“Those without any religious affections are in a state of spiritual death. They are wholly destitute of the powerful, quickening, saving influences of the Spirit of God upon their hearts. So while it is true that where there is nothing but emotionalism there can be no true religion, likewise there can be no true religion where there is no religious affection. There must be light in the understanding as well as the fervency of heart, for if the heart has heat without light, there can be nothing divine or heavenly in that heart. On the other hand, where there is light without heat, such as stored with notions and speculations…

Well, I’ve been reading my Book of Common Prayer, the official prayer book of the Anglican Church, and I came to the Great Litany. I thought that I would share it with you. In the midst of all the chaos and business that we will encounter today, let us keep our eyes on Christ and run the race that is before us with perseverance and endurance.   O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, Have mercy upon us.  O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy upon us.   O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful, Have mercy upon us.   O holy, blessed, and…

As we engage in shopping and gather together with friends and family, may we keep our hearts and minds focused on the true meaning of Christmas – the gift of the Son of God. For our salvation and to the glory of the Father, God the Son became man: that is the true meaning of the Advent. You know me – I love to remind myself of spiritual truths by going back to the basics. So here is a collection of Scriptures, creeds, and other memorable selections that celebrate the beauty and majesty of our Lord. May you and your families be richly blessed during this Christmas season.   “For…

I’ll be honest. Today, I’m more exhausted than you know. And when I’m this tired, there’s only one common sense thing to do – pray. So this morning, I want to share two of my favorite prayers with you. The first and last selections are morning and evening prayers recorded in Luther’s Shorter Catechism. The second selection is the opening of St. Augustine’s Confessions. Both remind me of a simple, yet universal truth for the Christian.  It is this: whatever you are doing – whether it be studying the Word, working at a school or business, being a mom or dad, being a husband or wife, fighting to protect others,…

When I was in college, I used to keep a copy of the following quotation near my alarm clock. That way, every time that I scrambled to get out of bed and stop the incessant ringing, I would be forced to read these words. It reminded me why I was here, and it motivated me to keep pressing forward. Rumor has it that this was written by a young African pastor on the night before he was martyred for the faith.  This week has been a trying one for me, but the Lord succeeded in doing things that only He could do. For that, I give Him all the praise…

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” – Matthew 22:37-40   Alright, my birthday is in a couple of days, so I always tend to get rather introspective around this time of every year. I contemplate a lot of issues: I think about how I grew in the past 365 days and how I stayed the same; I ponder the ways in which I have…

I’m meditating on history today. It’s October 23rd, and many interesting things occurred on this date. On Oct. 23, 42 B.C. conspirator-assassin Brutus was soundly defeated at Philippi by Octavian and Mark Antony. On Oct.  23, 1707, the first Parliament of Great Britain met. On October 23, 1915, more than 25,000 women descended on Fifth Avenue in NYC to march  for suffrage. On Oct. 23rd, 1917, Vladimir Lenin would call for the infamous October Revolution. Conspirators fell, governments changed, women united, and workers revolted on this day. These are moments that changed the course of human history. October 23rd is also remembered for another reason: it is the feast day…

Alright, in a couple of weeks, I’m going to be 31-years-old. You know what? I always seem to go through a hyper-introspective phase as my birthday approaches. I think about the ways that I’ve grown, the ways that I have faltered, the ways that I have changed, and the ways that I have influenced others (for good and for ill). I think about the goals that have been accomplished, the dreams that have been deferred, and the questions that have yet to be answered.  There’s a question that has been on my mind lately, so I thought that I would get your input on it. I’ve gotten many pieces of…

In May 2008, a group of Christian leaders came together to reassert the true meaning of evangelicalism and to discuss the role of evangelicals in public discourse. The results of the meetings were compiled in a uniform statement, thereafter known as The Evangelical Manifesto. In the words of the writers, the idea was crystallized like this: “For those who are Evangelicals, the deepest purpose of the Manifesto is a serious call to reform—an urgent challenge to reaffirm Evangelical identity, to reform Evangelical behavior, to reposition Evangelicals in public life, and so rededicate ourselves to the high calling of being Evangelical followers of Jesus Christ.” (For a complete, online copy of…

For centuries, the sound of a tolling bell has marked that a person has gone to meet his Maker. On this day, the seventh anniversary of the September 11th attacks, it is more than appropriate to remember and honor those who lost their lives in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Let us remember our humanity, our unity, and our hope in the supreme victory of Christ. We too, will one day see the face of our God, Redeemer, and King. None of us, save God Himself, knows when that day, that time, that moment will come. May we be ready. And by proclaiming the gospel of truth in love,…