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WHAT GOOD IS THE GOSPEL?
The Gospel is the message we need to hear to be saved. It is also the message we need to hear in order to live out the confession of our faith.
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On the Anniversary of Dad’s Death
“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, “that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2-3). Today is the anniversary of Dad’s death. Dad was a complicated man, to say the least. Recently I was talking to a Christian brother and, essentially, said that when we die it might be said for any of us believers: “He was a Christian… and he was a mess in many ways.” We never outgrow our desperate need for Christ. Anyone who knew my dad knew he had struggles, but they also had no doubt…
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Four Books to Put on Your Reading List
Recently four books have arrived on the scene that have me updating the reading I require for a course on women in ministry leadership. Some incredible historians and researchers have given us much to consider (recommendations do not necessarily mean full endorsement): Icons of Christ: A Biblical and Systematic Theology for Women’s Ordination by William G. Witt. Witt teaches theology and ethics at Trinity School for Ministry, an institution in the Anglican tradition based in Pennsylvania. Protestants who oppose women’s ordination focus primarily on male authority; their Roman Catholic counterparts emphasize sacramental integrity. Yet both of these positions are new developments in the history of theology, as the church’s historic position…
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Running to my Husband
I have a fantastic husband. Not just Instagram fantastic, but like for real fantastic. Today, he put together two utility shelves for our mudroom and took the kids out of the house so I could get work done! Yet no matter how “real life” fantastic he is, all spouses fall short. Even my husband. We have the tendency to find the worst time, to say the gravest things, that send us over the edge. I can’t even pinpoint what our fight was about that fateful day but I do remember the sinking feeling in my stomach as tears welling up in my eyes. I retreated to my room to lick…
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Jonah, a reluctant prophet
Jonah 3 forms part of the lectionary readings for the third Sunday after Epiphany, which is January 24th. Unlike the other Minor Prophets, Jonah is not a collection of oracles. Instead, it is an account of a period in the life of a prophet, namely, “Jonah son of Amittai” (1:1). Virtually nothing is known about Amittai. According to 2 Kings 14:25, Jonah lived in the northern kingdom of Israel. Jonah was originally from Gath Hepher, a town in the territory of the tribe of Zebulun, located about three miles northeast of Nazareth (Josh 19:13). According to 2 Kings 14:25, Jonah foretold Jeroboam II’s restoration of the territory of Israel from…
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Dwell on the Good That God Did in 2020
I have seen an epidemic of regrets on the internet, in blogs, and on social media about the year 2020. Yes, we had an epidemic that infected some of our loved ones and instigated social distancing. Yes, many lost their jobs and their familiar in-person social gatherings. Yes, hardships and challenges and distress abounded in our country and around the world. I am not discounting the pain that happened. Grief is very real because of all that happened in 2020. But, did God hide in a cave all year? Wasn’t He still working in the hearts and lives of everyone who called on Him, and even some who didn’t?! We…
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Passover for Christians?
“Wait. Why should I care about Passover? I’m a Christian. Isn’t that a Jewish thing?” I have frequently heard this response when sharing about “Passover for Christians”. Yes, Passover is a “Jewish thing”, but its also a “Christian thing”! The two are closely related. Jesus celebrated Passover all of His life, including the night before He was crucified. At that meal (Matthew 26:17-30), Jesus instituted the “Lord’s Supper” (Communion),which is one of the two ordinances we observe. By understanding the Passover story, our understanding of the Lord’s Supper is greatly enhanced. Exodus 12 recounts the dramatic story of the Israelites and their deliverance from Egyptian slavery. In order…
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Daring to Hope in 2021
No one misses 2020: the ultimate year of loss for our generation. But as the chapter page turned to 2021, I wondered how I could muster up hope. So I decided to go back to the basics of spiritual renewal: creating and committing to a healthy rhythm of life. We all have different passions and interests, but the need for healthy rhythms remains universal.
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The Seven Feasts of Israel – Firstfruits
These are the Lord’s appointed times, holy assemblies, which you must proclaim at their appointed time. (Leviticus 23:4 NET) 0
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Inculcate as You Meditate
God commands us to meditate on His Word. In the New King James Version Joshua 1:8 reads, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but ;you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Who among us doesn’t want the children under our care to prosper and have good success? Of course, we all do. Yet God carefully lays out for us in this verse a road map to success and yet few of us make this the…
