Jesus planned to be crucified. In Luke 18 he told his disciples that he would "be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again." Quite a while before that, in Luke … Continue reading The cost of following

I learn a lot of things by trying to explain something to my kids.  The other day I was explaining to one of my kids that I could tell what really matters to them by what they do, much more than I can tell by what they say.  If they tell me something is special … Continue reading Belief and Action

"So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12 A couple of weeks ago I posted about grace, and talked about the fact that those of us who have been redeemed are new people. We have new hearts, and are free from sin because of … Continue reading Trials and Temptations

The other day I was telling my daughter that I thought she should have done a better job setting the table.  I found several things to complain about, and I was giving her a detailed list.  My other seven year old was sitting there on the other side of the table.  "Dad," he interjected politely, … Continue reading Extending Grace

God is Holy I was reminded this week that God's Holiness is his primary attribute.  All of his other attributes have to be understood in the context of God's holiness.  When we try to talk about God's love, or his justice, or his mercy, we generally get them wrong if we don't start from an … Continue reading Holiness and our hearts