When discussing sin and righteousness the law quickly comes up. Many believe that one needs a certain amount of law to restrain sin and to bring to mind the consequences of disobedience. To imply that the law is no longer binding and has, as we are told in scripture, passed away inspires nightmares in the legalists among us. They imagine a church of no moral constraints and rampant debauchery.

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While studying for this Sunday I am reading Matthew 7:7-12. As I was reading about asking, seeking and knocking, a thought came to mind about the imperative mood used in commands. The imperative, of course, is the mood of command. The difference between “I go” and “Go!” is found in the imperative. Sometimes, in these studies I will look for quotes on Greek grammar to use in the message and this week a great thought came to me while looking at what Dana and Mantey had to say about the imperative mood.

“Where one will makes a direct, positive appeal to another the imperative finds its most characteristic use” (Dana and Mantey, p175).

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I was dumbfounded. For Wednesday Bible Study one older woman was dropped off weekly by her daughter. Bible study night, like most churches, is very informal and having moved to South Texas from colder climes I adopted the practice of wearing shorts and sandals for such times. I wear regular pants if the day includes a meeting or something where shorts are inappropriate, but I encourage those who come for Bible Study to make themselves comfortable, and I am a firm believer in doing what I encourage others to do. Read the rest of this entry »

This week in my devotional times I’ve had a recurring theme. Starting in 1 Peter 2:16 I was struck by the command to: “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” In discussions, especially about politics, the idea of freedom is often the subject. As a free people who have never experienced slavery and as partisans who drove out the foreign tyrant over two hundred years ago, we often take our freedom for granted and misidentify what freedom means. To many freedom is the power to decide at all time and on all subjects. It is often seen as freedom from all outward direction. It is often assumed that when one’s life is lived truly free then it is lived for the individual alone, but this is the antithesis of biblical freedom. Read the rest of this entry »

The lives of past saints can be very inspiring, so reading biographies is a thrill. Whether we are reading about a recent saint, like Nate Saint, Jim Elliot and their partners killed trying to reach a stone age tribe, or those of the early church like Polycarp or Ignatius, we are inspired to handle adversity, to stand against persecution and to sacrifice all in service to our King. The danger comes when we take these stories that should empower and unfairly condemn ourselves, seeing these people as more endowed or having more of the Spirit, greater potential or ability than us. One example is Paul. What church planter has not looked at Paul planting churches, over an area of several hundred miles from diverse cultural and linguistic groups, and concluded that he was a sort of Über-Christian—fascinating but impossible to emulate? Read the rest of this entry »

Paul instructed the Thessalonians while he was with them—warnings against certain behavior and encouraging them toward others. Many of us would love to have been a fly on the wall to hear Paul teaching this church that became so dear to his heart, but, sadly, this is not possible. However, God preserved the words of Paul written to remind them of his teaching. This preserved letter teaches us about the life we are called to live. Read the rest of this entry »

The hardest part of being a pastor is the feeling that you are always on a stage; always on display. People come to you with problems, with bits and pieces of their life and expect that you will react a certain way. Often, when you do not respond as expected, they get offended because their image of what a pastor is or what he is to be does not match up to what they see. Read the rest of this entry »

The goals we strive towards define us. They direct our days and focus our efforts. No success is possible without goals because as many authors have said, “If you aim for nothing you are sure to hit it.” While we understand how influential goals are, it is should be realized that most goals neutral: the same goal can be worthwhile for one and worthless for another. Goal we set may have no value or significance to another. For example, I have a friend whose chief goal is to make a fortune. Since the accumulation of wealth drives him, regardless of how you or I feel about it, his goal is useful and because it motivates him to action. In this way the goal is worthwhile. For others wealth has never been a motivator. Being satisfied with enough to eat, a place to sleep and some left over for a bit of fun, this goal would be worthless. These people will need other goals to act upon and strive towards. Perhaps it would be fame or even altruism. Whatever motivates a person to action is their goal and the goal is for them worthwhile. This does not make all goals equal, nor does it make them all good. It merely says the individual has determined the goal worth the effort to accomplish it. Read the rest of this entry »

This morning as I was preparing a new post I checked my email and found a wonderful thought from a freind of mine. Rather than writing something else, I decided to share this email with you. I hope you enjoy it and thanks to Tom for sharing it with me. Read the rest of this entry »

Recently you can’t turn on the news without hearing that a new study shows that abstinence pledges don’t work. The conclusion by those reporting these findings is that abstinence only courses should be done away with and that emphasis should be placed on safe sex practices. It is what the studies don’t tell you that is key to understanding the issue. Read the rest of this entry »