We live in a world that prizes fairness. We expect to be rewarded based on effort, seniority, or performance. But in Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells a parable that challenges our human ideas of justice and fairness. In this story, a vineyard owner hires workers at different times throughout the day, yet he pays them all… Continue reading Grace Isn’t Fair, Praise God!
Many people today have an imbalanced view of Jesus. Some see Him only as loving, kind, and accepting, while others focus solely on His authority, judgment, and righteousness. Both sides miss the whole picture. This imbalance isn’t new, but it seems more pronounced in our culture. In a world that values personal freedom, many prefer… Continue reading The Full Picture of Jesus in an Unbalanced Age
Many believe that Christmas has been overcommercialized in our modern era. They are probably right. Months ago, before summer’s end, stores were already putting Christmas items on the shelves. Recently, Americans spent a record one trillion dollars on Christmas. Some have overlooked the meaning of Christmas or ignored it completely. Some children will wake up… Continue reading 3 Reasons to Celebrate God’s Love by Gift Giving
Across the landscape of our country church buildings are sitting empty. Churches, which once hosted vibrantly singing worshippers, weddings, and baptisms now have grass growing high all around them, broken stained glass, or have been turned into apartments or businesses. The question is, how did we get here? One reason is surely that some churches… Continue reading 4 Ways Churches Can Work to be Unified
God calls parents to raise their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 4:6). There are key ways for us to do that. You can read more about that here (link to Oct 17th 2023 article). One way that should be implemented in raising kids God’s way is having “conversations of grace.” … Continue reading Having “Conversations of Grace” with Your Children
Common vs Special Grace As a dad, I love doing special things for and with my children. I love taking them out for ice cream or pizza, spending individual time with them. Although, one of my favorites is taking a ninja vacation. This is where my wife and I pack the bags without telling the… Continue reading God Gives His Children Extra Blessings
In the book of Galatians the apostle Paul spends most of the book talking about grace. He tells us how we receive it, the fact that we cannot earn it, and how we should live in light of the fact that salvation is by grace. However, in the first chapter of Galatians, he makes five… Continue reading The Apostle Paul’s 5 Gospel Declarations
Grace and mercy are major themes throughout Scripture. They are both such a blessing to us, but have very different meanings. Often people confuse the two terms because of their similarities. Let’s simplify them here. We are going to oversimplify the terms here, so note that this is not an in-depth study. GRACE: RECEIVING A… Continue reading The Difference Between Grace and Mercy
For several years Bill Boekestein and I ministered in neighboring towns in Northeastern PA. I have always found Bill thoughtful and someone who attempts to be in line with Scripture. He is today’s guest blogger. This article was first published in “Core Christianity” June 16, 2022. Many of us struggle with gifts. We like receiving… Continue reading Why Good Works Aren’t Enough
There is a lot we could say about legalism and how to define it. Legalism comes in many shapes and sizes and can’t be easily pinpointed. In short, legalism is man-centered, performance-based faith – and is not God-dependent. It says that everything is earned through keeping rules. Or we could define legalism as “adding” to… Continue reading What is Christian Legalism?
