Tag: Jesus
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A Prayer for the Fourth of July
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” ~ Galatians 5.1 Lord Jesus, it’s the Fourth of July – a holiday set aside to remember and revel in the freedom we enjoy as citizens of America. As…
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The Problem of Pretentious Piety
Brennan Manning, in his thoughtful book, Ruthless Trust, identifies a problem with the superficial spirituality of pretentious piety: In a world where the only plea is “Not Guilty”, what possibility is there of an honest encounter with Jesus, who “died for our sins”? We can only pretend that we are sinners, and thus only pretend…
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Thoughts of God
I appreciate Justin Taylor for causing me to consider two seeming conflicting perspectives from two 20th Century giants of the Christian faith: A.W. Tozer and C.S. Lewis: A. W. Tozer, from The Knowledge of the Holy: What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind…
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A Prayer for Christmas
All glory and honor to you, Living God. You made our world by your wisdom,and you sent your Wisdom into the world. You rule all things by your word,and you caused your Word to dwell among us. You filled heaven and earth with your glory,and you made the the very Radiance of your Glory to…
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5 Simple Ways to Teach Anyone About Jesus
Writing a post for SeeJesus ministries, Jill Miller explores practical ways to share the love of Jesus with even those who may seem the most challenged to understand – young children, peoples with disabilities, etc. Jill begins with this conviction: I believe all of us can learn. We are made in the image of God,…
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The Glory of God’s Incarnation
Martin Luther expresses his appreciation of Christmas, not just that Jesus was born, but how and to whom he was born: If Christ had arrived with trumpets and lain in a cradle of gold, His birth would have been a splendid affair. But it would not be a comfort to me. He was, rather, to lie…
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The Lamb is a Lion
Mark 11.12-18 & Luke 19.45-47 Weak from the journey, the long travelling days/ Hungry to worship, to join in the praise/ Shock mad with anger that burned on His face/ As He entered the wasteland of that barren place Chorus: And the Lamb is a Lion who’s roaring with rage/At the empty religion that’s filling…
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The Least We Can Do
If Jesus could rise from the dead, we can at least rise from our bed, get off our couches and pews, and respond to the Lord’s resurrection life within us, joining Jesus in what he’s up to in the world. We call on others to join us—not in removing ourselves from planet Earth, but to…
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The Christ of Christmas
The WORD In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Word…
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A Jesus Manifesto
“Christians have made the gospel about so many things… Things other than Christ.” So opens the document, written by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola, titled: A Jesus Manifesto. I’ve long been a fan of Leonard Sweet, our theological differences aside. But Sweet’s love for Jesus, his love for God’s people, and his amazing story-telling ability…
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Do You Know…?
Do you know the Christ of the Gospels? Or have you fallen into the trap to which Christians (especially, perhaps, Reformed Christians) who love doctrine and systematic theology are sometimes susceptible (unlike John Calvin, it should be said): fascination with dogmatic formula at the expense of love for the Savior’s person? – Sinclair Ferguson, from Yesterday,…
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In Defense of Christmas Day
There is considerable debate concerning the birth date of Jesus Christ. Many suspect he was born in April or May. Others suggest, and even celebrate, a January birth. Traditionally, of course, we cling to the 25th of December. The earliest recorded celebration of Christmas was in the year 86AD. It was about 40 years later before Christmas became a regular…
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Following Jesus in Different Directions?
I’ve been pondering the following assertion from Ron Sider‘s Living Like Jesus: “Still, the modern church prefers to accept only half of Jesus. They willingly accept him either as model or as mediator – but not both. Some urge us to follow his example of love and social concern, but they forget about the cross. Others…
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The Gospel in 6-Minutes
Paul, the Apostle, wrote: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes… (Romans 1.16) The Gospel is a phrase I am fond of, and use frequently. But from time to time I have to stop and recognize that not everybody immediately understands…
