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Category Archives: On Faith
More Spiritual than God Part Three: Too Spiritual to Pray
Many who approve of prayers of adoration begin to squirm when we talk about petitionary prayers or prayers that intercede for others. For some, rejecting petitionary prayer is a way of exalting the sovereignty of God. If God is in … Continue reading
More Spiritual than God Part Two: Too Spiritual for the Gifts
Believers come up with several very spiritual sounding reasons for not caring about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. One of the most spiritual sounding is “I am seeking the Giver, not the gifts.” It wrongly suggests that we can … Continue reading
More Spiritual Than God (Part One)
Of course, we can’t be more spiritual than God. We can, however, in the pretense of being spiritual reject solid Biblical truths about God and God’s ways. We sometimes clothe these rejections in humility, but this hyper-spirituality robs us of … Continue reading
Posted in On Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged heavenly reward, hyper-spirituality, rich toward God, treasure in heaven
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Peter, Jesus, and Church Kids
The story of Peter and Jesus breaks my heart and gives me hope. Peter, like a lot of church kids, was full of promise. Jesus spoke a prophetic word over him, proclaiming that he would become a fisher of men. … Continue reading
Posted in Fathers and Sons, On Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged Church Kids, Jesus, Peter, Prodigals
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We Don’t Know
Over the years I have mastered the art of criticizing the Church. I have skills. Come over when you have four or five hours, and I will share my Biblical, historical, and sociological critiques of the Church. I have stories … Continue reading
Posted in On Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged Humility, loving the Church, servanthood, the critical spirit
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Anxiety and the Disciplines of Grace
Should a believer who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks medicate or meditate? I don’t know. I know those for whom medication has worked well and those who never feel quite themselves on medication. There is also the danger that … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, On Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged Grace, Jesus, overcoming anxiety, spiritual disciplines
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Holy Impatience!
As I age, I have become impatient, but perhaps in the best way. It’s not the “Get off my lawn, you darn kids” kind of impatience. Nor is it crotchety or curmudgeonly. It is tender. I am, I confess, terribly … Continue reading
How to Follow Jesus and Offend the Left and the Right
Those who follow Jesus faithfully and strive to live biblically can offend those on the political left and right by proclaiming the following: Left: that God promises prosperity to those who walk in his ways, Right: that Jesus told his … Continue reading
Spruced Up
This summer we camped in a mix of Douglas fir and Sitka spruce. From our campsite we had a view of a huge old spruce which divided into four trunks about six feet from the ground. Sitka spruce only grow … Continue reading
Forever Swallows Every Never
Maybe no word has more power to crush us than “never”. It can slide into our lives at almost any age. The hearts of parents break when they watch kids realize they will never be a great athlete—never play for … Continue reading