Month: January 2021

Christianity and society

Christianity in Society and Christian Nationalism – Part 1

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As a former lawyer this topic is something I have given a lot of thought to. As a Christian in law school I developed a deep appreciation for the wisdom of the American Constitution. Through the years I have reflected on the role of Christianity in society. The goal of Christianization movements is the administration of a society according to Christian values. Some views are stricter than others so we find that there is a continuum of Christianization thinking. Like prosperity gospel teachers, Christianization teachers often take Old Testament passages that refer to Old Covenant politics or to the final fulfillment of the kingdom of God and apply them to our current age. Christianization thinking is tempting for Christians when they witness their society decline into self-worship and destructiveness. A term that is becoming synonymous with Christianization is Christian nationalism. Unfortunately, definitions of this term diverge, often according to the Continue Reading →

heaven

Does Your Heart Dwell In Heaven?

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The purpose of this post is to change the reader’s conception of reality and where their life is. I hope that it helps to create a new orientation in your soul that aligns with God’s reality. We begin with Colossians 3:1-2: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (ESV). We can get an idea of what we seek by asking ourselves: “How do I actually prioritize my life?” We can get an idea of what our minds are set on by asking ourselves: “What do I value in my mind and treasure in my heart?” This orientation to things above is critical to our growth since the environment of our heart determines what we will become. If we Continue Reading →

cross suffering

Do You Think Suffering Is An Opportunity?

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The Apostle Paul said, “I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Phil. 3:10, NIV). Notice that Paul wanted the good and the “bad” because both were part of knowing Christ better. He loved Christ and knew that in him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3, NIV) and that he was the source of Paul’s restoration into the image of God. Therefore, he was eager to be remade in the image of Christ’s suffering and death, knowing this was a requirement for transformation and deeper communion with Christ. The word for “participation” in Philippians 3:10 is the same word used for “fellowship” in the New Testament. We have fellowship with Christ when we suffer. It did not matter to Paul what his experience was as long as it meant that Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

He Collects Our Tears – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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You keep track of all my sorrows.You have collected all my tears in your bottle.You have recorded each one in your book. Psalms 56:8 (NLT) We hate to suffer alone, and sometimes we forget that we never suffer alone if we are in Christ. The Psalmist knows that God sympathizes with his people. He remembers our sorrows like entering them in a written ledger, or like collecting tears in a bottle. He is fully aware and doesn’t forget. He saves them up like an investment account and God makes sure they will pay off later. Thus, in the verses after today’s verse he says: “My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! I praise God for what he has promised” (Psalms 56:9-10). Remember that God has actually tasted deep suffering: as the Son he was persecuted and executed. He Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

He Will Carry Our Cares – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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Cast your cares on the Lordand he will sustain you;he will never letthe righteous be shaken. Psalms 55:22 (NIV) This verse is very similar to a well-known New Testament passage, 1 Peter 5:7 which reads: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (NLT). Is it easy to cast our cares on him? It sounds like we should be throwing our anxieties on him like we would throw our backpack on the floor when we are done with a hike. We don’t want to carry it anymore so we throw it down and let the ground support the backpack. We never worry about whether the ground can support our backpack; we are fully confident in its strength. It carries the weight of 100-floor skyscrapers so it can carry the weight of our backpack. Likewise, God can carry the weight of our anxieties. It is not Continue Reading →