October 4, 2025

Luke 7: 40-43 Jesus answered him, “. . . Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. (NIV)

Every heart is contaminated and capable of horrendous wickedness.*

I suppose, if someone was keeping score, they would find that I have less to be forgiven for than say, Ted Bundy, or Adolph Hitler, or a sex-trafficker. I am far from sinless but by society’s standards, well, I haven’t hurt anybody. So, according to this story, I just might not love the Father as much as the penitent child molester does.

But, do I detect a hint of irony in the parable? Because as I understand it, no one is keeping score. Everyone’s slate is wiped clean when we are washed in the blood. The score: 0-0. 

There is still one small problem that we forgiven souls have to deal with: a clean slate does not erase the memories of the bad things we’ve done. The person with the most sins to be forgiven has the most potential to carry around a burden of guilt and shame. I, on the other hand, with my squeaky-clean past, have the most potential to be self-righteous. And judgmental.

We tend to give weight to sins that cause the most mayhem in the world, but God might not use the same measure. What I do know about his standards is this: God looks on the heart. Once he takes a look at mine, it could turn out that I am that person who has been forgiven the most. Only he knows!

Anyone with a window into my heart would know that sometimes my purity was all about appearances.*

October 3, 2025

Luke 24: 9, 11 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. . . But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. (NIV)

Trembling and trust often co-exist in us.*

“Why were they not sitting by his tomb, waiting for his appearance three days later?”* someone asks. He told them the plan. After all they had seen and experienced, how could they have been surprised at the women’s report of an empty tomb?

To be fair to the Eleven and the other followers of Jesus: what would have been your reaction to the news? My thoughts and feelings would have been similar to what I think and feel today: I have absolute faith that the Lord is going to do what he says he will do; I don’t doubt his divinity. But would I have been expecting him to raise from the dead after I watched him being tortured to death? I’m pretty sure that I would have thought that I had misunderstood what Jesus said. Between the symbolism and the parables, I would have had more questions than answers. Being told that the grave had been abandoned would have just left me with a big old blank space in my mind.

Jesus knew every doubt, fear, and misconception in the minds of his faithful followers. Following his resurrection, he began a systematic campaign to answer questions, calm fears, and plot strategy. He wasted none of his time chastising them for their moments of weakness and their lack of comprehension. He had work to do; they had work to do. And so do we. We don’t have time to wallow in guilt because of failure or doubts. Jesus offers forgiveness accompanied by graciousness. We fall down, he picks us up, brushes us off, gives us a hug . . .  and off we go. The lost world is waiting!

Don’t confuse grace with indifference toward sin.*

October 2, 2025

I Corinthians 12: 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (NIV)

From the moment we are saved, God no longer views us just as individuals. We are now part of the body.*

On more than one occasion, I have gone to the dentist due to tooth pain only to find out that I had a sinus infection. My sinuses weren’t hurting but they were in need of antibiotics. Curing my sinus infection also cured my toothache. Pain that is perceived at a location other than the site of the actual stimulus is known as “referred pain.” I believe that something similar occurs in the church.

Paul says that when one part of the body suffers, every part suffers along with it. If you hurt, your brothers and sisters hurt with you. We think of this in terms of personal problems such as illness, dysfunctional families, or financial worries, where the sufferer is fully aware of his pain. But sometimes we see the conditions that are festering in an oblivious member of the body, and we hurt for them and for the damage this can cause to the entire body.

Do you know someone who refuses to forgive a person in their life and sees nothing wrong with it, who in fact believes it is their right to carry a grudge for the wrong done to them? How about that friend whose marriage is in trouble but who is unaware that her actions are the root of the problem? The family whose children are out of control but the parents don’t see how they are at fault for never disciplining their children . . . The list goes on. And what can we do to help stem the spread of infection to the rest of the body?

Pray. Pray fervently. Pray specifically. Pray with a heart that is willing to be God’s instrument for relieving the body’s “referred pain.” The three examples I used above are real situations that I have encountered in our church fellowship. God did not use me directly to deal with any of them but I have been privileged to be part of the “support staff,” praying for the ones he called for the job. And now I get to be a part of the rejoicing team because when one part is honored, every part has cause to celebrate.

The healthiest body is the one that feels the pain of its weakest parts.*

October 1, 2025

Romans 8: 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

God does not bring all things together for our good so that we might be comfortable.*

While this may be one of the most encouraging verses found in the Bible, it is also probably one of the most misunderstood. Paul doesn’t say – or even imply – that “everything happens for a reason.”  And it isn’t a promise that everyone’s life is going to turn out okay – not even for Christians.

I see some thought-provoking subtexts embedded in the message. Keep in mind that these are my thoughts and you should examine the scripture for yourself. This is a promise that God will be present and working in everything that happens to us. I don't believe it applies to any of our willfully disobedient actions.

