Theology

Commandments

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After God rescued the Israelites from bondage, He provided instructions for them to live by.  The commandments were God’s instructions for His people to live a wise and obedient life. Facts Pertaining to the Law The Old Testament contains 613 commandments. All are found in 4 of the 39 books: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The purpose of the Law was …

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5 Reasons God May Seem Distant from You

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Every believer has experienced a sense of separation from God at some point on the journey. It can be overwhelming to experience. One of the most crippling things about a time like that is being unaware of why that is happening. Here are 5 reasons God may seem distant from you: #1. Unconfessed Sin First, you could miss the presence …

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Exodus

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After the Israelites are placed into Egypt, they are enslaved and suffer a great injustice. Through the Exodus, God sets the Israelites free. The Reason for the Exodus All of Israel moved into the security of Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world (Ex. 1:1-7). Generations later, a new Pharaoh is in leadership who does not know Joseph or …

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Placement

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God covenanted with Abraham to bring about a great nation.  As this family grew, God revealed a great plan with an intentional placement of Joseph into the land of Egypt. Jacob’s Transformation Abraham fathers Isaac, and Isaac fathers Jacob and Esau (Gen. 25:21-28). God tells Isaac’s wife, Rebekah that “two nations are in your womb…the older shall serve the younger” …

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Covenant

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God’s covenant with Abraham is pivotal not only for an Old Testament understanding but for a global redemptive plan.  Through Abraham’s faith, God’s plan for salvation is further revealed. The Call of Abram Yahweh calls Abram to leave his home for another country (Gen. 12:1). God promises to make a great nation from him (Gen. 12:2). He was blessed in …

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Stop Belittling God in Church

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While most of us would say that God is great, do we speak in a way worthy of him? God is great.  God is big.  God is transcendent. The natural line of thinking regarding God’s transcendence is to picture him as higher than us.  While that it is true, this attribute is not about him being taller or having a …

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Flood

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After Adam and Eve’s eviction out of Eden, sin continued to run rampant while corrupting God’s good Creation. Through the flood, God made a statement very clearly in that He doesn’t play around with sin. Cain and Abel The first children of Creation reveal how sin is severely corrupting Mankind. The problem was not in the type of offering but …

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Work as Worship

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Most people see work as…well, work. You might even be reading this article while at work trying to avoid work. Why is that? Is work evil? It can’t be. It is important to rethink of your work as being a part of your worship. RELEARN Work isn’t a consequence of sin – frustration with work is. Too many people wrongly …

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Fall

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After God’s good Creation, Mankind rebelled against their Creator.  With the first sin, history was forever altered and the plan for redemption began.   The Role of Satan Scripture gives insight into Satan’s fall in Isaiah 14:12-14 & Ezekiel 28:12-18. Satan is a fallen angel who desired to take God’s place. Satan comes in the form of a serpent which …

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Creation

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Untouched yet by Mankind, Creation was perfect in the beginning.  God displayed His goodness and purpose in what He created and how He created it. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1). The Creator of Creation The names of God used in Scripture usually signify something unique is transpiring. El is the Hebrew name for …

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The Story of the Bible

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To understand the Old Testament fully, you need to understand it within the context of the entire Bible.  Here is a summary of the story of the Bible. Old Testament Sections Creation – God created the world out of nothing. Fall – Mankind rebelled against God. Flood – God punished sin. Covenant – God made a covenant with Abraham’s family. …

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Old Testament Overview

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The Old Testament is a foundational pillar of the Christian faith.  Unfortunately, it is often avoided due to its complex nature, extensive lists, and historical distance.  As believers, we are called to embrace the entirety of God’s Word for our sanctification. God’s Word teaches us regarding the importance of knowing the entire counsel of God: Joshua 1:8 Psalm 119:160 Acts …

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The Justice of God

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Anselm of Canterbury was an Italian monk who was born in the 11th century.  His work in theology and philosophy greatly assisted the Church.  He once posed an important question to God: “How dost Thou spare the wicked if Thou art just, supremely just?” His question and the biblical answer is important to our personal theology as we wrestle with …

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The Omniscience of God

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How much does God know?  Is God’s understanding increasing as the centuries progress?  The attribute regarding God’s capacity for knowledge is foundationally important to how we approach Him. Incorrect Perception: The Undergraduate God As students begin their college careers, many are still unsure regarding their desired outcome.  Beginning with general electives, they begin to sort through new information and slowly …

