What’s hanging on your wall?

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand,

Who studies the Bible these days?

“Jesus replied, ‘Your problem is that you don’t know the Scriptures…’” (Matthew 22:29 NLT). “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). There was a time not too long ago in the English speaking world that to be

Developing a discipleship profile

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NIV). In my blog over the past few weeks, we’ve been discussing the importance of discipleship and what it means to be one. This

How’s your discipleship?

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 18:19-20 NIV84). “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and

Growing more like Jesus in 2013

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52 NIV84). For many years I have made it a habit to spend the last week of the year in prayer, meditation and Scripture study. I call it my annual study break. It’s also a time to evaluate how I

Love Came Down At Christmas

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9 ESV). My wife, the mother of my children and grandmother of my children’s children, has begun her annual ritual of converting our kitchen into a

Whatever happened to peace on earth?

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14 KJV). “’Peace, peace’ they say, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 8:11 NIV). Some 20 centuries ago the angel announced to the shepherds the birth of the Christ child in the city of Bethlehem and the inauguration of peace

No more empty seats at the table

“’O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the