My recent thinking, Bible study, and meditation has led me into the ‘deep waters’ of the pursuit of holiness, a phrase that comes from Hebrews 12:14. In contrast to so much in our lives today, this pursuit that is not quick or easy. We’re so used to fast food, instant messaging, microwave meals, and online information, the notion of waiting for anything is almost un-American! In fact, it probably is…but it is biblical!

To pursue holiness is to intentionally head in a direction in life that flies in the face of all this world holds dear, to daily seek to take steps that draw us closer to God, and distance us from the ways of the world. At first, it seems like this would mean a life of misery, but then we factor in that Jesus offered “abundant life” to those who followed Him. What we often think of as “abundant life” – according to this world, that means things like lots of money, living in luxury, enjoying the ‘easy life’ – is a cheap imitation, a counterfeit set up by Satan to lure us into his trap. He...

This year the Passion Week fell on the first week of April – April 1st through 8th. This meant that Palm Sunday, the day we remember the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem just five days before His crucifixion, fell on the day often referred to as ‘April Fool’s Day.’ No one is certain how this designation began, but it has evolved into a day when people play practical jokes or hoaxes on each other. For the average school kid, this amounts to saying something amazing, like “Aliens just landed in New York!” (come to think of it, that doesn’t sound so amazing), then saying “April fools!” The idea seems to be that you are a fool for believing whatever they said!

It occurred to me that if ever there was an “April Fools” hoax, it was played out on Palm Sunday. On that day, crowds lined the road into Jerusalem and shouted praises and showered adoration on Jesus. On this day, He was “Hosanna,” a title that suggested they believed Jesus could save them. They shouted, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of...

Had a delightful time this week shooting some skeet (truth-be-told, I missed more than I hit), seeing some awesome wild game, and shooting a wild pig.  (For proof, see picture.)  I’m not an accomplished hunter, but I didn’t have to be.  I was in a blind, had a high-powered rifle with a great scope, and 50 yards in front of me was a feeder, which regularly spews out delicious corn so pigs will be tempted to come out...

Have you ever wondered why prayer is so hard? Consider what we’re talking about here: You are invited by the eternal God, Creator of the universe, to an intimate one-on-one meeting. At this meeting you not only will be able to talk to Him about your life, you will also be allowed to share with Him your needs, burdens, doubts, and concerns, and He will listen to you! On the face of it, you’d think this would be the kind of thing Christians would line up for! Why not?

Hebrews 11:6 contains a phrase that bears reflection here: He who comes to God must believe that He is… If you’re going to come to God, you need to have settled that God exists, that – to borrow from the late Francis Schaeffer – He is there! That same chapter in Hebrews reminds us that faith (believing) is “the conviction of things not seen” (v1). We can’t see God the way we see each other – physically – so we must believe He is there.

When we do – even in feeble faith – believe God is, and come to Him in prayer, the results are out of...

There’s been some progress in breast cancer research recently, which is great news for the millions of women who face the threat of the disease every year.  But the biggest battle right now may be in what direction the largest fund-raising organization for breast cancer research takes in the coming year.  The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation has for years been fending off reports that they were linked with Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in America.  This was especially egregious, given that medical research indicates a direct link between abortion and incidence of breast cancer!  In effect, Komen was raising money to research a cure for breast cancer, then passing some of that money on to an organization whose single predominant function was to perform abortions, which causes breast cancer! Komen denied it’s involvement, or said that its funds only went to fund breast examinations, and the story held up – until this year.  Then Komen announced they were no longer going to send grant money...

The late Gary Coleman starred years ago as Arnold Jackson in the television comedy Different Strokes.  In the show, Coleman became famous for his character’s catchphrase, “What you talkin’ about, Willis?”  In this, my second blog entry, I figured someone might be wondering (imagine Arnold Jackson saying this), “What you talkin’ about, Phil?”  What subject drives me more than any other?  What can someone who frequents this blog know they’re going to be reading about?  What am I going to be talkin’ about?  The answer is, I’m gonna be talkin’ about the gospel of God’s grace.

It is now just over half a century since I trusted Christ as Savior.  As a young boy, my knowledge of difficult theological questions or life issues was limited; about the only thing I knew was that I didn’t want to go to hell.  That was enough for my mother to sit me down and explain the ‘good news’ that God loved me, that sin separated me from God, but that God had sent Jesus to earth to die for my sin, and that by believing in Jesus...

While most of the world, it seems, has transitioned into communicating mostly in cyberspace, I have resisted.  If I’ve had something to say, I’ve ‘put it out there’ in newsletters or periodicals – the kind that are still printed on paper.  Electronic communication – like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. – is much quicker and pervasive.  The amount of information, personal or public, true or false, meaningful or nonsense, that fills the internet and other digital communication networks in a given day now, outstrips what came out in a year when I was born.  There is no way to keep abreast of what is happening in the world – now that everything can be reported (even what you had for breakfast) and passed on almost simultaneously – and anyone who wants to have a life has to select what to take the time to read.

With this in mind, I hesitantly enter the blogosphere – where billions of words have poured forth from a myriad of authors, all who consider their contribution a worthwhile addition to...