The Peace of Christ

“How are you today?” Like many of you, I hear this question many times a day. The expected response to this question when I was growing up was, “I’m fine, thank you.” Now, most of my students in California simply say, “I’m good.” (Let the record show that I have never really appreciated this bit … Continue reading The Peace of Christ

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

“Into Him” and “In Him” in Ephesians 1: Should We Leave These Out When We Translate into English?

A couple days ago I was reading Ephesians 1 in Greek during my morning Bible-reading time. As I read, I was drawn to two phrases that are clearly present in Greek but often eliminated in English. The two expressions that get removed are “into him” (εἰς αὐτόν) in the middle of verse 5 and (“in … Continue reading “Into Him” and “In Him” in Ephesians 1: Should We Leave These Out When We Translate into English?

Living a D’Vine Life in Christ (John 15:1-5)

Yes, my title has a double meaning: The vine in John 15 is Christ, who is Divine, and we live life connection to the Vine. So one way to refer to the Christian life is: living a D’Vine Life. A couple years ago I wrote a devotional book about inChristness in the letters of Paul—100 … Continue reading Living a D’Vine Life in Christ (John 15:1-5)

What Does “I Can Do All Things through Christ who Strengthens Me” Mean? (Philippians 4:13)

It is one of the best-known verses in the Bible. It appears on wall art, bumper stickers, social media profiles, and even tattoos. But we usually misinterpret it. Philippians 4:13 is not about personal empowerment. It is not a promise that you can become anything you want when you grow up if you want it … Continue reading What Does “I Can Do All Things through Christ who Strengthens Me” Mean? (Philippians 4:13)

Joy

“What are the joy-stealers? Why do so many of us struggle with joy?” I often ask my students this question when we open the book of Philippians. “Time pressures.” “Financial pressures.” “Unfulfilled expectations.” “Hurts from the past.” These are common responses from my students. But Paul would point us toward two other foundational reasons for … Continue reading Joy

Life is Christ

“What do you want out of life?” The trained interviewer appeared relaxed—even casual—as she asked me this question, but I could tell she was intent on figuring out who I was. In the context of interviewing for a summer job at a local department store during my break from college, that only meant that she … Continue reading Life is Christ

“Your Life is Hidden with Christ in God”: A Devotional Reading of Colossians 3:3

A hymn I learned as a child was running through my mind. I was perched on the side of a mountain overlooking the town of Idyllwild, California—one of my favorite places to pray. I had set aside this time for prayer because I sensed a spiritual storm on the horizon. Here is the chorus of … Continue reading “Your Life is Hidden with Christ in God”: A Devotional Reading of Colossians 3:3

How Do You Identify?

If you fundamentally identify yourself as being in Christ—as opposed to all the other options for self-identification—you will regularly respond differently than those who closely identify with the world’s lesser alternatives. Let me offer some examples of responses that might proceed from people who view themselves fundamentally as “in” a lesser alternative rather than viewing … Continue reading How Do You Identify?

Rooted in Christ

Have you ever tried to uproot a tree? I don’t mean a little one… I remember as a teenager helping my dad remove an old and less-than-healthy cherry tree that sat in the middle of the front lawn of our family home in San Jose, California. All of us were tired of stepping on cherries … Continue reading Rooted in Christ