Hearts, candy, and romance are on the minds of most as February 14th approaches. While Valentine’s Day emphasizes romantic love, the Bible invites us to celebrate a deeper, all-encompassing love: Agape. Based on the Greek word for “unconditional love,” Agape transcends emotion. It’s the love God embodies—a love that gave rise to creation, sent Jesus […]
Beyond Roses: Celebrating Agape on Valentine’s Day Read More »
A common practice of the world is to make New Year’s resolutions that nearly always falter by the time candy hearts and flowers are heaped upon loved ones. But Christians do things differently. Rather than resolutions, we commit to scriptural principles that change our lives and spirits. Let’s consider a few: Forgive those who have
Commitments for the New Year Read More »
As we enter the hustle and bustle of the intensely commercialized holiday season, please take a reflective moment to forget about gift exchanging and festive foods, and instead meditate on the true reason for celebration, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. The messenger Gabriel appeared to Mary, a young woman from Nazareth, over 2,000
The Christmas Glory Read More »
In Colossians 4:2, Paul admonishes us to pray with conviction and to approach it with an attitude of watchfulness and thankfulness, expressing our gratitude to God for all He has done for us. We should acknowledge His goodness and sovereignty in our lives while reminding ourselves of all the wonderful things He has provided, both
The Prayer of Thanksgiving Read More »
This month we celebrate with fireworks, parades, and barbeques the 2nd Continental Congress’s ratification of the Declaration of Independence that would lead to the formation of the United States of America, arguably still the best country on Earth. While evidence supporting that position is admittedly waning, it does not change one fact: we are dual
It seems appropriate since we are in the month of worldly love we turn attention to the perfect love of God. The Song of Solomon, that Song of Songs, depicts the relationship between a groom and his beloved bride, a shadow of the relationship Jesus has with His church and every individual within. While we
How Beautiful, My Love Read More »
The world has a saying, “It’s always darkest before dawn.” I remember many occasions waking alone in the mountains well before sunrise, far from any other human, the sky filled with darkness yet aglitter with twinkling lights of promise decorating the enormous black sky. Soon black illumined to gray, then purple, red, and orange. Finally,
The Hope of a Divine Future Read More »
When I look at Augustine’s words—that Christ was born of a woman He Himself created, carried by hands He Himself formed, the Logos Word of God crying wordlessly in a lowly manger—I am struck by the magnificence of our savior’s sacrifice. It didn’t happen only at the cross. It began when He stepped down from
The Sacrifice of Birth Read More »
November is the month of Thanksgiving, but every day should be filled with gratitude for the blessings and salvation of our Lord. While it’s easy to find things to complain about, there is much more to celebrate if we gaze with open eyes. I think of Evangelists Nick Vujicic (born without arms or legs) and
What Are You Thankful For? Read More »
God richly blesses us in many ways: providence, giftings, anointings, healings, prosperity. But the reason for those blessings is not just for us personally. February is the month we celebrate love, and our Lord exemplifies love in a way far beyond anything we can completely reproduce. Yet we are made in His image, and we
Love’s Not Just For You Read More »
