A long time ago in another millennium, I read a book that changed the way I have looked at life across almost five decades. The book is The Compulsive Christian by David Mason, first edition 1969. Our society tends to measure life by what we have or by what we do. Mason reminds that God’s …
Category Archives: Christian living
Living Under the Lordship of Jesus
Interesting conversation–a friend and I were talking about our experiences in visiting other locations on mission trips. His comment, “They live as though Jesus really is their King!” Wow! What does it mean to live the Christian life? Surely it is more than worship attendance, or more than worship plus some prayer and regular Bible …
It’s Sunday Again: Two Basic Choices
Life is filled with choices. A few choices are basic! Once they are made, they provide the foundation for the rest of life’s choices. If the foundational choices are not made in place, the rest of life is a constant struggle. Let me be specific. Here are two foundational questions that provide orientation for the …
The Final Battle
As the end of another year arrives, it is a good time to think about how the end of time will ultimately play out. It seems to me, at least at times, that the sensationalism of premillennialism holds sway in much of what is written about Last Things. The storyline usually goes something like this: …
Little Things
The biggest things in life are the little things. Many go through life wishing to make the one big splash, to receive recognition, to accomplish something spectacular or noteworthy. Life is not to be measured by the big things but by a continual, consistent stream of little things, hardly noticeable, but powerful in their combined …
Wisdom
Today I share a “borrowed” thought, origin unknown. Wolves Within One evening an old Indian Chief told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, …
It’s Sunday Again: God lives among his people
Matthew 25 is usually quoted to remind us of the importance of “benevolent work” or prison ministry. The text says, “Insomuch as you did it unto one of the least of these, you did it unto me.” Today I am thinking about a different application of this text. How do I treat my brothers and …
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Thinking about….our inheritance
The question seemed easy enough. “What does our inheritance in the Lord look like?” After several traditional answers, the response of one of the class members went beyond our usual thinking. “A child who is waiting to be adopted into a family is not focused on what he or she will receive when the new …
God at the Center
It is no easy matter to maintain focus in life. Life happens; busyness is normal. Life fills with the urgent and the trivial. Life pushes priorities to the periphery. To what end? To what purpose? God wishes our lives to reflect his presence and possibilities. In the midst of life’s seemingly meaningless activity, God gives …
It’s Sunday Again: Calling
He was an excellent student. He had grown up in a Christian home. He wanted to become a preacher, but….he had doubts. “What if I can’t make it as a preacher?” He sat in my office during the scheduled advisor-advisee conference. He shared some of his story. He had watched a parade of preachers who …