Christian Life
Undone: God’s Redemption Plan for Reconciling People To Himself (Acts 10:23-48)
God has no partiality in who he saves and who he does not - so why do Christians so often act as if some people are not good enough for the Gospel? In this message, I unpack the way that God chose to save the Gentiles in the book of Acts. I believe passages address one of the most...
Is It Okay to Be Mad at God?
Anger is the aircraft carrier in the fleet of our emotions. Not only because of its massive size, but also its ability to do harm because from it proceeds a multitude of other feelings—grief, sadness, hatred, loss, horror, and doubt. Anger in itself is not necessarily wrong. It is an emotion God has given us, but as with anything He...
Why You Need to Avoid Hypocrites Completely
Have you ever heard the phrase - “A wolf in sheep’s clothing?” It’s a statement that is often used to refer to people who are sly, tricky or deceitful. At first you may perceive a person like this to be harmless, but the closer you get to them, you find that they are out to devour whatever they can...
Jonathan Edwards Resolutions
Here we sit on the brink of a new year, a time seemingly to start over and reboot our life's hard drive. I am notorious for starting resolutions and failing or forgetting them by the end of January. However, I think I've found a model worth following. I recently read about one of my heroes. He lived some 300 years...
Defending Against Satan’s Five Most Common Plays
Satan is a crafty enemy, but I don’t want to give him too much credit. He is my enemy because he is an eternal against my God. I cannot tolerate him, bear the thought of him or even stand typing his name. I loathe his existence. Sadly, too often we act as if Satan is just some evil version of Casper...
A Night of Peace on Christmas Eve, 1870: A “O Holy Night” story
On Christmas Eve in 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, an intense battle was taking place between French and German soldiers. Suddenly, a French soldier jumped from the trenches, exposing himself to the enemy’s fire. Before either side could figure out what to do, he began singing Cantique de Noel—O Holy Night in English. Each side stood frozen as he sang...
Love God for More Than His Gifts: Slow Down and Savor Christ
Slow Down and Savor Christ There is almost never a day that goes by where I am not reminded to keep “Christ and Him Crucified” at the center of my life. Last winter, on a cold snowy day in Chicago, I was unexpectedly reminded of this. Bundled in my coat, I walked past a warm little bookstore and glanced in the...
5 under 5: Christmas Song and Great Reads
Watch: Elizabeth Hunnicutt’s “God of Hope” video This woman has an amazing voice and a great heart for God. She has been at our church twice in the last 30 days and each time I am more impressed with her character and skill. I think her Christmas album “Arrival” is my favorite Christmas album this year. In this video, your...
4 Great Joys that Come From Being Honest with God
The last shepherd to return from gathering firewood dropped a meager load of sticks on the ground beside the sputtering fire. He looked at his partners huddled close to the feeble flame and knew they faced another long, cold night ahead. Drawing his cloak tighter around his shoulders, he gazed upward at the deep and mysterious sky. The moon...
The Joy of a Life Story Written By God
So I was reading this passage in the Bible the other day it struck me hard…Check this out. In Ephesians 5:1 it says that we need to be “Imitators of God.” I read that, and I thought maybe it was some kind of miss print… are you kidding, me imitate Him? I even looked it up to see if that word...
A Warning Message for Pride (Acts 12:2-24)
Augustine said, "Pride is the mother that gives birth to all other sins." If we do not keep our pride in check, we will find ourselves opposing God and trying to take His position. By looking at the life of Herod, we can have the firm warning from the Lord that he will oppose the proud. Yet, in verse...
The First Thanksgiving and a Grateful Heart
Do you remember as a kid making those turkeys out of a traced handprint or a pinecone? Do you remember the stories about the pilgrims and Indians in elementary school? In the midst of all the turkey decorations and historical stories, have you ever wondered what the first Thanksgiving was like? I started to dig for answers from historians and...