Paul may be the best example of thankfulness we have from Scripture. Throughout many of his letters, he encourages believers to be thankful and rejoice. In Colossians, being thankful is mentioned at least once in chapters one, two, and four, and three times in chapter three. He also uses the word rejoice several times, which in the Greek, has a similar root to the word for thanksgiving. In this very Christ-focused letter, Paul observes how much there is to be thankful for in

The longer I walk, the more clearly I see that there truly is no greater joy, no better news, and nothing else that makes my heart soar than the Gospel. Because the longer I walk, the more clearly I see how deep my sin is. It’s more than surface level. It’s a heart problem. It’s a disease you and I both are infected with and are hopelessly afflicted with apart from Jesus. And the more I see how deeply I am infected with sin, the more I see my need to throw off every single we

“You can run on for a long time Run on for a long time Run on for a long time Sooner or later God'll cut you down Sooner or later God'll cut you down” Introduction Many people enjoy this song by Johny Cash, but few go so far as to understand the Biblical truth represented in the lyrics. Unless we are watching Clint Eastwood chase down bandits, we would rather avoid and not talk about what the lyrics really mean. But the truth is this: those who oppose God will, one day, be cu

Introduction A common complaint that is brought against our Lord is the question, "If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people?" Whether out of malice or from the depths of anguish, many believers and unbelievers alike find themselves asking this question. Regardless of the motivation, this is not a good question for us to ask. The problem with this question is that it is based on false assumptions. Now let me clarify something - I am not denying that there is rea

Whether you are a pastor, seminary student, or just the average church member, your theology matters. What you believe and why you believe it is of the greatest importance. It is a very foolish thing to say “I do not need creeds” or “confessions for all I need is Scripture”, for indeed Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) is a confession. The non-denominational church movement has become extremely popular in recent days, and the Biblical illiteracy that has accompanied it is stag

One of the flaws we often find in modern Christianity arises from the lack of teaching, understanding, and emphasis we place on the true nature of God - specifically the holiness of God. Because we don't often teach about the holiness of God and that He requires us to be holy like He is, we remove the barrier that holiness is between us and God, and in doing so, we bring Him down closer to our level. When we do this, God becomes the "buddy" that protects us from the big, bad