Not My Ways
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. – Isaiah 55:8 This verse has popped up a lot for me this past week, in sermons, blog posts, and just in my head. Although I spend a lot of time asking theological questions and looking for answers from God and from Google, I somehow find it comforting to read this verse and remember that I’m never going to be able to truly “get” God. And he doesn’t expect me to. How could I understand God? Infinite, omniscient, triune – even these fundamental, defining characteristics are beyond my capacity to process; we try to illustrate them in various ways, but can any of us really “get” the concept of something that exists...
The Doubting Worshipper
If I may be frank, for the past couple of weeks depression’s been kicking my ass big time. I don’t want to get into the details, but during this rough period God has felt far away. When I cry out for help, I hear nothing. It made me wonder if perhaps the past ten years of following Jesus had been just a waste of time. The other night, however, I picked up my pocket-sized Gideons Bible and skimmed through the “Where to find help when . . . ” section in the front. I looked up Depressed and flipped to Psalm 34: “I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” (V. 4) Then I looked up Faith fails and came across Psalm 42:5–”Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put...
Why Church Doesn't Feel Like Family
Mark Driscoll address a pressing issue in the Church. And has a response for those waiting to be served by the Church.
Justifying Sin
This kinda branches off one of my last post. I find it interesting how easily I can justify all of my sin. Give me a month and I could justify almost anything. It’s amazing how I justify sin by comparing it to someone elses or just watering it or myself down with little lies or half truths about it or my condition. I have noticed that although I discount smaller sins, Satan uses those to small stepping stones to make the step to the larger sins smaller. It scares me sometimes when I realize how good Satan is at tripping me up.
Simon
Acts 8:9-24 (New King James Version) 9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria...