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It is one of the more intriguing but also difficult, and sometimes frightening passages in the New Testament. Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation” (Mark 3:28-29; cf. Matt. 12:24-32). The idea of an “unpardonable sin” is unsettling. What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? Can it…

Have you ever made a decision that felt like an absolute “no-brainer?” This type of decision requires almost zero thought. For example, if you asked me if I thought the Texas A&M Aggies were better than the Texas Longhorns, I would say yes without hesitation! It’s a nobrainer… What about suffering? If we were suffering and we were given the option to stop hurting, most often we would say yes without hesitation. In Exodus 8:9, Pharaoh was given a decision…

The ever suave and masterful politician, Absalom carefully and purposefully engrained himself within the hearts of Israel. Second Samuel 15:1-6 records his strategy. For four years the king’s son positioned himself at the city gates, shaking hands and kissing the people. When someone felt slighted because their case had not garnered the attention of the king, Absalom was quick to console them. “Oh that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would…

For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:28, NASB 95) Speaking concerning discipleship, Jesus asked this both rhetorical and logical question. As the large crowds followed Jesus, many wanted to be His disciples. However, following Jesus has a cost, and it is not cheap. In a time when the miracles of Jesus sparked great emotion and…

The 19th Psalm is one of the most memorable in the Psalter. The first 6 verses magnificently describe the general revelation of God in nature. It calls us to behold and stand in awe of the creative genius of Jehovah as we see His fingerprints all around us. But the God who created has also commanded, and this theme is taken up in the next portion of the Psalm (vss. 7-11). Note how God’s Word is described (vss. 7-9). The…

Do you want to prosper in this life? There are few if any that would say no to a question such as this one. Of course we want our lives to thrive! But how…? How can we walk through a world full of sin, death, pain, and suffering? Psalm 1:1-3 provides us a two-step process that leads straight to a blessed and prosperous life. Step #1: Avoid the slippery slope of sin. One of the scary characteristics of sin is…

I have 3 children who are all very different– each one with his own unique personality, equipped with very specific likes and dislikes. But as different as they may be, there are some things they have in common. One, in particular, is a love for playing with bubbles. We’ve spent countless hours in our back yard with wands, machines, and every kind of bubble gadget imaginable watching them laugh and play, chasing bubbles all around the yard. It’s incredible how…

Fear and anxiety… two monsters of the mind that sometimes seem impossible to overcome. These are emotions that we will likely all face at some point in our lives, but how do we deal with them? How do we cope? In Isaiah 41:10, God would say, “Do not fear… Do not anxiously look about you…” These are two simple commands, but how does one obey them? In the same verse, God gives five promises to His people. Keeping this verse…

Change is the only constant in life. Presidents come and go and culture shifts in different directions. Accidents happen, illness comes unexpectedly, children are born, and parents pass away. Elderships change, members move away–preachers too–deaths and births occur, and congregational dynamics shift. As we often sing, “Time is filled with swift transition.” So, how do we navigate those transition? By holding fast to that which does not change. The first chapter of Joshua chronicles a time of change for the…

When one meditates upon who God is, there are many titles, adjectives, and descriptors that may come to mind. According to the pages of Scripture, our God is a God of War (Exodus 15:3), He is a Shepherd (Psalm 23:1), and He is a Refuge (Psalm 46:1). There are many characteristics that could be attributed to God, but did you know He is a gardener? In Genesis 2:8, the Bible says, “The LORD God planted a garden…” (NASB 95). In…

Are you familiar with ear worms? If you have ever found yourself singing or humming a song throughout the day-sometimes even unintentionallythen the answer is “yes.” “Ear worm” is the colloquial term for a catchy tune stuck on repeat in your head. The song you hear on the radio that sounds great and just sticks with you. Not all ear worms should be secular songs. The Psalmist wrote, “Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage”…

A failure to practice the Word of God causes us to forget who we are. While hearing and humbly receiving the Word of God are essential (James 1:19-21), we “delude” ourselves if we do not also believe it necessary to become a “doer of the Word” (James 1:22, NASB 95). If we fail to act upon the Scriptures, we will be like the forgetful man in James 1:23,24. As soon as he looked away from the mirror, he immediately forgot…