Quick Takes – Page 4

Morning Musings: 1 Chronicles 11:9

August 2, 2017August 13, 2017Leave a comment

“And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.” (ESV)

If we want to be great, this is how it’s done. There are other ways to be called great by the world. Amass enough money and you’ll be called great. Attain to a certain media status and you’ll have followers. Acquire sufficient power and your name will be celebrated in the streets. But that greatness won’t last. Lose the money, the followers, or the power and you’ll be nothing. As Coldplay sings in their hit “Viva la Vida,” you’ll sweep the streets you used to own. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Romans 15:2

August 2, 2017August 13, 2017Leave a comment

“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (ESV)

The goal here is not to become doormats, but to practice love for one another. We are not looking to justify every irritating whim and warped conviction of those around us. Speaking more directly to the call of our culture, this is definitely not talking about tolerating a habit or practice that is clearly sinful on the part of a fellow follower of Christ. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Romans 14:23

August 2, 2017August 13, 2017Leave a comment

“But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (ESV)

Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin? Really??? This seems like an awfully broad statement. “Everything” is a pretty all-encompassing word. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Romans 14:1

August 1, 2017August 13, 2017Leave a comment

“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.” (ESV)

So many fights in the church are over issues that are far less significant than we have made them. Often someone has read something in the Scriptures (even in community) with a desire to apply what he’s seen, but, in his efforts to apply the Scriptures, he’s given too much power and position to the issue. The result is an insistence on a certain behavior that, while not necessarily unwise, much less sinful, is an unnecessary restriction on the freedom we have available to us in Christ. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Proverbs 18:17

August 1, 2017August 13, 2017Leave a comment

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” (ESV)

When we are on our own, our ideas almost always seem great. We can convince ourselves of anything. This does not, however, mean our ideas are always good. In fact, if we are thinking entirely on our own, the likelihood that we are thinking off track runs pretty high. Read the rest…