Sharing Christ’s Sufferings

There is a line in a well-known story of Jesus (Matt 20:20-28) that often gets overlooked. James and John have just allowed their mommy to ask Jesus for permission for them to sit at his right and left hand in his coming kingdom. Jesus ignores the mother and speaks to the two men: “You do … Continue reading Sharing Christ’s Sufferings

Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2024

Happy New Year to each of you! I hope that 2025 is a wonderful year for you, full of many moments when you experience God’s multifaceted grace. I also hope that 2025 is a year when you can read some good books. Here are seven of my favorites from 2024 (presented in the order I … Continue reading Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2024

Joy to the World Isn’t a Christmas Song? Questioning an Urban Legend

It has become trendy in recent years to publicly proclaim that Joy to the World was not originally written as a song about Christ’s First Coming, but rather was composed as a forward-looking celebration of Christ’s future Second Coming. Have you encountered this assertion? See, for example, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE—a few examples among … Continue reading Joy to the World Isn’t a Christmas Song? Questioning an Urban Legend

Misunderstanding Genre in Biblical Studies: A Summary of Recent Developments

I just finished reading Andrew Judd’s new book, Modern Genre Theory: An Introduction for Biblical Studies. Judd’s goal was to introduce advanced graduate students and biblical scholars (who are not genre specialists) to recent discussions about genre. Everyone who knows anything about studying the Bible knows that properly identifying what kind of literature you’re reading … Continue reading Misunderstanding Genre in Biblical Studies: A Summary of Recent Developments

Eleven Hindrances to Answered Prayer

What are some of the most common hindrances to answered prayer? Not Asking for Anything: James 4:2b says, “You do not have, because you do not ask.” Many of us don’t receive answers to our prayers simply because we don’t ask for anything. I remember someone once claiming that we shouldn’t ever make requests to … Continue reading Eleven Hindrances to Answered Prayer

What Would Happen if You Became a Christian? A Thought Experiment

Let me invite you into a thought experiment. What if you became a Christian? What would change? I’m talking about an actual disciple of Jesus, not a Christian in name only. What would be different if you became a Christian?[1] If you became a Christian, you would automatically become a spiritual brother or sister with … Continue reading What Would Happen if You Became a Christian? A Thought Experiment

Anything We Ask “According to His Will” (1 John 5:14-15) Will Happen, but What is “His Will”?

A spiritually-minded friend of my wife and me recently made this comment: “I struggle with the idea of praying according to the will of God. Since I know that some things are clearly according to God’s will, why can’t I just pray directly about those things and know for certain that they’re going to happen? … Continue reading Anything We Ask “According to His Will” (1 John 5:14-15) Will Happen, but What is “His Will”?

Understanding Paul’s Veil Imagery in 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3

What does the apostle Paul mean when he uses the word “veil” in 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3? For years I didn’t really understand 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3 because I was looking for a single referent for the veil imagery in the passage. Some time ago, though, I realized that a key to understanding the passage is to … Continue reading Understanding Paul’s Veil Imagery in 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3

What are the Four Most Important Spiritual Disciplines?

The four most important spiritual disciplines are: 1) scripture, 2) prayer, 3) church, and 4) mission. No other spiritual disciplines rise to the level of importance of these four. Two questions clarify why these are the most important spiritual disciplines. Which spiritual disciplines are most emphasized in the Bible? Which spiritual disciplines will most effectively … Continue reading What are the Four Most Important Spiritual Disciplines?

What was David’s Sin in Ordering a Census? A Possible Resolution of a Biblical Difficulty

This morning I was reading in Exodus 30:11-16. (Yes, a passage that is sandwiched between instructions for the construction of the incense altar and directives for how priests should ritually wash.) Let us grant that this section of Scripture may not be the most riveting to read, but since I firmly believe that all Scripture … Continue reading What was David’s Sin in Ordering a Census? A Possible Resolution of a Biblical Difficulty