Martin Luther once said that, ‘All of Christian’s life is one of repentance.’ I think we could easily say that all of a Christian’s life is one of faith (note: I believe faith and repentance are essentially two sides of the same coin, true faith will show itself with repentance and true repentance will be […]
It is interesting that immediately after a discussion about the need for faith (Matt 17:14-20), we see Jesus explain his impending death and resurrection (17:22-23). Perhaps this clues us into what is the source for our faith as Christians: it is found in Jesus himself. How do we muster up more faith in Christ? How […]
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Faith-Filled Ministry
In Matthew 17:20 we see Jesus explain to the disciples the power of a faith-filled ministry. The disciples had tried to cast out a demon, but were unsuccessful (Matt 17:14-19). They ask Jesus why they could not do it and he reveals that the reason is their lack of faith: “Because of your little faith. […]
Hebrews 11 makes it clear that a Christian is a person marked by faith. Faith is exercised as we begin to follow of Jesus and it is exercised as we live our life trusting God and walking in His ways. This is such a basic fact of Christianity, but I find it surprisingly easy to […]
In a sermon based on the life of Joseph (Gen 37-50), Dick Lucas gives 3 qualities of a leader that God uses. We see these as three things that God develops about in Joseph as He uses him to save Israel. 1. Patience Joseph had to learn patience. Although God revealed to him in a […]
It is Costly to Follow Jesus, Even in the Suburbs. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16:24). For 11 of the 12 disciples this meant a martyrs’ death (for 3 of them literally died on crosses). For many Christians throughout […]
“Physicalism” is the worldview that all of reality is composed merely of matter and energy. Those I’ve met who hold this view seem to desire to know the truth about reality and appear persuaded that this is how reality actually is. They tend to place a high value on scientific investigation and the possibilities that […]
Here are the notes from our “Curious about Christ” outreach on SPIRITUALITY. CURIOUS ABOUT CHRIST WEEK 4: HOW DID CHRIST UNDERSTAND SPIRITUALITY? A Christ-informed SPIRITUALITY is a relationship with the Living God who is there and can be known and loved. It is a spirituality that is rooted in truth, made possible by Christ, and […]
How does your worldview (your overall understanding of reality) shape how you approach the notion of forgiveness? As I grapple with the concept, I would argue that how we approach FORGIVENESS shows that we assume some kind of objective morality (moral standards that are real, not arbitrarily invented by evolved apes or merely the preferences […]
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FEASTING ON CHRIST
Our hearts feast daily. We find things to savor and enjoy and consume. We can’t help it, we were made this way. We are worshipping creatures made to worship the Living God. Jesus saves us to feast on God in our hearts. He is the bread of life that came down from heaven (John 6:35, […]
