Keeping Promises

She broke her promise. She vowed to love, respect, and stay faithful to her husband—for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, till death parted them. But she was enticed by an immoral man, and after the first, others like him. Her unfaithfulness became a habit, and her habit a lifestyle. … Continue reading Keeping Promises

“That’s Just Wrong!” Is it Wrong, or is it Unwise?

How many times have I heard someone say, “That’s just wrong!” when the action being discussed isn’t wrong in a moral sense, but is simply unwise from the perspective of the speaker? This got me thinking about the nexus between morality and wisdom, between an action being right or wrong, on the one hand, and … Continue reading “That’s Just Wrong!” Is it Wrong, or is it Unwise?

“Practicing” Forgiveness

This morning toward the end of my prayer walk, I waved at three people (all from the same family, I think) who were standing at the top of their driveway.[1] They smiled and waved back, but didn’t make any attempt to restrain their off-leash dog—which suddenly bolted in my direction, growled menacingly, and started jumping … Continue reading “Practicing” Forgiveness

Some Things Shouldn’t Even Be Talked About (Ephesians 5:3,12)

Did you know that the Bible tells us that there are certain things we shouldn’t even talk about? The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5: “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (5:3). Nine verses later, Paul adds: “For it is shameful … Continue reading Some Things Shouldn’t Even Be Talked About (Ephesians 5:3,12)

Whether-by-Life-or-Death Prayers

In Philippians 1:19, Paul writes, “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” New Testament scholars disagree about what Paul is affirming. A proper understanding of this verse can help us increase our confidence in prayer. Option 1: Physical Deliverance. … Continue reading Whether-by-Life-or-Death Prayers

A Thousand Years is Like a Day: A Thought Experiment

Here’s a thought experiment. Suppose that we were to take the statements in Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 about a thousand years being like a day literally (which are probably not literal in their literary settings). Then let’s assume that the difference is not just how God sees time, but also represents the difference … Continue reading A Thousand Years is Like a Day: A Thought Experiment

How Wrestling with Hard Bible Passages Expands our View of God

My thoughts wandered this morning on my prayer walk.[1] I kept bringing my mind back to prayer, but my mind was wandering from my very first steps. I decided to use the Lord’s Prayer to guide me—I sometimes do this when I’m struggling with mind-wandering—but I still had trouble concentrating on prayer. (By the way, … Continue reading How Wrestling with Hard Bible Passages Expands our View of God

Wait Training

God trains us through waiting. On the day I started writing this post, I was waiting for God to answer a prayer. You see, Trudi and I have been leading up a residential discipleship community of Christian college students (known as “The Berdhouse”) for the past eight years while I have continued to teach full-time … Continue reading Wait Training

A Devotional Reading of Hebrews 12:18-24: Expand Your Awe of God

This morning I spent time in Hebrews 12:18-24 during my morning reading in God’s Word.[1] I found myself particularly attuned to some things I had never previously noticed. In the middle of a warning passage—a passage written to caution professing believers not to be passive or turn away from reverent submission to an awesome God—I … Continue reading A Devotional Reading of Hebrews 12:18-24: Expand Your Awe of God

Temptability: Not the Same for Everyone

Everyone is not equally temptable. One person can be severely tempted by something that another person barely or is not-at-all tempted. Some people, for example, are tempted to drown their sorrows in alcohol. That isn’t a temptation for me—or at least so far in my life it hasn’t been. But I am tempted by other … Continue reading Temptability: Not the Same for Everyone