Words have what is called a “semantic range”. It means that any particular word can have a range of different meanings. Those meanings depend on context. For example, the word “day”. “What day do you want to meet?” “Back in my day…” “It’s the end of a long day.” One word, three different meanings.

A thought occurred to me a week or so ago and I’ve been chewing on it for a while. As I was thinking it through and how I might convey this thought, I felt it important to point out that the use of two specific words might be outside of their usual semantic range. These words are “grace” and “faith”. Were they read with the typical meaning, that having to do with salvation, what I’m trying to say might come across as heresy. It isn’t. As you read this, just bear with me and I think you will see the Biblical truth in it. It may even inspire some change in your own life as it has in mine.
continue reading "Running on grace or faith?"

Popularity: 7% [?]

This past Tuesday I had the privilege of teaching at the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists at Pacific U. It was a total answer to prayer to be able to connect with a group of college students. My role is to teach at the weekly Bible study every other week. On the off weeks one of the students will teach a more topical study and I will teach through a book. I chose Galatians because it’s shorter and it’s so meaty about being believers in the world, sticking close to right doctrine, and walking in the power of the Spirit.

When it came time to start the study I asked everyone to open their Bibles. (If you are one of these students and you happened upon this blog, this isn’t an attack on you. Consider it an exhortation and encouragement.) Only one person had a Bible with them, besides me. And he had it by accident. Every Christian, every believer, everyone who claims to be a disciple of Jesus Christ ought to have a Bible with them or easily accessible at all times. It’s just a must. It’s a given.

Why? It’s your bread of life. It’s your water. It’s your sword. We are always in enemy territory. If we go around unarmed we are also undangerous. We have nothing with which to ward off the enemy. We have nothing with which to defend ourselves. Most importantly, we have nothing with which to open and share the words of life. Granted that much of this can be done with scripture we have memorized. That is extremely important. But in this day and age it’s really nothing to carry one around with you.

I do remember what it was like as a college student. It’s often required that you carry all of your books you need for the day’s classes all day long because you don’t have a chance to go back to your dorm to reload. They get heavy! But these days you can get a Bible, a whole BIble that is 3x5x1.5 and weighs next to nothing. If you have a break between classes you can whip it out and read a chapter of Psalms, or the whole book of Jude. get a quick snack as it were.

Christian, God’s word is your lifeline. It is the final answer. Stash one everywhere you are. At your desk, in your car, in your bag or briefcase, especially in your heart. Who knows? Maybe this is why God hasn’t been using you the way He wants to use you, and the way you want to be used. You haven’t been equipping yourself. Try it for a while and see what happens.

Popularity: 3% [?]

I don’t know about you, but I hate reading. I do. Sounds like a contradiction when the primary source of wisdom and inspiration from my God is a collection of 66 books, letters, and songs. Reading is work for me. I tend to read at the rate people speak. I read in real time, as though someone were narrating the words on the page to me in my head (different voices an all in the case of fiction, but that’s another issue).
continue reading "Becoming a better reader"

Popularity: 1% [?]

Over the years I’ve taken an interest in the super hero movies that have come out. The writers and studios are making some great stuff. For whatever reason, when I watch these movies, I see some kind of parallel with the Christian experience. Well, at least the Christian experience as is it supposed to be. I blogged about it sometime back. With all three Spiderman movies and with Superman Returns, there are some profound illustrations of the battle between the old nature and the new nature. The flesh versus the Spirit as it were. These heroes have to come to terms with who they want to be which, in turn, dictates their actions and priorities. I even named the teaching series I did on the Holy Spirit, “Holy Spirit, Batman!” But I never used Batman in any of my teaching. I never seemed to see any parallels between his experience and that of the believer. Just last night I figured out why.
continue reading "The Dark Knight – a model of the unsaved"

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As I think I said in the “Here we go” post, I could have gotten as much out of the sessions if I had stayed home and watched the DVDs. That isn’t to say there was/is anything wrong with the sessions, it has more to do with how I process info. I don’t like crowds, I don’t like the eating with people and the usual chit-chat that goes with it. It isn’t that I think I’m above it or anything, I just genuinely feel awkward in those situations. Having said that, I could not have gotten what I did get from the conference via DVD or following the blogs.
continue reading "Post CCSPC 2008 Syndrome"

Popularity: 7% [?]