Simply Gospel

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

  • Bondage to Sin

    In John 8, Jesus proclaims His deity multiple times, and in the midst of His declaring that He is the I AM, he calls on his audience to accept the truth that will make them free. In response, those around respond that they have never been in bondage as sons of Abraham. This is a confounding answer, for their forefathers had indeed been in captivity under the Egyptians, under Assyrians, and under the Babylonians. In this lesson, we’re going to look at these times of bondage for Israel and what we can learn from these periods of history. God’s People… Continue reading

  • The Extent of Our Faith

    In our society, we are discouraged from being extremists – spiritually, politically, morally. It is uncomfortable at times to take things to extremes. We want to be moderate in our application of philosophies and ideologies. To what extent do we take our commitment to God? Are we moderates or extremists with our views of our Savior and His word? When we examine Christ’s own teachings, it’s evident He leaves no room for middle ground when it comes to accepting or rejecting Him. The Extent of Jesus’ Deity In Christ’s time as well as our own, some view Christ as a… Continue reading

  • Taking Joy in Tragedy

    Over the course of the last twenty-four hours, I’ve been trying to digest the information surrounding the murder of Dr. George Tiller while he was serving as an usher at his Wichita church. That he was murdered was not entirely unanticipated. He had already been attacked once in 1993, and, prior to that, his clinic had been both blockaded and bombed by activists. He is the sixth victim of vigilante justice on the American abortion scene since the early 1990s – and those are only the attempts that “worked.” I have little concern that my brothers and sisters in Christ… Continue reading

    ,

  • Tiller, In Brief

    I want to take some time to organize my thoughts and some scriptures regarding the murder of Dr. Tiller, and I’m not in a state to do that at the moment. Copying and pasting notes is one thing. Dealing with something like this is another, and I don’t want to tackle an emotional issue while I myself am dealing with some emotional personal stuff. In brief, I will say I think his murder was wrong, and any Christian who rejoices in his death is wrong. Violence begets violence, and hatred begets hatred. There is nothing Christ-like about these events. Continue reading

  • Waiting for the Lord

    Beginning in Psalm 27:1, David praises God’s strength in his life. He expresses confidence in God’s ability to deliver him from various tragedies and difficulties. He expresses his desire to worship his God in joy. The first six verses declare trust and confidence, but the tone changes in verses 7-12 where he entreats God not to hide His face. David expresses fear of those plotting against him, and a study of his life demonstrates the reasons behind those fears. David’s Life of Adversity We are introduced to David in his defeat of the Philistine warrior Goliath, but his life becomes… Continue reading

  • God in the Old & New Testaments

    Is there a difference between God of the Old Testament and God of the New Testament? In many minds, there seems to be a large contrast between God’s character between these two covenants. The God of the New seems loving and kind while the God of the Old is vengeful and wrathful. We draw a line between His character on each side of the cross when, in truth, we serve the same God as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Grace and Mercy in the Old  and New Testaments God of the Old Testament is just as rich in grace, mercy, and… Continue reading

    ,

  • Mentors of a Spiritual Heritage

    What do you value? What means the most to you? It may be something that has sentimental or familial value. This object may not be worth much financially, but its value to you is personal. Perhaps it is something that came form your parents or grandparents. It might be something from a child. Its value is its heritage. In Exodus 10:2, God tells his people to make a heritage of what He has done for them. Exodus 13:8 repeats these instructions. He tell His people to pass the events of the Exodus from generation to generation. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 tells the… Continue reading

    ,

  • Assurance in Grace

    Last week, we considered the all-sufficiency of God’s grace in supplying our needs to do His work and in delivering us from sin. The challenge in talking about grace is that of extremes – either we view ourselves as saved by grace without condition or effort on our part; or we view any mention of God’s grace as softness or an attempt to absolve ourselves of responsibility. It is a simple topic that carries great difficulty. It’s hard to wrap our minds around all that God has done for us, and we sometimes downplay the grace God has demonstrated toward… Continue reading

  • God’s Sufficient Grace

    When we think of grace, we might think of a performer, a dancer, or a well-spoken orator. We might consider these people graceful. God’s grace, though, is more than appearance. It is more than what we perceive. God’s grace is often coupled with patience, longsuffering, and mercy. It is less about how God handles or presents Himself than it is about how He interacts with us. II Corinthians 12:7-10 records Paul’s pleading with God regarding a physical affliction – a thorn of his flesh. God answers that His grace is sufficient for Paul regardless of his physical suffering. Like Paul,… Continue reading

  • Evangelist or Fanboy?

    Evangelism marketing is a very unique phenomenon. It goes beyond word-of-mouth, buzz marketing, or grassroots campaigns. A product evangelist is not merely excited about a product – he or she is a customer who believes that product actually makes the world a better place. It’s not scientific market penetration. You won’t find many traditional businesses using this voluntary sales force, but those that do succeed. Think about companies like Toyota, Apple, and even Microsoft’s XBox division. People don’t just use these companies’ products. They want to convert you to the fold. They want you to reach the same heightened state… Continue reading

    ,