Acts 13:49-50   “The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.”  Two short verses which would be easy to pass over without a second glance. But look closer. There are some important truths illustrated here: 1) When things are going well (“The word of the Lord spread”), opposition is right around the corner.  2) Being “God-fearing” doesn’t give you immunity against buying someone else’s lies or misdirection. (The…

It’s common to hear preachers and everyday Christians alike speak about the need for unbelievers to “accept Jesus into their hearts”. “When I was 17, I accepted Jesus into my heart.“ “At Vacation Bible School we had 13 kids accept Jesus into their hearts!“ “If you are ready to accept Jesus into your heart, come to the altar as the worship team plays.“ It’s a phrase you hear on many lips. But never see in the Bible.  How do we justify that? And what does it even mean to “accept” Jesus “into your heart”? Does anybody know? As I have…

Yesterday I wrote about Scripture-less prayer having real world consequences. In the best case scenario, we ask for the wrong thing and the worst consequence is wasted time. Ours and God’s. It is when we “hear God’s direction” through our untethered prayers that the consequences can become destructive – to ourselves and others. What is the best way to be certain the voice we hear is really God’s? I would say we can have confidence when the instructions, tone, and priorities align with God’s voice and character as expressed through his word.  I feel strongly about this for good reason.…

Yesterday, I wrote about how my increasing discipline towards reading and studying Scripture is leading me to desire greater discipline in prayer. This is a healthy progression, for sure.  Developing a good understanding and appreciation for Scripture can prevent our prayer life from going astray. Without a biblical foundation for our prayers, we are likely to waste time and effort in asking for the wrong things (best case scenario) or act unwisely based on faulty discernment of God’s voice in answering us (worst case scenario). The classic example of what I mean is the man, struggling in his marriage, who…

I knew there was danger in increasing the time and attention I was giving to Scripture. I knew it might alter my perceptions of reality. (Which can be a little scary, but nothing I can’t handle.) And I knew it might convict me. On multiple levels. (Because that is one of the Bible’s main jobs.) And I hate to admit it to myself – much less to you – but I knew one of the things I would eventually be convicted on was my prayer life. This has been a long time coming. My prayer practice has ebbed and flowed…

The Apostle John urged his “dear children” to “not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18) The stress is on the word “and”: Love with actions AND in truth. In recent decades the American church has split into two camps: Actions OR Truth. The authors of Churches that Make a Difference*, summarize this divide well: “One branch, quoting the Great Commission, claims nothing is as important as leading individuals to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.”  The other side “stresses that the calling of Christians is to care for those who are poor…

I found out this week that a friend of a friend is making an extra $5,000 a month writing for other people. While living on the mission field! “Ghostwriting”.   And he’s doing it part-time. And you know what? If I made $5,000 a month at anything, it would be the highest paying job of my entire lifetime. By a significant margin. (Which, I suppose most people would think is pretty sad for someone who is 53.)* So I start asking myself, “Why can’t I do that?” A voice in the back of my brain then generates a list of reasons…

It is a few minutes after 3:00 pm. My daughter’s school day has ended and she has entered the school auditorium by now, God willing.  As I write this, I am anxiously awaiting a verdict. Was yesterday’s parental advice to Sarah wise? Or did we set her up for trauma? Sarah came home from school yesterday torn. Her school is pulling together a musical in the next few weeks and Sarah would love to be one of the background dancers.  But even the background dancers have to audition. And that involves singing a solo in front of an audience of…

After Cornelius, the centurion, explains the angelic visit that prompted him to send for Peter, it drives home to Peter the point God was making with the sheet full of animals: the Lord is not the Lord only of the Jews. Salvation is offered to all people.  I love Peter’s response: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.” (Acts 10:34, NIV) If you had asked Peter a week before all this started if God showed partiality in his dealings with his creation, it’s a fair guess that he would have said, “No, of course…