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The Grace of God

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The grace of God is foundational for our salvation and our sanctification.  Without the grace of God, we have no basis for a relationship with Him. Incorrect Perception: The Chutes and Ladders God Chutes and Ladders is a game that seeks to defeat your opponents by being the first to reach the top square of the board.  You move higher …

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New Book on Repairing Bad Theology

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I’m currently writing a book on repairing bad theology.  The concept is one I have been thinking about for fifteen years.  I have studied on it, preached on sections of it, and thought about the content for a long time, but I have always pushed the project down the priority list. While the book still has a long way to …

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The Immutability of God

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In a world that is constantly changing, is there anything that remains consistent?  How are we to view God in a rapidly shifting world? Incorrect Perception: The Upgraded God We live in a world of constant updates and revisions.  The groundbreaking technological gadget is obsolete in mere months due to ever-changing upgrades.  What once seemed sufficient becomes obsolete quickly.  Books …

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The God Who Does Not Lie

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God has never lied.  God is not lying.  God will not lie. As people, we are commanded not to lie (Ex. 20:16), but a hallmark of our identity is that we are liars (Num. 23:19).  We are proned to resist truth-telling.  We are called not to lie to one another (Col. 3:9), but our deceitful tongues plot destruction in our …

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The Omnipresence of God

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The omnipresence of God means that God is everywhere at the same time.  While such an infinite concept is difficult for finite minds to comprehend, is it true?  How does that change our perception of God? Incorrect Perception: The Overbooked God Have you ever tried to get an appointment with that really busy person?  You keep trying to get on …

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The Holiness of God

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Studying the attributes of God, it is critical to address the issue of God’s holiness.  What does the holiness of God really mean? Incorrect Perception: The Grade-on-a-Curve God After every test taken within the halls of academia, there is at least one student praying that the teacher will grade on a curve.  Due to a lack of preparation or a …

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Righteous People Get Back Up After Unrighteousness

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Can you sin so many times that God refuses to extend His grace any longer? Many of us struggle to follow God because of our previous shortcomings.  You mishandle your past when you fail to deal with it.  Even though it is painful to go back through failures and frustrations, you must address yesterday’s hurts if you are to experience …

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The Wisdom of God

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Studying the attributes of God, it is critical to address the issue of God’s wisdom.  Can God be trusted to make the right decisions? Incorrect Perception: The Pollster God A pollster is someone who organizes, conducts, and analyzes opinion polls.  Due to their research, they are able to take a cross-section of society, ask some pertinent questions, and provide the …

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God Is Consistent

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God is the only consistent being in the universe.  Everyone else and everything else is hopelessly inconsistent.  You never know what you get with us, you always can trust in what you get with God.  His character never wavers. While God’s words are true, his promises can be trusted, and his willingness to help us in temptation is guaranteed, he …

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There’s a Fire Escape Plan for Every Flame of Temptation

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Do you ever feel like the temptation is just too strong?  The pull outside of you seems greater than the resolve inside of you.  Guilt encompasses you because you mess up in the same area time and time again. I’ve got good news for you.  There is a way out. Correcting a Dangerous Biblical Misinterpretation God’s words are true.  His …

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The Faithfulness of God

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Studying the attributes of God, it is critical to address the issue of God’s faithfulness.  Can God be trusted to do what he says he will do? Incorrect Perception: The Unreliable God The unreliable god is walking around with some significant baggage left by numerous people in our lives.  Each of us knows what it feels like to be forgotten …

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The Transcendence of God

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Attributes of God are the foundational beliefs about who God is and what He is like that comes from Scripture.  You can’t worship a God fully if you only know Him partially.

One critical attribute to study is the transcendence of God.

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The Independence of God

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Attributes of God are the foundational beliefs about who God is and what He is like that comes from Scripture.  You can’t worship a God fully if you only know Him partially.

One critical attribute to study is the independence of God.

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The Immanence of God

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Studying the attributes of God is an important endeavor for the Christian disciple.  A. W. Tozer was a brilliant theologian and pastor of the twentieth century. In his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, he presented a thesis statement that signifies the importance of addressing the issue of theology. He wrote:

What comes to your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.

