Tag: Christian Living
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The Fourth Word: Anguish
This post is part of The Seven Words of Jesus series. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). The psalms were our Savior’s prayer book and hymnal. He sang and prayed through them his whole life. He knew that everything in them testified about him and what he came to do.…
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The Third Word: Compassion
This post is part of The Seven Words of Jesus series. “Woman, here is your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother!” (John 19:26-27). Behold a dying man, hanging on a tree, bearing the full brunt of God’s wrath against sin. This man looks down at a sea full of faces…
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The Second Word: Salvation
This post is part of The Seven Words of Jesus series. “Amen I tell you: Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Words of an unbreakable promise—a promise of salvation spoken to a dying man who knew he deserved nothing but the horrible punishment he was currently facing as a criminal and…
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The First Word: Forgiveness
This post is part of The Seven Words of Jesus series. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Crucifixion was one of the most inhumane, torturous, and agonizing ways to die. It wasn’t a quick death by any means. The Roman government reserved it for the worst of…
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No Condemnation
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). Not a day goes by that I am not made painfully aware of my sinfulness. It might be…
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Lessons of the Fig Tree
“A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any.…
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Do You Worship on Autopilot?
I sometimes struggle with worshiping on autopilot. That struggle can happen for any number of reasons, but one that I don’t often think about is familiarity. I’ve been in and around church and worship services since before I could walk. Many parts of the worship service are so familiar and ingrained in me that I…
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What Is God’s Answer?
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:5 Repetition is woven throughout the Psalms. One of the most apparent is Psalm 136. “His love endures forever” is the powerful refrain echoed at the end…