Simply Gospel

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

  • Pleasure In Death

    As of May 1 ,2011, Osama bin Laden has been confirmed dead in an address given by United States President Barack Obama. He was killed in an operation based on U.S. intelligence, and reports claim large crowds had formed around the White House singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “We Are the Champions,” among other things. This is a major accomplishment for President Obama’s national security team; it is a large symbolic victory; and it is an event that has been a goal of both major political parties. But I won’t be joining the festivities, and I would discourage anyone wearing… Continue reading

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  • Awareness Is Not Enough

    We fill our calendars with awareness days and months. April, for example, is Autism Awareness Month. April is also home to Earth Day, Construction Zone Awareness Week, Cancer Control Month, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Counseling Awareness Month, IBS Awareness Month, National Porphyria Week, and National Sexually Transmitted Diseases Awareness Month. Check out other portions of the year, and you’ll find a similarly full calendar of days, weeks, and months dedicated to raising awareness about one cause or another. Awareness is an incredibly important step in overcoming any great challenge or problem. Twelve step programs for overcoming major life obstacles… Continue reading

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  • What Would Jesus “Like?”

    Social websites are an amazing thing. What began in the nineties as forums for geeks to congregate has blossomed into a mainstream phenomenon where parents, children, teachers, grandparents, and entire masses of people can reach out to each other and connect more easily than ever before. With services like Digg, Twitter, and Facebook, we can share pictures, bookmarks, links, hopes, fears, ideas, and so much more with our new online communities. Unfortunately, people actually see these things we post and share – but we forget that those things reflect on us as Christians. See, along with this great ability to… Continue reading

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  • Gandhi: Living Christ Without the Name

    Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is quite possibly the most well-known figure to come out of India in the last century. He was an advocate of non-violent civil disobedience, a champion to the poor and disenfranchised, and he sought to bring India out from under the influence of foreign domination. He is the type of patriot that few Americans know what to do with, for he was unwilling to raise arms to defend his countrymen. He protested quietly. He discouraged outward revolution, and he left an indelible mark on the cultural development of the Twentieth Century. To some, he is among the… Continue reading

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  • Our Spiritual Goals

    What impression do you make upon others? Much of it is based on what you believe of yourself. Are you encouraging or discouraging? Friendly or unfriendly? This is critical not only to who we are, but to our identity as a family in Christ. I Peter 3:15 tells us to, “regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience” Who do we want to be? What kind of person do we… Continue reading

  • “Eat of My Flesh.”

    In John 6, we see a turning point in Jesus’ ministry where He begins focusing on eternal life. The chapter begins with Jesus feeding a great multitude from meager provisions of fish and bread, and, in verse 14, many see Him as the prophet coming in the footsteps of Moses. This conclusion comes out in verses 30-31 where they remind Jesus that Moses brought bread from Heaven to feed God’s people, but Jesus corrects them and reminds them that the bread they reference came from God. In verse 33, Jesus turns their attention away from physical bread and onto Himself.… Continue reading

  • Professing Our Confession

    Doing exactly what God desires of us – putting Him first, placing our faith and trust in Him, laying our lives wholly in His hands – has always been, and will always be challenging, to most people. It comes down to the profession of our faith in all things and around all people. In Matthew 10:24, Jesus reminds us that we should strive to be as our teacher, our master, our Lord. He then goes on in subsequent verses to speak of our confidence in our faith, time and again admonishing us to not fear, reminding us that confessing Christ… Continue reading

  • Lessons from the Old Testament

    In I Corinthians 10, Paul refers to the Old Testament, the “things written aforetime,” as something from which we can benefit and by which we can grow spiritually. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did…They were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. – I Corinthians 10:6-12 (excerpted) What can we take from these ancient writings to help us on our spiritual lives? What can we learn about our… Continue reading

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  • Enough Time

    How many times do you catch yourself saying, “I don’t have enough time?” When I first started teaching, I think those words stumbled from my lips daily. Lack of time was a perpetual excuse, but then I read a 37signals blog post containing this nugget: There’s always enough time, you’re just not spending it right. Now, I’m sure you could poke a thousand holes into that statement, so let me marginally rephrase it: There’s always enough time to do the important things; you’re just not spending it right. Think about how much time a day you waste, and compare that time to… Continue reading

  • 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 noticed something unexpected lately when I’ve let myself slip back into bad eating habits – I simply don’t like the stuff I used to eat. It’s hard to eat healthy, at least it is when you first start. The junk is so much cheaper, so… Continue reading

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