I told Trudi this morning that one of the reasons I’m willing to work hard in ministry, lose sleep, and frequently end each day tired is because I have a strong sense of calling.[1] This has been true ever since God got a hold of my heart as a fourteen-year-old high school freshman. But after … Continue reading What is My Calling?
Category: Bible
I Used to Think that Everything in the Bible Should be Easy to Understand
Following is the introduction to a message I preached on 1 Corinthians 9:1-18 at Redemption Hill Church on March 22, 2026 as part of the preaching series on 1 Corinthians. (That sermon is HERE.) In the introduction I raise the question of why everything in the Bible isn’t easy to understand. When God got a … Continue reading I Used to Think that Everything in the Bible Should be Easy to Understand
Snippets from God’s Purposes in Our Pain
For today’s post, I’ve extracted twelve brief passages from my new book (with co-author Keith Krell): God’s Purposes in Our Pain: 10 Ways God Uses Suffering for Our Good. I hope you’ll receive spiritual encouragement from these short excerpts—though, of course, the impact will be greater if you can get a copy of the book … Continue reading Snippets from God’s Purposes in Our Pain
God’s Purposes in Our Pain (Release-Day Excerpt)
Today is launch day for God’s Purposes in Our Pain: 10 Ways God Uses Suffering for Our Good. Keith Krell (my co-author) and I have been eagerly awaiting this day so we can share this book with you. (The photo is of students in my Romans class celebrating the release of this brand new book!) … Continue reading God’s Purposes in Our Pain (Release-Day Excerpt)
Seven Things to Do to Prepare for Spiritual Warfare
Do you want to be ready when you face spiritual warfare? Do you want to be prepared when you encounter attacks from Satan and his host of demons? The Bible tells us to get ready (Eph 6:10-14a). How can you prepare for spiritual warfare? Here are seven things you can do to get ready. These … Continue reading Seven Things to Do to Prepare for Spiritual Warfare
How is a Christian Different from a Non-Christian in relation to Sin? (Romans 6)
One important way that a Christian is different from a non-Christian in relation to sin, according to the apostle Paul, is that a Christian is not stuck in sin, whereas a non-Christian is. I’ve decided to coin a new theological word today 😊 to describe this difference: stuckness. The apostle Paul uses a stronger metaphor … Continue reading How is a Christian Different from a Non-Christian in relation to Sin? (Romans 6)
Predestined to be Conformed to the Image of Christ (Romans 8:29)
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Rom 8:29) Today's devotional thought is not really focused on predestination, even if that’s the first thing my students want to talk about when they encounter Romans … Continue reading Predestined to be Conformed to the Image of Christ (Romans 8:29)
Strategies to Memorize the Bible: An Interview with Josh Summers
A few weeks ago, I joined Josh Summers for an interview at Bible Memory Goal about my recently published book, The Bible by Heart: The Bible's Own Method for Scripture Memory. In the past few years, Josh has become an influential Bible-memory coach to lots of people through his online presence (HERE, HERE, and HERE) and … Continue reading Strategies to Memorize the Bible: An Interview with Josh Summers
Join Me in Suffering
Many American Christians think that Christians who suffer for Jesus live somewhere else—in nations where Christians endure imprisonments, beatings, and martyrdom for their testimony. But how can this be the only kind of suffering that the apostle Paul has in mind if he invites Timothy to join him in suffering? Physical persecution is something that … Continue reading Join Me in Suffering
A Handy Way to Demonstrate the Stability of the Greek New Testament Text
[This article was first posted on the Good Book Blog on March 6, 2013. I've had a lot of opportunities to refer people to this post, so I decided to share it today with readers of Kindle Afresh. I hope you find it helpful!] People sometimes get up-tight when they first learn of the existence … Continue reading A Handy Way to Demonstrate the Stability of the Greek New Testament Text
Kindle Afresh 