There’s a growing trend that Christians want to have the “nice”, “gracious”, and “loving” New Testament Jesus but reject the “wrathful”, “judgmental”, and “violent” Old Testament God.
Getting off the hamster wheel of accomplishment
The gospel frees us from this pressure to perform, this slavish demand to “become.” The gospel liberatingly declares that in Christ “we already are.” If you’re a Christian, here’s the good news: who you really are has nothing to do with you—how much you can accomplish, who you can become, your behavior (good or bad), […]
The Enslaving Pressure of Measuring Up to Others
I was learning the hard way that the gospel alone can free us from our addiction to being liked–that Jesus measured up for us so that we wouldn’t have to live under the enslaving pressure of measuring up for others. -Tullian Tchividjian, Jesus + Nothing = Everything
Helpful Way To Keep Daily Bible Reading from Becoming Stale
I’ve been in the (good) habit of reading my Bible on a more-or-less daily basis ever since I was a kid. Starting with Keys for Kids, moving into Youthwalk, and eventually the One Year Bible, reading the Bible daily was instilled in me almost as early as brushing my teeth daily. I’m very grateful for […]
The Only Thing that Brings Peace: Grace
Grace means that no person is beyond redemption, no human stain beyond cleansing…no mistake we make disqualifies us from God’s love Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are The opposite of sin is grace, not virtue God seeks not to crush me but to liberate […]
There is No Spoon: Learning to Follow Jesus from The Matrix
I just rewatched The Matrix (VHS version!) a few nights ago. It’s hard to believe this movie came out in 1999, yet another reminder that I am getting old. I had been thinking about the concept of the movie recently and how it relates to my walk with Jesus within the world we live in. […]