Focal Passage: Psalm 19:1-11

In May of 1995 I went on a mission trip to Canada with a group of Tennessee BSU students. During a brief sightseeing time we visited Lake Louise where a friend and I rode up the mountain on the ski lift. As we viewed the beautiful landscape, I remember wondering how anyone could deny the existence of God. 

The psalmist came to a similar conclusion as he proclaimed, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1). He went on to confirm that both day and night speak to us and teach us about God without ever saying a word (Psalm 19:2-3)! [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Psalm 119:1-16

Psalm 119 opens with reminder that obedience to the Word of God is the key to happiness. More than owning a copy of the Bible or simply reading it, we must do what it says! While some people tend to dismiss the requirement of obedience as legalism, the psalmist reminds us that living according to God’s decrees and instructions flows not from a desire to earn His favor, but from seeking Him with all your heart (Psalm 119:1-2). 

The legalist views God like the man in the Parable of the Talents who buried his money in the ground because he viewed his master as a shrewd and harsh taskmaster (Matthew 25:24-25). The motivation of the legalist fails to ask, “How may I serve Him?” and chafes under the weight of “How can I finally satisfy Him?” Yet even when the work remains incomplete, he takes great pride in his accomplishments “for God.” [Read more…]

The Book of Psalms begins with the contrast of two life paths; one leads to happiness, the other leads to ruin. The psalmist clarified that the pathway to happiness consists in part of actively avoiding the pathway to ruin. In our walking, standing, and sitting (all of our waking hours) we must avoid the wicked, sinners, and mockers (Psalm1:1) who champion godlessness. 

However, it is not sufficient merely to avoid evil people. Christian Fundamentalists have often been critiqued for their frequent recitations of what Christians must NOT do. If all we do is avoid sin, we have accomplished nothing more than sitting on the fence of moral neutrality.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: II Peter 3:8-18 

My family has an elderly friend who will soon be with Jesus. One thing is for sure — there will be no deathbed confession. Why? Ms. Jean has been confessing her faith in Jesus for decades. Whether you were family, friend, home health nurse, or total stranger, she would tell you about her faith in Christ, and that she was ready to go home. 

Have you ever met someone who was banking on their deathbed confession? Several years ago, I witnessed to a young father and then asked him what he thought about the truths I had shared.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: II Peter 1:3-8, 16-21 

When you are sending your child away on a trip, you may ask, “Do you have everything you need?” What if the question was broadened to address your life as a whole? Typically, we would answer the question with several items from our wish list, which may include some critically important things. 

Yet when we consider the true definition of “need,” we realize that most if not all the items on our list technically qualify as wants. Even many of the things that are perceived as needs are actually created needs, like your cell phone. All but the last forty years of humanity survived without one!  [Read more…]