“Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is this truth of the Incarnation.” J.I. Packer You may have noticed a certain movie has attracted a little attention in the past week. Haven’t seen it yet but it sure seems that pretty much everyone who has seen it—and this would appear to be the majority of the planet from where I sit—is delirious about it. And since it premiered just before Christmas what’s an ordinary pastor to do in having to…
Self-Sufficient
As the typical day unfolds, the unexpected expectedly happens. With one eye on the clock and another on our schedule, we can often watch our planning derail throughout the day. And as I realize my plans for the day will not be flawlessly executed, my soul has a tendency to be weighed down by accumulating cares. But rather than humbling myself as I should, I find myself vulnerable to self‐sufficiency, at risk of relying upon my limited strength and wisdom….
Comfort for the Coldest, Darkest Night of Job’s Soul
“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind…” This would be appropriately scary given that God is awesome. Remember, Job thought God had abandoned him. He was about to find out this wasn’t true. And he’s about to be humbled. God loves Job enough to speak to him and humble him. God graciously and personally discloses himself to Job “out of a whirlwind” in order to humble him. And Job very much needs to be humbled before Go, which…
Cravings and Conflict, Part 3 (It’s Easier Than You Think)
In this series of posts, we’ve learned from James 4:1–2 that relational conflict is worse than we think and that resolving conflict is simpler than we think. But James has more wisdom for us: resolving conflict is also easier than we think. Let’s look at verse 10 and experience the grace present in this verse and promised by this verse: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:10 In order to really and fully appreciate this…
Scheduling the Unexpected
At the beginning of the biblical productivity series, I stated that busyness is no sign of diligence, faithfulness, or fruitfulness. And that is because busyness does not indicate that we are devoting ourselves to the most important things. We can become busy with everything under the sun except fulfilling the roles God has assigned for us. And no matter how busy I appear, if I am neglecting one of my primary roles, I am a procrastinator, spinning in unproductive circles….