By grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone
Charles had become good at crawling in the shadows. He had been doing so for some time. When you are behind enemy lines, you keep your head down and you stay low. It was unclear how he got there. But the landscape did not lie. He was in enemy territory. The thought of getting caught […]
On the shore of the River of Life, a small group of friends had assembled. The topic of testimony came up. The Apostle Paul said he was in his late twenties when he got thrown from his horse and heard Jesus’ voice from heaven. Zacchaeus said he was in his mid-thirties when Jesus called him […]
God’s prophets had a tough gig. They were to speak on behalf of God to his people. At first glance, what was so difficult about that? Wouldn’t people want to hear from God? You’d think the guy with a direct connection to the Creator and Sustainer of the world would be revered. The writer of […]
My blog is a letter I sent this week to Bob Ecklund, President and CEO of the Pierce and Kitsap County YMCA. In addition, I sent the letter to each of the YMCA’s Board of Directors–ten of them. It concerns the “Y’s” recent decision that members are free to access whatever bathroom/locker room facility based […]
We were finally at the front of the serpentine line. Once there, we knew the drill. Jacket, belt, and shoes in the bin; cell phone, wallet, and loose change followed. I proudly removed all my liquid toiletries, slipped neatly into a clear gallon sized zip-lock bag. I say proudly because this was the first time […]
I went looking for Ina. We’d never met. I was visiting her at the request of an old friend. Ina is dying, serving out her last days at a local convalescent home. She was in room #221. When I walked in, there were two beds separated by a curtain. I asked the first lady, “Are […]
Many appreciate the four seasons—distinct times when the calendar gives way to different weather. The seasons offer different opportunities and blessings. Fall is football and changing leaves. Winter is Christmas and snow. Spring is Easter, flowers, and the promise of warmer weather. Summer is sunshine and BBQ’s. Seasons can disappoint, too. We have expectations. Spring […]
Hats do more than cover up an old man’s bald spot or conceal a woman’s bad hair day. They can designate responsibility. State patrol officers wear a good-sized brimmed hat. I suspect it is this way so the rain doesn’t get in their eyes when they’re writing us a speeding ticket. What I do know […]
“In Matthew 25, Jesus tells three parables: The Parable of the Ten Virgins, the Parable of the Talents, and the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. The Ten Virgins parable ends this way: ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you’ (vv. 11-12). The […]
A front page article from this week’s newspaper concerned released sex offenders in our community. As I recall, there are somewhere around 2,500 in our county. They have to register and inform law enforcement where they live. The article exposed the fact that only three detectives are assigned oversight of these individuals. Do the math. […]
As parents, there are times we must discipline our children. The Scriptures speak to this often, especially in the Proverbs (Prov. 13:24, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15, and 29:17). Undisciplined children don’t bring much joy to anyone and will find it difficult to navigate life even when older. A faithful parent disciplines directly. That is, he uses […]
“Some amazing and wonderful things can happen when you walk through the doors of a church: you can hear the Gospel, and God can call you to saving faith. In addition, through the proclamation of His Word, you can be further instructed in the ways of the Lord—what it means to follow Him. What a […]