Discernment
Demons – answers to a few questions
The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Ephesus and says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
What are these powers and forces? How do we wrestle against them? What do we need to know about demons?
Read MoreRomans 1, Homosexuality, and the Judgment of God
In my current preaching series through Romans, our church family had to join with me in navigating the ethical high wire act Romans 1:24-32—the New Testament passage that most clearly and thoroughly discusses the sin of homosexuality. This article is an “edited for reading” version of my two sermon manuscripts on that passage. It is…
Read MoreSpurgeon on Islam
We discussed some weeks back how Jesus did not condone the use of force in promoting Christianity (sermon is here). As well, we have been studying the doctrines and beliefs of Islam with the teens on Sunday night. I found this quote from Charles Spurgeon, preached in 1857, to be surprisingly relevant to the intersection…
Read MoreHomosexuality: How to Respond, and what if you DO!
I wanted to repost an article about the topic of homosexuality (originally posted in 2009) because it is such a culturally sensitive and timely issue. So much so, that it is a matter I believe we need to be thinking carefully about in order to prepare ourselves for the potential scorn, ridicule and persecution that…
Read MoreGreat Questions about Demon Possession
I got a couple of great follow-up questions from some folks after the sermon about Jesus delivering the demonized man in Matthew 8:28-34. Here’s my best attempt at giving an answer. The first question was asked by more than one person. It basically went like this: “Where did the demons go after the pigs died?…
Read MorePeople, Not Pixels
People, not Pixels Social Media, Technology, and the Christian We are in a technological revolution. Even the print media is recognizing the shift from paper to pixels. For example, the founder of Facebook has been named, “Time Person of the Year.” How is the Christian to respond? How will this revolution shape our lives in…
Read MoreAnswering Your Questions about Miraculous Healings
I got a great “Sermon Question” sheet in the box on the back table after the message about miraculous healings. Because we are not having our regular monthly “Question and Answer” night in December, I thought I would get the answer to you all this way. First question: “You said that Jesus’ healings were ‘instantaneous.’…
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