• I hear God’s whispered urging: Give me time. I am working all things out for your good. Wait.
• I do not hear: Worry. Expect everything to happen right now. Work harder on it yourself.
• I don’t think there is any distinction between those who love him and those who have been called according to his purpose. It is two ways to describe the same person.
• The good that God is working on is our salvation, not a “happily ever after” on earth. Some Christians are called to suffer long miserable lives, some to martyrdom. But we know, from other passages, that God has made other promises to those whose ministry leads them to such physical deprivation.

I hope I haven’t robbed you of the comfort that this verse has always brought you. By eliminating some common misconceptions, I believe we can be more encouraged by Paul’s words. Let’s face it: we’ve all experienced moments where we questioned whether things really are working out for our good. Many senseless, heart-breaking things happen to us. Those are the times when we need to look to God’s promises that he will never leave us alone, that he will provide us with the peace that surpasses human understanding. 

In the midst of the worst, we can take comfort in knowing that God is in charge of the ultimate outcome. His Son died to ensure that everything does work out for our good.

The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.*

September 30, 2025

Acts 17: 17 . . . he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. (NIV)

It would not be in our best interest to always remain in one happy and comfortable location.*

An important rule for writers is, “Write what you know.” An important rule for preachers might be, “Preach where you know.” That seems to be what Paul was doing here in Athens, killing time while he waited for Timothy and Silas to join him.

As a Jew, Paul was comfortable in the synagogue. He understood the rules – written and unwritten – and knew his audience well. Likewise, the marketplace was a familiar setting. It wasn’t only a center for business and commerce but also a place where people could gather for philosophical discussion. Paul clearly knew where to preach.

What about you? Do you have a comfort zone when it comes to sharing the gospel? Is there an audience that is likely to be more receptive to you than others? Is there a setting where you know the written rules as well as the implied ones? Perhaps this is where you should “preach.”

Writers aren’t really limited to what they know now. For example, I didn’t know that the marketplace was a setting for philosophical discussion until I did some research for this passage. And Paul was not limited to his familiar stomping grounds either – he spent a lot of time in jail, turning it into another “comfortable” pulpit. 

So here is the lesson for us: we “preach” where we are comfortable - and when the Spirit leads us out of our comfort zone, we learn to preach there. Our witness is not limited to our current happy place. 

Along the way, learn to be of value where you are.*

September 29, 2025

Acts 15: 28, 29 “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.” (NIV)

The Bible rarely advocates one cultural approach over another. God’s heart is that every tribe and tongue come worship him without having to surrender their food, language or other cultural distinctives in the process.*

These verses are an excerpt from a letter in which the apostles and elders addressed a specific audience regarding a specific problem. Some Jewish Christians were insisting that Gentiles couldn’t become Christians without first adhering to Judaism. What we have here is a compromise that the church leaders (led by the Holy Spirit) offered to help ease the cultural clashes that were occurring between the Jews and Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, without imposing unnecessary restrictions on the Gentiles or offending the sensibilities of the Jews.

So while these words may not specifically apply to us today, they present a general principle that is applicable to modern Christians. They are rules consistent with holy living in the society of the day, not rules to make it harder to be a Christian. And while it was a cultural compromise, the church leaders were in no way watering down the message of the gospel.

We also live in a world where different cultures are learning to live together - and the church should be leading the way for the rest of society. Our leaders could learn from the example of the Council of Jerusalem - 2,000 years ago - to seek ways to be sensitive and accommodating without compromising the truth. It would seem good to the Holy Spirit if we did.

Centuries before it was popular to be inclusive, Jesus started a church in which everyone has equal standing.*

September 28, 2025

Revelation 5: 12 In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (NIV)

The lORD introduces Himself to His people with titles reflecting His great majesty, and expects His people to respond to Him as such a glorious God.*

A well-meaning friend felt I would benefit from her criticism of my summer-camp crush. She thought he was stuck on himself, that he thought he was “all that” (or whatever was the 1973 equivalent). I surprised us both by saying that I didn’t care because I thought he was “all that,” too. I lost track of that young man until recently when he began to appear in my Facebook feeds. Turns out he and I both might have overestimated how special he was. Seems he was “just okay.”

This passage in Revelation reminds us that God’s worthiness is in no way connected to what my thoughts are on it. Everything that God demands of us is his due. It isn’t arrogant or egotistical of him to demand and receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise. He is worthy of it.

What makes him worthy? . . . Besides the fact that he is the Great I Am, you mean? In verse nine of Revelation chapter five, the angels sang a new song about why he is worthy: “Because you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God . . .” Has there ever been anyone else whose blood has such power to save? Does this not make him worthy of anything he asks of us? Aren’t his expectations reasonable – in light of what he has done and because of who he is?

He can call humankind to worship him and not be arrogant at all.*