In a culture obsessed with self-image and success, it is natural to see our own self worth in terms of our own achievements. It is easy to believe that our value is defined by our abilities, that the smarter, richer and more powerful we are the more important we are. However, this way of seeing ourselves is very different from the way God sees us. God’s Word takes this narrative and turns it completely upside down. For God, nothing is everything.   They story of Sisyphus The entire book of Ecclesiastes paints a vivid picture of the futility of human […]

As a pastor of a church plant, I am often asked how we gear our church services; are we aiming at the unbeliever or the believer? In other words, what people are asking me is whether I focus on saving the unbeliever or strengthening the believer. My answer is always the same: “Yes!” Because every worship service is geared toward sinners, the preaching of the gospel is intended to reach both the unbelieving sinner and the believing sinner. Both groups are in constant need of God’s grace: the grace of rescue, the grace of revival, the grace of reconciliation and […]

Does Christianity take the fun out of life? There are some people who tend to think so. They have this idea that following Jesus means the end of joy rather than the beginning of joy. In their opinion, the God of Christianity is sort of a harsh cosmic killjoy, just trying to keep people from really enjoying life. This couldn’t be further from the truth.   God wants you to enjoy life Remember where God placed Adam and Eve? God didn’t put them in a barren desert and tell them to endure it; he put them in a garden of […]

Nobody likes to be corrected. Yet, correction is often like bad tasting medicine; it doesn’t make you feel good in the moment, but it can help you to become better in the days to come. Solomon put it like this, “It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:5 NIV). The song of fools is figurative for being serenaded with flattery. So, in other words, both correction and compliments are good, but when it comes to developing your inner life and character, correction has more value.   […]

In what is commonly referred to as the “love month” due to the celebration of Valentine’s Day, I have a word of unimaginable comfort for you from the One who loves you more than you could ever imagine. “But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them’ ” (Luke 15:2 NIV). Who is this Man? Who is This Man who welcomes sinners and eats with them? He is none other than God incarnate who left the throne room of heaven, took on the flesh of man in the form of a […]