When I first read Revelation, I viewed it linearly—as a sequential story from start to finish. However, further study has convinced me that it is better to read it cyclically, which is seeing the same underlying events told multiple times within the book to teach distinct truths. Here are several reasons why this approach makes … Continued
The book of Revelation is that it is filled with images and allusions to the Old Testament that readers today may not be familiar with. In other posts, I noted three Old Testament books that Revelation draws upon heavily: Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah. These are not the only Old Testament books that stand in the … Continued
There are a number of Old Testament books that I think someone should be familiar with in order to make sense of the various images and ideas that appear in Revelation, the last book in our Bibles. In previous posts, I’ve highlighted the two that I think are the most important: Daniel and Ezekiel. The … Continued
Revelation is a book of the Bible that intrigues many people but also confuses many people. Part of that confusion arises because it utilizes images and ideas found in other parts of the Bible that may not be familiar. Therefore, it is wise to have read through other books of the Bible before digging into … Continued
When I ask people the book of the Bible they are most interested in studying, the most common answer I receive is the Book of Revelation. While a challenging book, it is one that I am thankful for and think we should read – and have given some tips on reading in previous posts. As … Continued
Believe it or not, the first book of the Bible that I did an in-depth and formal study of was the Book of Revelation. This is the last book of the Bible and often viewed as one of the most difficult to understand, so I guess I started at the end rather than the beginning … Continued
The essence of the Christian faith is that a person is made right with God not through what they do but rather through faith in Jesus. While many are comforted by this reality (and I hope you are), others are greatly confused and even troubled by it, believing that this belief then grants Christians the … Continued
I remember speaking with someone who expressed surprise that Faith Church is a Reformed Church in light of the strong emphasis we place upon evangelism, seen in encouraging people in our congregation to share the truth of the gospel with those around them and regularly calling people in our worship gatherings to believe in Jesus. … Continued
From time to time people ask me about the point of praying in light of the fact that God knows all things and that God is said to have a plan and be ultimate control of this world. If God knows all things (including our thoughts), then he already knows what we would pray for, … Continued
As a church rooted in the Reformed tradition, the leadership of Faith Church consists of two sets of officers known as elders and deacons. Since a key tenet of Reformed Churches is that the Bible is the only rule for what we believe and what we do, it is unsurprising and also very fitting that … Continued
A memory I have from my childhood is heading to my grandma’s house in the summer to attend Vacation Bible School at her church in Iowa. One of the songs we would sing was “Fishers of Men.” It’s a pretty simple song: “I will make you fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men, … Continued
Over the course of my years in ministry, I have had the privilege and blessing to help teach others in formal and informal settings about how to write and deliver sermons. Whenever I do so, I am careful to note that I am by no means an expert or a master at it. Rather, I … Continued
Christians believe that the Bible is the Word of God and read in it about miracles God performed such as healing people and raising Jesus (who worked many miracles!) from the dead. But can – and should – we expect to see such miraculous healings happen today? Why Healing Miracles Can HappenGod created the world … Continued
I remember a few years ago hearing about pastors like John Piper encouraging Christians to think about retirement from a biblical perspective rather than the way our culture often views it: not as a season to simply do whatever we want, but as a new phase of life to continue serving and honoring God. If … Continued
A phrase that we often hear people say – and even sing – is “God Bless America.” With our nation celebrating its 250th anniversary this July 4th, I thought it might be good to pause and ponder the meaning of this phrase. What exactly are we saying and asking for when we say “God bless … Continued
I have been fascinated by the figure of John the Baptist for a long time. There is just something about this man who was very popular at his time – and even it seems after his time, as the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus mentions him decades after John’s death – completely submitting himself to Jesus … Continued
In the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he tells them and us to ask that we not be led or brought into temptation (Matthew 6:13//Luke 11:4). He also told three of his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane that they might not enter into temptation (Matthew 26:41//Mark 14:37//Luke 22:45; see also Luke … Continued
There are numerous occasions in which Jesus says that God will give to us the things that we bring before him in prayer. For example, in Luke 11:9-10 he says, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened … Continued
A common technique used by teachers and preachers is the use of illustrations. I don’t mean drawings (though those can be useful!) but rather using something like a story or an object to help listeners understand or apply a concept or a truth. Thus it is not surprising that the greatest teacher who has ever … Continued
The passage from the Old Testament book of Jeremiah that is probably quoted the most by Christians today is Jeremiah 29:11. While this passage may be the most famous one from Jeremiah today, that does not seem to always have been the case. I say this because there are many passages from Jeremiah that are … Continued
A question I am guessing we have all asked and been asked is “what time is it?” While this particular question is often looking for the exact time of day(e.g., 3:00 PM), there is another possible sense in which we ask and may be asked this question. This sense concerns more the point of time … Continued
Gifted
We’re often comfortable recognizing the gifts and strengths we bring to our jobs and families. But what about in the church? How often do we minimize what God has given us, wondering if our gifts are really good enough to be used by Him?
The truth is, God has gifted each of us in different ways. We invite you to join us for Gifted as we discover how our gifts and talents are meant to reflect Christ, serve others and point people to Him. And because we have different strengths, we need one another – all of us – to faithfully fulfill the purposes God has given us.
