Category Archives: Spiritual Nuggets

Jesus Christ (Meant to Be) the Superstar Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, is certainly incorrect (and rather heretical) in its portrayal of history, but it got one thing right: Jesus is meant to be the celebrity. He—no one … Continue reading →

Profound and Confounding God’s provision in our lives is often hard to see. There are times when we follow His commandments and we’re able to visibly see His work. Such times are profound to the believer but can be confounding … Continue reading →

The Vine and the Branches Jesus isn’t simply a high priority or even the highest priority of our lives. He is the source of life. In the Gospel of John, Jesus teaches the disciples that they need to depend on … Continue reading →

Concerning Knowledge and Eating Meat It’s easy to equate knowledge with faith and then look down on new believers. Although we might not voice it, those who are less knowledgeable in their faith can seem weak. And sometimes, instead of … Continue reading →

Signs and Satire The images of judgment in Psalm 7 are sometimes hard to take. We are so acquainted with a God of love that it’s difficult to understand a God who blinds eyes, hardens hearts, and “has indignation every … Continue reading →

Oddities That Make Sense Some of the Old Testament laws seem so odd they’re difficult to understand. It’s easy for us to see why, in a day before medicine, God would send people with “a rash . . . a … Continue reading →

A Prayer For Guidance When we feel downtrodden, it’s easy to lash out at those around us. Too often, caught in the injustice of our circumstances, we might begin to feel an unhealthy amount of self-justification. It’s difficult to see … Continue reading →

It May Seem Bland Let’s just admit it: genealogies and lists, like the one in Numbers 3:1–39, are the most boring elements of the Bible. But they do something for us that other formats cannot—they give us a sense of … Continue reading →

The Power and the Glory In our day-to-day life, we acknowledge God’s power and encourage others to believe in it. Yet sometimes it takes a trial for us to realize the extent and reality of our confession. The disciples misunderstand … Continue reading →

A Bold God and a Bold People Imagine a God so bold that He would say, “Take a census of the entire community of the children of Israel according to their clans and their ancestors’ house . . . from … Continue reading →

Neon Gods Idolatry seems archaic. Who worships idols anymore? We all know that in other countries, traditional idol worship of gold and wooden statues still goes on, but we often forget about our own idols. What does all our furniture … Continue reading →

Reality Can Bite Reality shows are all about people who are known or want to be known—they have celebrity syndrome. The root cause of this obsession is probably, like most things, a disconnect from our Maker. As people disconnect from … Continue reading →

Patiently Waiting Delayed gratification is a foreign concept to our natural instincts. Our culture doesn’t encourage patience or contentment; we would prefer to have our desires met the moment they arise. The woman in Song of Solomon tells us that … Continue reading →

The Fear We often don’t realize that we’re guilty of fearing others. At the time, it can feel definite and look legitimate. Fearing others can also take the form of a meticulous house, staying late at the office, or passing … Continue reading →

The Day of Atonement When it comes to the cost of sin, the average person probably thinks in terms of “What can I get away with?” rather than “What does this cost me and other people emotionally?” These calculations aren’t … Continue reading →

Freedom “Even though I know it’s wrong, I sometimes think, ‘If I hadn’t accepted Christ, I would have so much more freedom.’ And then I venture down that road and realize just how terrible it is. It takes me to … Continue reading →

The Light of The World “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). While some of Jesus’ “I am” statements confused the Jews, … Continue reading →

Grace Among The Graphic “Then he slaughtered the burnt offering, and Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it on the altar all around; and they brought the burnt offering to him by its pieces, as well … Continue reading →

Danger In The Sphere of Influence Leadership is like a bright spotlight; when the heat intensifies, it’s difficult to conceal the areas where we fail. But that’s where true character is revealed. The Pharisees didn’t fare well with the pressure … Continue reading →

Ancient Words, Future Hope Atonement is appealing because we all have relationships we wish we could reconcile. The 12-step program involves forgiving and forging renewed relationships when possible. But the story with God is different. There’s an acute awareness that … Continue reading →