Being Christian Without Losing Your Mind
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Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him. — Luke 15:28 The unexpected encounter with grace is life transforming, such as when the young (“prodigal”) son returns home and discovers unconditional acceptance–and a party–when he meets his dad. But grace can also be transforming …
Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. — Luke 24:31 This may sound strange, but I’m fascinated by psychedelic drugs. It must be the repressed hippie in me. I’m fascinated by how they alter perceptions of reality in people. When they’ve been administered in medical and therapeutic sessions, patients have often been helped. The …
The crowds in front of him and behind him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” — Matthew 21:9 “Hosanna” is a derivation of two words. “Yasha,” meaning “save,” and “na,” meaning now. Put them together, and you hear the crowd on …
When they came up out of the water, the Lord’s Spirit suddenly took Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. Philip found himself in Azotus. He traveled through that area, preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea. — Acts 8:39-40 A great deal of …
If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go. First make things right with your brother or sister. — Matthew 5:23-24 “Revenge fantasies” is a genre of movies that features an over-the-top bad guy getting a really …
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” — John 14:6 I used to think this verse from Jesus’ farewell speech was pretty straightforward. Jesus being “the way” means he is the one-way ticket to the Father. Evangelism is giving people this secret wisdom so …
Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is. — Romans 14:13 (The Message) When Paul wrote “forget about deciding what’s right for each other,” he was addressing Christians who …
“Here’s my recommendation in this case: Distance yourselves from these men. Let them go! If their plan or activity is of human origin, it will end in ruin. If it originates with God, you won’t be able to stop them. Instead, you would actually find yourselves fighting God!” — Acts 5:38-39 These words were spoken by …
You return people to dust, saying, “Go back, humans.” — Psalm 90:3 I was reading an old sermon of mine on the eternal question of why we suffer. In it, I ran across a poem written by Ken Brewer, a man dying of pancreatic cancer. I measure my life in family who speak through tears, who serve me …
As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. — 2 Samuel 6:13 The God-culture I grew up in didn’t take the divine name too lightly. …