Category: Spiritual Life

The Not-So-Sacred Enneagram: A Book Review of The Sacred Enneagram by Christopher L. Heuertz

Several of my college students in recent days have asked for my opinion about the Enneagram of Personality.  It turns out that while I’ve had my nose stuck in my Greek New Testament, the Enneagram has become all the rage.  So I decided to hunker down and educate myself about the Enneagram.  My initial take … Continue reading The Not-So-Sacred Enneagram: A Book Review of The Sacred Enneagram by Christopher L. Heuertz

Ask God for What? Paul Weighs in on the Content of Petitionary Prayers

I am regularly vexed by how shallow my prayers can become. When I pray for something—and I know that all prayer is not for things—what should I pray for? Only for my family? For someone I know who is ill? For God to help me in the day ahead? For God to resolve whatever problem is currently … Continue reading Ask God for What? Paul Weighs in on the Content of Petitionary Prayers

“But that’s legalism!” What Legalism Is and Isn’t

“But that’s legalism!”  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard those words.  A Christian friend suggests that it’s unwise to smoke marijuana, and they get blasted with: “But that’s legalism!”  A pastor preaches on the importance of generosity, and he receives a terse note with three words on it (or four, if you … Continue reading “But that’s legalism!” What Legalism Is and Isn’t

What the Bible Teaches About Fasting

Starting last night and continuing into this evening a group of Biola students has gathered together to fast and pray. These precious students wanted to fast and call out to God to do a work of the Holy Spirit on Biola’s campus during the coming year. But they wanted to know what the Bible taught … Continue reading What the Bible Teaches About Fasting

Why Translators Shouldn’t Translate “Walk” as “Live” in Ephesians 4-5

Recent Bible translations have increasingly opted to translate the Greek word peripateo, whenever it is used metaphorically to describe one’s way of life, with the English word “live.”  The other option at translators’ disposal is to retain the metaphor and translate it into English as “walk.”  The motivation for the decision to translate with the … Continue reading Why Translators Shouldn’t Translate “Walk” as “Live” in Ephesians 4-5

If You Could Do It Differently: Tim Keller and Sinclair Ferguson Respond

“If you could go back in time to when you were in your 30s, is there anything you would do differently with the wisdom you have now?”  This question-from-the-floor was addressed to Tim Keller and Sinclair Ferguson (moderated by Peter Lillback) at a Q&A session held this past Spring at Westminster Theological Seminary.  It was … Continue reading If You Could Do It Differently: Tim Keller and Sinclair Ferguson Respond

Listening and Instructing in Counseling: How Much of Each?

I’m not writing this post as a counselor, but rather as a student of the Bible.  Today I’m less interested in what is effective in counseling, though that is certainly a worthwhile inquiry (even if it should be pursued by someone more qualified than I).  Today I want to investigate whether the Bible has anything … Continue reading Listening and Instructing in Counseling: How Much of Each?

Revival Without the Bible Won’t Last

In 1859 and then again in 1904 a deep and penetrating work of the Holy Spirit engulfed the country of Wales. Wales had already seen many other periods when God had moved in revival—perhaps more than any geographical location in the history of Christianity. But these two spiritual awakenings were two of the most significant. … Continue reading Revival Without the Bible Won’t Last

How God Awakened my Friend to the Grace of God and the Transformative Power of the Bible

Here is a powerful testimony from my friend, Dale Schneeberger, of how God worked a personal revival in his own life through a dream and his subsequent immersion in the Word of God.  I'm confident that you will find Dale's testimony inspiring, soul-searching, and, perhaps for some of you, life-changing.  I print it here with … Continue reading How God Awakened my Friend to the Grace of God and the Transformative Power of the Bible