On Sunday, I preached on James 3:13-18, contrasting true, godly wisdom with wisdom that is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. I had a section that came from my personal devotional reading that I cut for time. False wisdom, or worldly wisdom, often has a veneer of genuineness to it because it gets results. But it doesn't … Continue reading Cutting Room Floor: That’s just the way things are done.
devotional
Faith Complete by Works
Last week I preached from James 2:14-26, a passage that speaks of the importance of good works in the life of the believer. I stressed that, for James, it's NOT FAITH + WORKS = SALVATION. He didn't preach "add some works to your faith, then you'll be saved." What he does say is FAITH = … Continue reading Faith Complete by Works
Flooded with Glory
Last night I was talking with a friend about some of the world's glaring evils. It was a good, but hard conversation and I was sad afterward. A heaviness settled in. I went to the basement, turned on football and grabbed a book I was trying to finish off (it had grown tedious). But a … Continue reading Flooded with Glory
Cutting Room Floor: The Only Truly Hopeless Place
A few years ago I read, with a group for the church, Dante's Divine Comedy. It was one of the more difficult reads I've ever plowed through. The poem has three parts (each with multiple cantos): Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. In Canto 3 of Inferno, Dante passes through the Gates of Hell, which bear the … Continue reading Cutting Room Floor: The Only Truly Hopeless Place
Cutting Room Floor: Love of Money and God’s Presence
This week, I preached from Joshua 1 where Joshua received his commission from the Lord to lead Israel into the Promised Land. Along with this commission comes the charge, "be strong and courageous", a charge repeated three times. This charge to be courageous is grounded, primarily, in the fact that Joshua was not being sent … Continue reading Cutting Room Floor: Love of Money and God’s Presence
God Entranced 