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How important is it for us to control our tongues? Before you answer, think back on how much hurt, frustration and anger you’ve experienced or seen in church, school or work as a result of what someone has said. The good and bad achieved through the spoken word is at times surprising, prompting James to lament that, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing...this should not be.” James 3:9,10

The Bible addresses the problems…  ( Click for more )

In the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he speaks both of God being “Blessed” (as the NIV’s Praise be is sometimes translated) by our joyful acceptance of his grace and purposes; and a seven-fold blessing we receive from Him. (Blessed be – or Praise to – having the connotation of “Bless You” and thanksgiving, but possibly an acknowledgment of the blessing He receives in our expressions of gratitude and obedience as well.)

The seven blessings…  ( Click for more )

Who was Josiah? A righteous, God-fearing King of Judah who started his reign at age eight. How much could one so young really know? To a certain extend, he had to depend on what he was taught. Is that good or bad? It depends on what you do with those foundational teachings; at some point examining them closely, either accepting them as your own or rejecting them for something else. Gaining additional knowledge and increasing faith is your responsibility. Evidently Josiah did, it being said of him, “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord…” 2 Kings…  ( Click for more )

That’s what Onesimus, Philemon’s slave and Paul’s friend translates as. It would be interesting to know if Paul christened him that at his conversion, or if Philemon possibly renamed him that upon receiving him back as a “brother” in Christ; or if it’s one of life’s ironies that it was his given name at birth and he grew into its meaning. Paul, in writing to Philemon, sought understanding and forgiveness for Onesimus, saying, “Formerly (as a slave) he was useless to you, but now (as Paul’s adopted “son” and…  ( Click for more )

Deciding whose counsel is acceptable and whose advice is best disregarded can be complicated and achieved primarily through experience. Jesus declared that wisdom is proved right by our actions. (Matthew 11:19); reinforcing Proverbs’ injunction to, “Listen to advice and accept instruction and in the end you will be wise..” Proverbs 19:20, and “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,…’ Prob. 15:20 Yet even here, a specific source of instruction and advice is recommended. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should…  ( Click for more )

Be assured there will be. Why? Primarily because the value-systems of the world and the Christian are – or should be – so markedly different; causing tension, discord and strife. (John 15:18-20) But why can’t we just mind our business and let “them” do their own thing? Because if we really believe in the Christ of the cross and if indeed the gospel is correct, “they” are going to hell! Can we be unconcerned about that? Salvation is our gift from God, as a result of our acceptance of that gift we are obligated to live according to…  ( Click for more )

Many people are fed up with what they consider to be “business as usual” from their political representatives. To a certain degree, they are justified in feeling that way. Congress’ inability to even talk civilly, let alone exchange ideas of any worth in an effort to get something useful done, effectively bringing our country to a standstill. On the other hand, some of what we’re experiencing is the essence of what a democracy is all about; the sometimes shrill, often unruly, occasionally hateful debate of ideas. People can express themselves here –…  ( Click for more )

There are several crucial lessons to be gleaned from Galatians 6:1-5 and supporting scripture. In these few short lines, Paul states a number of principles that could profoundly change our lives; instilling in us a mindset more in line with Christ’s (Philippians 2:5), leading to a self-awareness that renounces self-centeredness and promotes genuine ministry.

He starts out by advising, “…if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” Certainly not condoning a critical self-righteousness that encourages us…  ( Click for more )

A conversation between Jesus and a rich young man recorded in Matthew 19:16 is particularly applicable to society today and addresses many of the concerns of the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement.

“‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life? …Obey the commandments. ….I have… What still do I lack? If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth…”…  ( Click for more )

Historical allusions in sermons and songs never fail to pique my interest. ‘You are my King’1 with its reference to a loving, self-sacrificing ruler is no exception. That image is hard to comprehend in most societies, rulers – past and present – tending to take advantage of their positions of power, lording it over their subjects rather than using their influence to insure justice and promoting the common good of the people they are sworn to uphold and protect. (See Matthew 20:25 Even the good one’s falling prey at times to the allurements of…  ( Click for more )

I don’t know that judging the success of others is really any of my business, especially when the topic is so subjective and there are so many levels and definitions of what it means to be successful. But any measure of success we accomplish as Christians must start and finish with our willingness to accept Christ’s call to, “Come, follow me.” Which can be a daunting task, until we realize that God is interested in and seeking to be involved with every aspect of our lives (Revelation 3:20) – if we allow Him to be – making our lives more…  ( Click for more )

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God…” Romans 1:1 Considered by many to be the greatest missionary of Christianity and it’s foremost theologian, writing thirteen books of the New Testament while being a focal point of the Book of Acts, he is known to have traveled extensively throughout Asia Minor, the Grecian Peninsula, Italy and possibly Spain (Romans 15:24) and Great Britain. Paul traveled tremendous distances, suffered many hardships, experiencing both success and opposition; influencing…  ( Click for more )

Paul’s approach to prayer followed a fairly well-established pattern, one we would do well to emulate. But how do we keep it from becoming routine and obligatory? A brief examination of Paul’s practice of prayer demonstrates how that can be achieved.

