In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37, ESV). Decades ago, I memorized Romans 8. Initially, I thought, “This chapter looks like a Chinese menu.” (Editor’s Note: This isn’t the most sophisticated theological explanation of Romans 8!) Chinese menus contain soooo many items — things like Moo Goo Gai […]
Romans 8 and a Chinese Menu Read More »
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever (Psalm 145:2, ESV). The word “praise” is found 150 times in the 150 Psalms in the Old Testament. The words “psalm” and “song” can be used interchangeably, with all the Psalms set to music, though we no longer know what that music
Psalms On Saturday ~ Praise in Psalms Read More »
Let’s understand the power of confession. . . If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9, ESV). When Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished,” He meant that sin and death were defeated. Now, through confession, we
Confession, Cross, Freedom! Read More »
God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5b, ESV). I was raised in a denomination that, while believing in the Holy Spirit as a part of the Trinity, had no practical use for the Spirit in the daily lives of believers. I often heard
My “Today” Theology of the Spirit Read More »
Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5, ESV) When we fail — It’s not an “if” but a “when” we fail. A quick AI search reveals abundant witticisms on failure. . . Failure is simply
Dealing with Failure Read More »
And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26, ESV) Recently, my wife and I began watching the new Prime Video
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1, NLT) Grace sets Christianity apart from the other world religions! In Romans 8:1, we find the greatest benefit of grace for followers of Jesus — no condemnation! The Greek word for “condemnation” means “final judgment.” Have we told ourselves, “I
The “No Self-Condemnation” Principle of Romans 8 Read More »
Psalm 149 seems discordant to me. Let’s read a verse from the beginning of the Psalm and then two verses from the end of the chapter to see if you understand my dilemma. Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful (v. 1, NLT). Let the praises
Psalms On Saturday ~ Psalm 149 Read More »
We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5b, NASB). We daydream differing memories thousands of times per day. Those memories come at us from all directions — what has angered us, feelings of nostalgia, good and bad times, significant events, and embarrassments. Our future hope, staying positive, and maintaining healthy relations
Three Steps to Healthy Memory Management Read More »
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God. John 17:3 ESV The purpose of Christianity is knowing God. It’s not about dry traditions, stultifying obedience, or empty repetition of creeds — Christianity is a relationship with God. And the purpose of this relationship is knowing God. When Jesus teaches in John 17:3, “That