Tag «Balance»

You are the Light of the World

At dusk, a candle has very little value; it’s at midnight when a candle is most effective. It’s for this reason Christians need to quit despairing about the fallenness of our culture. It is now, when our society is engulfed in moral darkness, that we, as lights to the world, can have our greatest impact …

Where Have All The “Weeping Prophets” Gone?

Jeremiah, the prophet of God, has the distinction of being dubbed, “The Weeping Prophet.” The reason for such a designation is because Jeremiah prophesied during some very sad times. God had shown Jeremiah what was about to happen to Judah because of their disobedience, and it was disturbing. In fact, Jeremiah pictured God’s impending judgment …

A Kinder, Gentler, Brotherhood

“Stand your ground.” “Don’t back down.” “Hit him back.” “Teach him a lesson.” “Don’t cry.” “Be a man.” To many boys, “being a man” is summed up in the rough and tough descriptions above. Consequently, any sign of “softness” seems incompatible with manhood. But just when we think we have “manhood” all figured out, we …

For the Sake of Balance

One of the continuing challenges of preaching is the challenge of “balance.”  Due to our backgrounds, culture, and preferences, we sometimes lack balance in our presentation of truth. Therefore, I want to propose the following challenges… Preach a sermon on the role of women without once mentioning what women cannot do. Is it not the case …

Getting out of Religious Ruts

I have a confession to make — I like ruts; well, more precisely, I like my ruts – yours, not so much. My ruts have served me well, and I’m comfortable in them. However, as much as I like my ruts, I realize that if I stay in a rut long enough, and allow it to …