Did you know that God is simple? That might sound borderline blasphemous. You may object, "no! God is complex and greater than our understanding; how dare you say simple!" God is indeed great and above understanding, but the church - throughout the ages - has also held that God is simple. God's simplicity can be … Continue reading The Sweet Comfort of God’s Simplicity
Despair Can Drive Us to Rely on God
2 Corinthians 2:8-10 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but … Continue reading Despair Can Drive Us to Rely on God
Valentine’s Day Observation
A few weeks ago was Valentine's day. Since my wife is a teacher, I typically head to the kids' parties. As I was attending the party of my kindergartner, a girl kept saying with a huge smile, "everyone is being so nice to me." She was smiling ear to ear because everyone in her class … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Observation
What is Sanctification?
A couple of previous posts had the word "sanctification" in them. It occurred to me that this common word is often misunderstood or just assumed. I hope to unpack the term in this post first by looking at a definition and then at a few different views within Protestantism. Sanctification Defined Sanctification, put simply, is … Continue reading What is Sanctification?
No Shortcuts in Sanctification
This past Christmas we went to Christmas Candylane at Hershey Park. It’s a fun, yet cold, time at an amusement park as a family. Since our kids are getting older, they no longer stick with the little kid rides but are now interested in rides that are a little bit faster, and they are not … Continue reading No Shortcuts in Sanctification
Don’t Stop Writing
When is the last time you have written anything of substance? Anything longer than a text or email? If we are not careful, writing will be a lost art. That is not healthy or good. Writing brings many benefits; below you can see a few that are especially helpful: writing brings clarity, precision, and proper … Continue reading Don’t Stop Writing
Psalms and Sexual Abuse
Over the past few years, there has been a significant movement within the greater culture. This movement involves women stepping forward who have been sexually abused and who have either never spoken up about it or had their voices silenced. This tragic reality is not contained to secular culture but is a problem within evangelical … Continue reading Psalms and Sexual Abuse
Silence and Solitude as Spiritual Disciplines
"Sit over there and be quiet" that sounds like a punishment a toddler would receive, doesn't it? Being alone and being quiet doesn't strike us as something good from God. Yet, I think in an age of noise, these can be perfect gifts for us. I want to be clear, though; these are less God's … Continue reading Silence and Solitude as Spiritual Disciplines
Service as a Spiritual Discipline – Part 2
In a previous post, I discussed the importance of serving in the Christian life. This post will focus on a couple of ways that we can serve. Service at Church Diversity of Gifts Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12 discuss the variety of gifts within the church. Both are making the point that we need … Continue reading Service as a Spiritual Discipline – Part 2
Serving as a Spiritual Discipline – Part 1
Some disciplines refresh us and energize us so that we can serve and pour our lives out for others. When it comes to spiritual disciplines, these are two sides of one coin. We cannot merely learn, memorize, and forever neglect the people around us. This will not create a healthy Christian life. Instead, we are … Continue reading Serving as a Spiritual Discipline – Part 1
Boonstra Babble 