If your concept of God is incorrect, your devotion will be misguided.  We must adhere to a biblical theology that embraces correct doctrine on the identity and activity of God.  Attributes of God are the foundational beliefs about who God is and what he is like that comes from Scripture.  You can’t worship a God fully if you only know Him partially.

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Attributes of God [Fall 2018 Equip Study]

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A. W. Tozer was a brilliant theologian and pastor of the twentieth century. In his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, he presented a thesis statement that signifies the importance of addressing the issue of theology. He wrote:

“What comes to your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.”

On the first read, that statement may seem a bit dramatic, but is he on to something here?

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10 Bible Verses on Envy

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Envy.  It is a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck.  And it leads to justifying others sins.  Here’s 10 Bible verses that speak to the issue of envy.

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Fasting Isn’t a Spiritual Diet

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One of the most neglected spiritual disciplines is fasting.  The Scripture is full of instructions and examples of fasting and yet the practice is often absent in the Church.

Too often, people think of fasting as a spiritual diet.  Desiring to lose a few pounds, someone will skip a meal and say they are fasting.  If you aren’t spending the time seeking the Lord, that’s not fasting – that’s a diet.  Fasting is so much more than abstaining from a meal for your figure’s sake.

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Jesus’ Prayer for His Church

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When Jesus spoke of His Church, He spoke of a people and not a building (Matt. 16:18).  We are not called to come to church but to be the Church. In John 17, we get insight into how Jesus prayed for the universal Church and how that applies to each expression of a local church.  Our hearts should be comforted …

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Why the Prodigal’s Father Was on the Porch (Instead of the Pig Pen)

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Everyone who has grown up in church knows the prodigal son story very well (Luke 15:11-32). The drifting son has the love of his father and subsequently, everything else he could ever ask for. One day, the drifting son decides he wants his father’s inheritance now (aka – I wish you were already dead). His father gives it to him and he spends it lavishly.

He lives a life of sin for some time – the ESV calls it “reckless living.”  He wastes all his money away until he gets a job feeding slop to pigs, and he is so low that he becomes jealous of what the pigs get to eat and wishes he was in their situation rather than his.

That’s about as low as it goes.

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These Aren’t the Calvinists You’re Looking For

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In Star Wars Episode 4, A New Hope, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi uses a Jedi mind trick on a group of stormtroopers to protect the safety of this ragtag group of heroes.  As he waves his hand upon the investigative soldiers seeking to identify if the robots in the back seat are the ones on the most-wanted list of the Empire, he changes their mind with the iconic phrase:

“These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”

The stormtroopers are forced to believe him and they continue on to safety.

Sometimes, I wish I could wave my hand around and get people to think differently.  Especially, when it comes to ministry.  Let me explain.

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God’s Favorite Style of Church

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Every Christian has their favorite style of church.  We all tend to gravitate towards a type of church that meets our desired preferences.  Have you ever thought about God’s favorite style of church? God’s favorite style of church is a lifestyle church. Be the Church 01 – God’s Favorite Style of Church Jesus’ Great Commission provides a template for a …

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Pray Through Psalm 20

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Praying through the psalms is a process that keeps your prayer life fresh and your prayer requests specific.  Using God’s Word, you can articulate your prayers keeping in line with God’s will.  As you read, you take a phrase and flesh out ways to pray that scriptural truth. The method I use to pray through a daily psalm is to …

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10 Bible Verses on Pride

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Some will say that pride isn’t only evil but the root of every type of evil.  No wonder the Bible talks a lot about it.

Here are 10 Bible verses to read, study, or memorize to fight against pride.

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Jesus the Gardener

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After Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:9-11), He is “thrown out” (ekballo) by the Spirit into the wilderness for a cosmic battle with Satan himself (Mark 1:12).  Since God has said that this Son is well-pleasing in His sight (Mark 1:11), why is it important for Him to be tempted?

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There’s More to Baptism Than You Might Think

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Why is baptism so important to Christians?  The main reasoning is because Jesus modeled it and Jesus commanded it.  Jesus, while not needing baptism, was baptized to identify Himself with the people He came to save.  Sinful people had been baptized in that water through a symbolic washing away of sins.  Sinless Jesus was baptized in order to plunge Himself among the people’s sins.

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