–Originally published on FWB21 April 28, 2011– I recently watched Phantom of the Opera with my 16-year-old sister-in-law, who had never seen it. When the movie credits started to roll, she said, “I don’t get it.” My brain, on the other hand, was about to explode. There is a thing in missiology called a “redemptive analogy.” Don Richardson first coined the term to describe those things that are inherent within a culture that either point to Christ or could be used to demonstrate the gospel. (If you haven’t read Peace Child or Eternity in Their Hearts–the two books that birthed this concept–I recommend that you do so immediately.) Phantom of the Opera is chock full of redemptive anaolgies. Themes of […]
Connecting the Dots
–Originally published on FWB21 April 25, 2011– This Easter weekend, I had the wonderful privilege of sharing the Story in a way that was meaningful to my son for the first time. He is finally old enough to remember facts from the stories he hears, and as we read picture books that spoke of the last supper, the betrayal, the trial, the crucifixion, the burial, and the resurrection, I could see understanding beginning to dawn. As we tie in some of the things we have discussed in previous months, he is beginning to comprehend some of the importance of Jesus’ death and life. It hit me yesterday that sharing the gospel with my children is turning out to be a […]
C.S. Lewis on the Virtue of Temperance
–Originally published on FWB21 April 25, 2011– This morning I read the following passage from Lewis’ Mere Christianity, which was first given as a series of radio talks in the 1940s. The chapter deals with the Cardinal virtues, and his comments on temperance were of particular interest to me: In the days when the second Cardinal virtue was christened ‘Temperance,’ it meant… going to the right length and no further. One great piece of mischief has been done by the modern restriction of the word Temperance to the question of drink. It helps people to forget that you can be just as intemperate about lots of other things. A man who makes his golf or his motor-bicycle the center of […]
A New Perspective on Patience
–Originally published on FWB21 April 22, 2011– Yesterday morning the first two verses I read for the day were Judges 3:1-2. Now these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. For two days now the thought has not left me that God must be awfully patient to have to teach each new generation the same things over and over. As I read once again of the history of Israel’s downward spiral of following God, […]
What if…?
–Originally published on FWB21 April 19, 2012– The Holy Spirit has been teaching me so many things lately, I hardly have time to process them all. Right now, it’s 3:00 in the morning and my mind is racing with questions. Here they are, with some of the scriptures that prompted them. What if we really took God at His Word, face value? What if we lived every waking moment conscious of the fact that we live and move on this earth as God’s ambassadors to the people around us–a kingdom of priests sent to minister for Him? As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like […]
The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer
One of the common sentiments among readers of Tozer’s Pursuit of God is that, even though this book was first published in the 40’s, it could easily have been written today (save some of the heavy wording peppered throughout the book). To take such a classic work and read it as fresh and pertinent to the church today is in itself an amazing thing. To see its contents apply so acutely to our own situation is another. And to see that churches in our culture have not much changed in nearly a century… Well, it’s humbling. Consider the following excerpts: The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar […]
Defining Obedience for Our Children
–Originally posted on FWB21 April 10, 2011– 3rd post in the series: Seeing the correlation between obedience and true faith, it is imperative that we train our children to mold their hearts after obedience. As Paul points out in Ephesians 6, the way children obey God is to obey their parents. Since we are responsible for training our children to love and obey God, we are responsible to hold them to God’s standard. Anything less is an injustice to them. When we give ultimatums or show inconsistency in our expectations, we do not give our children a clear picture of our unchanging, holy God. If we give our children a set of rules and expectations that they are capable of […]
Just DO it!
–Originally posted on FWB21 April 7, 2011– Part 2 on obedience: Having seen numerous biblical accounts of great faith leading to giant steps of obedience in spite of serious risk, I am challenged to examine my own faith and see if it really measures up: Will I begin moving, even if I don’t know yet which way to go? Am I willing to let go of the ones I love, painful though that may be? Can I lay aside the comforts and securities of my nationality? Do I act upon the Spirit’s leading as He guides me into truth, even though my actions may be misunderstood or criticized by those around me? Could I walk boldly to a painful death […]
The Faith-Obedience Connection
–Originally posted on FWB21 April 7, 2011– This is the first in a series of posts containing a few thoughts on obedience–first as it is exemplified in the Bible, second as we should practice it, and third as we should teach it to our children. As I make my way through the Old Testament chronologically (thank you, Bible app!), one recurring thought is that there is a constant correlation between faith and obedience. Let me illustrate by sharing a few excerpts from Hebrews 11: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. vs 7 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go […]
Sha-la-la-la-la-la…
–Originally published on FWB21 Mar 31, 2011– I like to sing. I mean seriously. I sing a lot of places, but when I’m working at home I like to really let it go. So, I was doing laundry the other day, and a song I haven’t heard in years popped in my head. Before I knew it, I was belting out: Sha-la-la-la-la-la, Live for today! As soon as the words escaped my lips, I stopped and shook my head. What on earth was I saying?! Immediately I was convicted. I am daily concerned with teaching my children truth and trying to live consistently what I say, yet here I am being thoughtless and careless with my words at the top […]