Simply Gospel

May my steps be worship. May my thoughts be praise.

Personal Studies

  • Losing Our Taste for Sin

    Ever since we became parents, my wife and I have been trying to eat and live in a more healthy manner. We’ve cut most snacks and junk food from our diet. We’re more active with our daughter, and we’re eating much more home-cooked, unprocessed, and organic fare. It’s been a good change overall, but I’ve Continue reading

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  • Wish List

    Tim Archer just posted a very self-reflective post on his blog about wish lists. I can’t think of a better way to open this post than with his words, so here they are: Some web sites let you create wish lists, items that you would like to have from that site. I’m thinking in particular Continue reading

  • That Obligatory Christmas Post

    It’s that time, Christmas time is here, Everybody knows, it’s the most controversial time of year, Read those blogs, preachers soapboxing, Hip, hip hooray for Christmas Vacation! Okay, I’ll stop singing now, and, while I stop singing, can I make one request? Can we all stop arguing about Christmas? Back in Romans 14:5-6, Paul had Continue reading

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  • Will Work for Peace

    What is it we work for the most in this life? For what do we plan and strive? What do we consider our life’s greatest pursuit? Perhaps we’re trying to be successful at work, trying to get that next kudos, striving for that next promotion. We may simply be working for the money. We might Continue reading

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  • Fear Not

    Fear has become an addiction among many following the Christian faith. It has become as reflexive as breathing. We’re supposed to fear the scary Socialists who supposedly want to take our right to worship away. We’re supposed to fear the scary Muslims who supposedly want to kill us all. We’re supposed to fear the scary Continue reading

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  • Paul, Philemon, and One “Illegal”

    At 460 words (in the ESV), Philemon is the third shortest book in the entire Bible. Only II John and III John manage a greater economy of words. It’s a small book in which little happens, and, in Bible studies in many congregations, it will seldom even get a full lesson to itself. I’ve found Continue reading

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  • All About Jezebel

    Jezebel – it’s a name laced with dark and heavy undertones. We don’t name our daughters Jezebel, and, if we do use the name in a sentence, it’s usually used as a derogatory term. I have to admit, though, Jezebel is one of those Bible characters who has always confused me. First of all, she Continue reading

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  • Soul Security

    Note: This devotional was part of a song service centered around the song How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts? It also contains references to other hymns if you pay attention and follow the readings. What does it mean to us to feel secure? When we have a sense of security, we feel safe. We Continue reading

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  • Bringing Us Together

    I have a deep, abiding love for the conductors Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan. They, however, did not seem to share that love for each other – or so it seemed. The two had little to do with each other. They seemed polar opposites of the conducting spectrum, one stoic and dignified, the other Continue reading

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  • Loving Controversy

    I once had a fellow Christian say to me, upon stirring up some political argument or another, “I love controversy.” Now, we all create controversy at times, especially if we have opinions on anything. The very act of teaching Christ’s word can cause controversy among some, but I’m not sure we are necessarily supposed to Continue reading

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