The Trojan War, the Tax Collector, & Propitiation
During the mythical Trojan War, the goddess Artemis punished Agamemnon, the Greek general, for evil deeds his soldiers committed. On their way to the war, Artemis caused the winds to stir and their ships were knocked violently into one another. Agamemnon learned that the only way to appease the wrath of Artemis was to sacrifice […]
Believing the Wrong Story
Earlier this year, a Japanese war hero died. His name was Hiroo Onoda, and he was a Japanese imperial soldier who fought in WWII. When the opposing military landed where Onoda was stationed, most of his colleagues were killed or surrendered. Onoda, however, fled with three other soldiers into hiding in the jungle. That was […]
More than “Just as if I have never sinned”
A helpful way to remember the important biblical term “justified” is with the phrase “just as if I’d never sinned.” And that is certainly part of what it means to be justified. All our sins are forgiven, and we stand pure and blameless before God. But “justified” actually means much more than that. Jerry Bridges […]
Robin Williams and Holy Repetition
Since Robin Williams’ tragic death, many have remembered his greatest acting scenes. Williams was an incredibly gifted actor who entertained, provoked, and challenged us with his craft. We laughed, cried, and reflected. Many have pointed to a scene in the movie Good Will Hunting as one of his greatest. In the scene, Will Hunting, played […]
The Apostle Paul and the Curse of God
Twice in Scripture the apostle Paul paints a picture of a time when he should or would experience the curse of God. In both cases he uses the strong word anathema, which speaks to the curse of God, the wrath of God. In his letter to the churches of Galatia, Paul boldly declares that if […]
Changing by Adding
The statement, “I love my wife” is completely changed if something is added to the end of the statement. For example, “I love my wife” is a very different message than “I love my wife when she cooks my favorite meal.” Adding “when they behave” radically alters the statement “I love my daughters.” Addition radically […]
When Advice Ceases
Ari Fleischer was serving as White House Press Secretary as our nation was attacked on September 11, 2001. He was with President Bush the entire day, and he recently tweeted his experiences from the day at the times they occurred 13 years ago. They are fascinating to read, and you can see them all here. […]
Bunyan and Grace
Recently Darrin Patrick preached at our chapel at LifeWay. His message from Galatians 5 was both powerful and helpful, and I am grateful for Darrin. He shared a fascinating story about John Bunyan, pastor and author of The Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan continually preached grace, constantly reminding people that Jesus’ perfect obedience was theirs, that His […]
Delighting in the Lord
Psalm 37:4 instructs us to “take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.” Surely this verse is not teaching us that if we claim to delight in God, He will give us anything we desire in this world, as in: “God, I love You, so I am ready for the […]
God’s Presence Is My Good
Psalm 73 is a well-known psalm of lament in which Asaph, the leader of David’s choirs, wrestles with the reality that evil sometimes prospers, that those who are not God’s people seem to do well in life. After bemoaning the temporary glory of the wicked, Asaph confesses that His thinking was foolish, that his knowledge […]