Discipleship is not dry duty, but the result of a spiritual dynamic at work in the heart of a person made new in Christ. This is seen clearly in the activity of love. The command to love God and our neighbor is given, implied, or illustrated...
I am keeping watch with my dying father. He is a man in Christ. Soon he will cross over and be safely home. Like most men in this world, Kyle Richard Patty is unspectacular, unremarkable, and unlikely to be remembered as "the best." In our day,...
The Gospel of Mark in the New Testament transports us back to the beginning of the good news about Jesus and from Jesus. In these pages, we encounter Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We see him in action — healing, overcoming evil, and performing...
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14 Grace, love, and fellowship. Here is the true and lasting comfort that God gives us through faith in Christ. This is...
We usually have two responses to the experience of being weak. One is to ask God to remove it. The other is to compensate for weakness with strength. What happens for the Christian when weakness simply will not go away? The Apostle Paul called his weakness...
Today I am praying about three transitions. I hope you will join me. First, pray with me about the transition happening at the International Mission Board. The IMB is the agency our church supports and partners with for international evangelism, church planting, and the relief of...
I recently sat with a small group of pastors for an afternoon conversation. We do this regularly enough to have developed a pattern. We each take our turn to give a brief update on life and ministry. Then we put our leadership challenges on the...
Last Sunday, we saw from 1 Corinthians 15 the great end toward which God is moving the world. It all started with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, will continue with the resurrection of all who are "in Christ" (Christians), and conclude with Christ...
It's been an interesting week to think about life. Last Sunday, after preaching from 1 Corinthians 15 on the resurrection of the dead, I went to the Hope Clinic for Women. There I heard how everyday clinic workers have conversations with women making the decision...
We have one word for many kinds of affection. The word "love" is used for food, sports, and spouses. It applies to marital fidelity and fornication. The only way to know what it means when it is used is to listen for the context or...
