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Real Love Requires the Right Kind of Hate
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26 ESV). In a world already filled with anger, do we really need Scripture seemingly urging us to hate our family?…
Read MoreReal Love Requires Boundaries
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” – John 3:36 (ESV) Is it possible to “truly” love without boundaries? Our culture often promotes a version of love centered on feelings, personal freedom, and unconditional acceptance. We…
Read MoreReal Love Requires More Than Infatuation
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. For his steadfast love endures forever.” – Psalm 136:1 (ESV). Infatuation and love can feel similar initially, but a closer inspection reveals their differences. Do you remember your first crush? That rush of excitement when you saw them? Their attractiveness and charm made your heart race,…
Read MoreHow To Love Philadelphians
“Let brotherly love continue.” – Hebrews 13:1 (ESV). Or as Paul writes, “Love one another with brotherly affection.” – Romans 12:10 (ESV). Have you ever visited Philadelphia? My first visit to the “City of Brotherly Love” felt more like the city of “brotherly shove.” Caught in the five o’clock rush, I quickly realized that I…
Read MoreLove: A Command to Live, Not Just to Say
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8 ESV). Many admonish us to “love.” Social media memes and posts amplify the need for love—often sharing…
Read MoreWhen Our Desires Conflict With God’s Commands
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble…
Read MoreA Never-Ending but Reasonable Sacrifice
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers [and sisters], by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is…
Read MoreA Costly Commitment
“Then Jesus told His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” – Matthew 16:24 “I can’t wait till I’m on my own!” My 16-year-old daughter’s words were punctuated by the flip of her hair and a defiant scowl as she proceeded to her…
Read MoreA Song of Surrender
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV). Americans acknowledge that we trust in God. “In God We Trust” is printed and embossed on our currency. But do we? What evidence…
Read MoreAn Unusual Resume
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 11:30; 12:10 ESV). When interviewing candidates for a position, the process typically begins with…
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