To begin with, Paul’s prayers were regular. The length of his prayers varied, the issues and circumstances of the people he prayed for changed, the temper of his prayers ranged from highly emotional to sublimely calm; going from heart-wrenching intercession to exclamations of joy, from lofty expressions…  ( Click for more )

Last week we examined a number of instances of people caught up in sin who reacted in several different ways. Sorrow that was superficial or immobilizing and consequently counter-productive or deeply felt motivation for change. This week we will try to understand why some people become totally consumed by the consequences of their sin while others pick up the pieces – repentant and humbled – yet able to make a difference, finding inspiration in the process.

Godly sorrow acknowledges God as the highest authority, accepts moral absolutes relating to right…  ( Click for more )

Have you ever expressed sorrow because of circumstances that were beyond your control? What was your motivation? I hope genuine sympathy for those experiencing difficulty. Have you ever apologized because you knew you had done wrong – and been found out – or even when no one else had caught on yet? What was your motivation? Concern for the one wronged, regret, repentance? Realizing our need in sorrow can be a good gauge of our spiritual maturity; what we do with our lives afterward is a good indicator of our sincerity and understanding of God. As, “Godly…  ( Click for more )

This question was raised during a conversation between Jesus and his disciples in which they had discussed what others thought about him. A number of opinions were voiced – some likening him to John the Baptist, others to Elijah, while a few were reminded of Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. But the real point of this exercise was brought to bear when Christ asked, “But what about you?... Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:13-15

It’s not that the contributions other people have made to your thinking and beliefs don’t matter, whether…  ( Click for more )

Koinonia is one of those Greek words that can be difficult to definitively translate into English; not because its meaning is vague but rather because of its wealth of meaning. It appears 19 times in the Greek New Testament and is translated as fellowship (12 times), sharing (3 times), participation (2 times), and contribution (2 times). The most common reference is to people sharing in fellowship (Acts 2:42), but here again, there is a deeper context; referring to the sharing of experiences such as joy and pain, loss and gain. And through such experiences becoming united in…  ( Click for more )

Webster’s defines a disciple as a pupil of another’s ideas and ideals, and a follower as an attendant or one who adheres to another’s beliefs and teachings. What’s the difference? It’s ultimately a matter of commitment, yet what a difference that can make. It would seem to be significant that the word Disciple is derived from the word Discipline: training that develops self-control, orderliness, obedience in thought and deed; making self a part of something – not copying a routine, belief or habit but learning ideas, and developing responses…  ( Click for more )

Jesus used parables to convey many of his deepest thoughts, using visual images from rural settings many in his audience lived in and could relate to. The parable of the sower is a good example of this type of allegorical teaching. (Mark 4:1-20) It still resonates with people today whether they be farmers, backyard gardeners or city-folk tending flower boxes; addressing soil conditions and preparation in anticipation of planting. As any experienced grower knows the fruitfulness of a crop depends largely on the receptivity of the soil; your soil’s fertility being dependent…  ( Click for more )

“…rather than what we think it is or want it to be.” So says Sheila Suess Kennedy, a public policy expert and law professor at IUPUI; commenting on the demographics of Indiana households revealed by the U.S. Census Bureau.1

Carol Rogers, Director of Indiana University’s Business Research Center, noting a trend that has rapidly increased over several decades. “Increasingly, we’re moving away from the 1950’s view of ‘family’ with it’s two parents and 2.3 children living in the same house (and) moving more…  ( Click for more )

Some say absolutely not and do everything within their power to keep you from gaining information to the contrary, and while scientists are typically regarded as open-minded and open to inquiry – pursuing evidence wherever it leads – that’s not always true. The controversy surrounding Stephen Myers, a PhD from Cambridge and research fellow at the Discovery Institute proves this point.

Mr. Myers prepared an article based on very specific biological research that appears to scientifically support intelligent design. Submitting it to the Smithsonian…  ( Click for more )

In considering just a few of the more recent leading headlines of the evening news and local newspapers, it’s not hard to understand the scriptural assessment of the age of man as, “…a crooked and depraved generation.” Philippians 2:15 Innocent people still being killed/executed in war-torn areas around the world; deceit and cheating in our schools, corporate offices and financial institutions; rampant promiscuity throughout society – inflicting heartache and dis-ease – among the very young up to and including the old enough to know better.…  ( Click for more )

Much is made of the legal decisions and subsequent challenges made by pro-life and pro-choice forces, which amuses and perplexes many who live outside the U.S. Across most of Europe, protest and counter-protest over abortion is almost unheard of, the same being true in most other countries with left-leaning governments and liberal mind-sets. (The “debate” over the legal rights of same-sex unions or marriage is virtually non-existent as well.) These issues being almost exclusively contested in countries still heavily influenced by a strong church heritage and Christian…  ( Click for more )

Scripture at times gives frustratingly few details of many of the characters involved in spreading the gospel story. Large gaps are even left out of the life of Christ and even more so those who followed him in evangelizing the world. There’s a reason for that, seeing how we have such a difficult time accepting, understanding and sharing what we “know” properly; anything else would undoubtedly be a distraction and hindrance for us. However, that lack of personal information doesn’t indicate lack of worth. Rather it focuses our attention on Jesus; fostering…  ( Click for more )