find freedom living for yourself. Since many people believe a self-centered life of unrestrained desires is the only way to freedom, they then postulate that Jesus’ teaching about the narrow way indicates a life of oppression. This idea could not be further from the truth. The narrow road … Continue reading The Narrow Road is a Wide Place
The Lord is my present help and salvation. Though we are troubled with poverty, shame, or any other affliction, God is our salvation and help. If you are in trouble, God is deliverance; if you are persecuted by malicious enemies, God is your castle. Who is a rock, except our God? I call upon the … Continue reading If You Are in Trouble, God is Deliverance
Exegesis and exposition, the work of understanding a biblical text, are foundational to understand scripture’s application to our lives. The problem is many churchgoers want to hear the application without doing the work of the exegete. In many cases, preachers have accommodated their preaching to scratch the hearers' itching ears. To keep congregants happy, preachers … Continue reading The Danger of Neglecting Expository Preaching
