The Cross in Troubled Times

Do you know who confessed that, “Pure Americanism can only be secured by confidence in the fact that the Cross of Jesus Christ is the wisest and strongest force in existence.”? Does that sentiment sound right and good to you? It comes straight from a Ku Klux Klan Newspaper. Have we wrestled with the fact […]

I am not

I am not a poet The subtle mystery of cadence and rhyme escape me. And this is not a poem. I confess, this bothers me a lot. I’m ashamed of it, in fact. In the same way: I am not a musican. I am not an artist. I am not an intellectual. I am not […]

Fellowship in His Sufferings

I think that if we had never suffered, we would see Him there on the throne, a Lamb as if slain, and it would have no meaning to us. We would not have fellowship because we would not understand what He had gone through.

Ordinary Grace

This book is an allegory for something that has become very important and very central for me. The simple ordinary gospel of Christ and Him crucified for sinners is the great power of God for us.

Oh Happy Day! Depression and Suicide and the Crushing Idealism of the Law

People are proud of their idealism. They believe that their high standards and their perfectionism are a sign of integrity and success. Actually our ideals are weapons that will ultimately turn on us and kill us. What we need is a rescue and an escape from our ideals. We need to be seen and loved and accepted and forgiven as we really are, and we need a way to love others the same way. This is exactly what the gospel offers us!

Rewards in the Kingdom of Gifts

I’ve been ruminating on this one for a long time. I think I’ve come to a bit of an epiphany on the issue, and I’ve been chomping at the bit to get to my computer and share this. I think it is a very powerful insight from the Holy Spirit, and I have been weeping […]

The Cross of Christ Declares that God Understands my Suffering

With others, their suffering can become a badge of honor by which they can boast and best your suffering. They want to impress others with the fact that they are better because they have suffered more. With Jesus it is never so. His suffering serves to make Him all the more compassionate. In fact, He wears His suffering on into His resurrected body (John 20:27), and by His scars we recognize Him. He stands on the very throne of God as a lamb who was slain because He will forever be the compassionate savior who understands what we have been through.

Being Happy as the Cardinal Law

I lost my job recently. I’m actually not unhappy about it. The people there were wonderful, and it paid really well, and I think that what I did there really helped society. It ended well, and it really was time for me to go. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful that I had that job. […]

Who’s to Blame?

Blame God’s lack of existence Back in my college days, I went to hear a debate between an apologist and an atheist philosopher. I don’t remember much about what the apologist said, but I do remember that the atheist’s argument seemed very strange to me. He basically said, since there is evil in the world, […]