PARABLES IN THE MODERN DAY CHURCH: Tomfoolery in Disguise!
Have you ever wondered why Jesus used parables? The answer is likely not what you
think, or perhaps what you’ve been taught.
Some say He used parables to illustrate His points, like any great teacher would; he
wanted to help His listeners understand what He was trying to teach them. I’ve heard
this argument used to justify all types of props and schemes and worldly entertainment
from the pulpit on Sunday mornings.
UNITY AND THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: 4 Words We Pretend Aren’t There!
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul…” Acts 4:32 These were the words of Luke, as he described the Church that Christ birthed two thousand years ago. They were “of one heart and soul.” Doesn’t that sound beautiful? They walked in unity with one another. They loved one …read more →
The Fork in The Road: A Story About Christ Confronting a Man
“Father, make me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.” —Jim Elliot (missionary and martyr for Christ) These words of Jim resonate deeply with me. Every …read more →
Deceived by the American Dream: Finally Hearing the Hard things Jesus said!
As the drugs wore off, I began thinking about the embarrassment of a man I had become and the direction my life seemed to be heading. My life was going in the wrong direction quickly, and I knew something was terribly wrong. There was a life the Scriptures said was available to me, but I wasn’t experiencing it. This is a tale about two different men, one camel, some missing fruit, and one exam with very hard questions.
Enduring Golgotha: Considerations As We Run
“…let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by …read more →
THE ONLY MESSAGE THAT MATTERS: A Simple and Clear Approach to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ
There is only one message that will save a man’s soul. It is the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can tell others about how God has changed our lives, but we must not fool ourselves; none of these things will save their soul. They must know and believe the message of the Gospel.
A Lukewarm Dilemma: The peculiar disconnect in the American Church
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Origin of the creation of God, says this: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:14–16)
Let’s summarize: God just told the church at Laodicea that He has taken the temperature of their hearts, and they are in grave danger. He’s telling them they make Him nauseous. Their version of Christianity made Him want to puke them out of His mouth. Their moderate, somewhere in the middle, response to the message of the Gospel disgusted Him. And He is warning them in the most serious way possible.
A War Cry and A Love Story
*** For those who arrived here from Living Magazine, this is the complete article, “Deciphering the Divine”*** His ministry lasted three years – that’s over 1,000 days of life-giving, soul-saving, absolutely perfect divine truths pouring out of His mouth – yet we have only four relatively short gospel accounts of His life. You could read …read more →
A Journey From Self-Absorption to Self-Forgetfulness: My Personal Awakening!
“You’re the most selfish person I have ever met,” said Tiffany, once or twice a week, for about the first 10 years of our marriage. She wasn’t the only one. My sister in Christ who worked for me uttered very similar words of encouragement around that same season… “Mike, you’re the most self-absorbed person I’ve …read more →
“A BEAUTIFUL OBSCURITY: Your Calling Isn’t What You Think It Is”
Who do you think of when you think of the “greats” of the Christian faith? If someone had asked me, for most of my Christian life, I would have rattled off names like Charles Spurgeon, C.S. Lewis, or Mother Theresa. I would have immediately thought of men and women who have written great books, preached …read more →
A CHRISTMAS CONFESSION – A CHRISTMAS REBELLION
Last year, sometime in early December, as I was reflecting on the upcoming Christmas season, a very radical idea crossed my mind. It was a bold and sacrificial idea. Something very spiritual. Being the great saint that I am, I knew I would have to take action on it as soon as it hit me. …read more →
Looking in the Mirror: Ten Words to Wake Up the American Church
I was watching the recording on the other side of a computer screen, twenty years later, when I heard those ten words. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard come out of the preacher’s mouth. Although I wasn’t there, I felt everything in that room change. The entire atmosphere had shifted. You could feel …read more →