27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to...  Read More

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6Life is full of problems to be solved. Little problems like what to eat for dinner. Big problems like family or work conflict. Sometimes, particularly these big problems, they consume us. We begin to lose sleep. We can’t think of anything else.Do you hav...  Read More

Q. 92. What is a sacrament?A. A sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.Westminster Shorter CatechismAgain, don’t be undone by the language. Our beliefs are not shallow (historically speaking) but have a depth of meaning. The sacraments (baptism & the Lord’s Suppe...  Read More

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15Life is complicated. It wasn’t long ago that we had some relatives over at our house and one of the kids made a comment that they didn’t want to wear a pair of sunglasses because they were ‘girls’ sunglasses. Which elicited a response from my non-Christian...  Read More

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgement. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.Matthew 5:21...  Read More

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.1 Timothy 4:8Let’s double down on yesterday’s passage. I really hate exercise. I’d rather not do it. I like being fit and feeling fit. But not the process. But I do some form of exercise four or five times a week. I get through it by reminding myself of the...  Read More

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.1 Timothy 4:7-8We are a community obsessed with physical training. Going for a run, to the gym, surfing or sport, we think exercise is the key to thriving under ...  Read More

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.Matthew 5:17-18The 10 commandments and the many other laws of God given through Moses have ...  Read More

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.Hebrews 4:9-11Do you get tired of hard work? Particularly, of the hard work of following Jesus? It isn’t easy to resist the te...  Read More

Q. 89. How is the Word made effectual to salvation?A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation.Westminster Shorter Catechism How are you going, Theology Thursday readers? How are you going with the catechism? How do you find ...  Read More

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.Ephesians 4:31-32Friendships can be one of the most enriching experiences in life and one of the most heartbreaking. Conflict is a normal part of any relationship and friendships usually have their ...  Read More

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house....  Read More