“Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.” – Acts 18:8 What is Baptism? Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water as an act of obedience to Jesus’ command (Matthew 28:19-20). It is a picture of Christ’s burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It is a symbol of the new life that the […]
Read More“God, you know my foolishness, and my guilty acts are not hidden from You. Do not let those who put their hope in You be disgraced because of me, Lord God of Armies; do not let those who seek You be humiliated because of me, God of Israel. For I have endured insults because of You, and […]
Read More“Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. Share with the saints in their need. Pursue hospitality.” Romans 12:12 How many fingers do you have on your left hand? Five…I hope! Look at each one of them because they can be your ongoing reminder of God’s “marching orders” for us not just for surviving but thriving in […]
Read More“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” – Luke 6:40 Don’t be thrown off by the word, “disciple.” Jesus isn’t talking here about super spiritual people. He is talking about ordinary, everyday students. But don’t be thrown off by the word “student” either. Jesus […]
Read More“Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” – Peter 1:13 “Triple threat!” As the coach bellows out the words, the young basketball players immediately drop to a crouch with their heads up and hands ready. Ready for […]
Read More“Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.” And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Don’t grieve”…The Israelites had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy.” Nehemiah 8:20-11, 17 Weeping over their sin, […]
Read MoreKaltenbach, Caleb. Messy Grace: How a Pastor with Gay Parents Learned to Love Others Without Sacrificing Conviction. Waterbrook Press, 2015. The subtitle of the book is a great description of the content of this work. Kaltenbach shares his personal biography of his parent’s divorce when he was 2 years old and the subsequent “coming out” of […]
Read More“Follow the Leader” When Jesus met Peter, He didn’t make Peter a leader. Peter brought natural gifting that has made many great leaders. Quick wit, passion, risk-taking ability, forcefulness, and courage are marks that cause leaders to rise in the ranks of military, business, and academic achievement. Peter had all of these marks… before Jesus. Peter […]
Read More“As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not offer a cry or a prayer on their behalf, and do not beg me, for I will not listen to you.” – Jeremiah 7:16 Three times. Three times God tells Jeremiah not to pray for his nation because their rebellion and rejection of God’s rightful rule and their wickedness and […]
Read More“In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food – yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves.” – Psalm 127:2 Let’s go back one verse. Psalm 127:1 raises two sets of questions. First, “what is the Lord building?” and consequently, what should I build? Second, “what is […]
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Think These Things 