The Bible has a lot to say about long-suffering. Or the lack of it, if you will. In Genesis 4, Cain kills Abel for offering a “better” sacrifice. In 1 Kings 21, King Ahab kills Naboth because he wouldn’t sell Ahab his vineyard. In the book of Esther, Haman tries to kill every Jew on the planet just because Mordecai wouldn’t bow to him at the city gate one time. You think humans are a little quick to pull the trigger on each other? We’ve all met people that meet this type of criteria, even if they (thankfully) don’t resort to violence to solve their problems. These are people who refuse to give ..read more

A few years ago, I ran across a Dear Abby article written by a person named “Don’t Feel Guilty.” ***Disclaimer: I am not a normal Dear Abby reader. I feel that’s important to share. The letter asked Abby for her advice on her marriage. She said that she had cheated on her “perfect” husband during a recent work trip, loved the experience, and plans on seeing this new partner again soon. Next she wonders why she doesn’t feel guilty (ref Jeremiah 6:15), and then asks what she can do to stop the affair “before it gets out of control.” Predictably, Abby let her have it. She told her the situation w ..read more

At the time of this writing, we are about nine months removed from any New Year’s Resolutions that may or may not have been made. If you’re like most people, reading your Bible may have been one of those resolutions.  If you’re still going with that, congratulations! No doubt you’re closer to God today than you were in 2022. Don’t feel bad if you’ve fallen off the wagon though. Most people start out with great intentions, but some of those chapters in Leviticus are just tough. The same can be said for the Minor Prophets. Dark, depressing, and loaded with imagery, Biblical prophecy can be ..read more

If we’re honest with ourselves, God’s punishment in the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) seems a little harsh. After all, their “little white lie” didn’t really hurt anyone, did it? They still gave a ton of money to their local church — what’s the problem with exaggerating the numbers a bit? It seems even more hypocritical that Peter was the one who pronounced judgment on them, since he was the one who denied Jesus three times at His crucifixion. What if his punishment had been as swift as Ananias and Sapphira’s? When you zoom out, the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 creates ..read more

I get it, telling me about my sin will be uncomfortable. Maybe you don’t feel like you’re qualified to approach me about it. Maybe you’re unsure of how I’ll take it. Maybe you’re not even sure if you saw or heard what you think you saw and heard? Regardless, I need you to tell me about my sin.  Why? Because, as James 5:19-20 talks about, it could be a matter of life or death. Here’s why. I May Not Know My Sin Exists It seems weird to think that a Christian could genuinely not know that a sin exists, but that might be the case with me. Maybe I’ve studied the Bible several times over, and h ..read more

The story of the Ethiopian eunuch is one of the most foundational stories in the book of acts concerning salvation. Not only does it create a fully linear description of the conversion process — culminating with baptism — but it also describes the steps that someone would logically take to get there. But what a lot of people miss in this story is the sense of urgency that the Ethiopian eunuch had. When they approached water, the Eunich eagerly asked Philip, “what prevents me from being baptized?” The very fact that he asked that question implied that (A) baptism was discussed during their con ..read more

As John points out at the end of His Gospel, Jesus did a ton of signs that confirm So what’s so special about the Virgin Birth? After all, it didn’t mark His victory over the grave. It didn’t bring anyone back to life. It didn’t heal anyone of their sight. So why is it even worth talking about — aside from the fact it’s so amazing? Depending on who you talk to, Jesus fulfilled anywhere from 64 to 460 prophecies in His lifetime. Those Old Testament prophecies cover every part of His life: where He was born, how He would die, His reception amongst the people, etc. Only one talks about the fact t ..read more

In the late 1880’s, a Swedish preacher was walking home from his office when he was caught in a violent thunderstorm. The rains came crashing down, the wind picked up, and he thought his life was surely over. Then, just as quickly as the storm sprang up, it was over. The heavens opened up, the sky returned to a bright blue color, and the birds filled the air with sweet music. In recognition of this contrast, he penned the words to a poem called O Store Gud. Several translations and a few bars of music later, and it was entitled “How Great Thou Art.” I Sing the Mighty Power of God We sing this ..read more

I get accused a lot of not believing in grace, and I mean…A LOT. Allow me to clear the air here for a second: I’m just a sinner saved by grace. I can make that statement without zero hesitations, zero apologies, and zero second-thoughts. As a matter of fact, I feel like it’s really, really important to believe that. In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul prayed that the church at Ephesus would lean into this concept. He prayed that “the eyes of [their] heart may be enlightened,” and that they would know the “hope of His calling” and the “riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” That doesn’t ..read more

As we try to live our lives for God, the question can be daunting: What does God require from me…really? The easy answer is that He requires everything. He wants our lives. He wants our hearts. He wants our perfect obedience. That’s not wrong, but wouldn’t it be better if we could just ask Him directly? Fortunately, that’s exactly what the people did. In Micah 6:8, after the prophet Micah lists out a long list of accusations in Micah 6:1-5, the people respond by asking what God is really after: “With what shall I come to the Lord And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with ..read more