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The Fruit-Bearing Work of the Spirit Things will never be ideal on this earth. We understand that because we are sinners, imperfect and inadequate, we will always fall short of God's perfect standard. At the very moment of our salvation, we came to realize that our sin was great, but that Christ is a greater Savior. This recognition of our utter unworthiness and inabili...

Complete in Him Not too long ago someone asked me, "Kempiz, you are nearing three years of serving in your current role. What has been the greatest thing God has taught you?" Aside from my immediate thought, "Three years is nothing..." the answer was an easy one, but admittedly, not profound, "I am weak, but Jesus is strong." This is the greatest lesson God has taught me ...

Perspective changes everything. A student may panic from receiving a C+ on their latest exam, but knowing that they've already been accepted into their favorite grad school can lessen the blow. A person may freak out at seeing a $1,000 credit card balance, but knowing that a $3,000 check is coming in the mail may alleviate some of that stress. And a guy planning on prop...

Appropriating the Truth CH Spurgeon once said, "The same sun which melts wax hardens clay. And the same Gospel which melts some persons to repentance hardens others in their sins." This quote reminds me that the Word of God is going to have an impact in my life, whether I fully realize it or not. If I reject it, my heart will grow hardened, cold, indifferent, and callous ...

Jesus is the Reason for the Season Recently, while on a walk, I paused to observe people tossing coins, as they closed their eyes (perhaps praying?), into a water fountain located in a nearby shopping area. In particular, one elderly woman, heavily disabled, caught my attention. As she shed a few tears, prayed a prayer, and then tossed a coin into the water fountain, it...

Brothers and Sisters in Christ I remember growing up and often hearing the statement, "blood is thicker than water." Usually, the statement was said in the context of remembering that one's biological or physical family was more important, and more enduring, than people in the church. When I became a Christian, all of a sudden the statement made all of the sense in the wo...

Life-On-Life Discipleship Some time ago I read the horrifying news of a mother who, for whatever tragic reason, decided to dump her newborn baby in a local trash dump. Why did she do it? Perhaps she was scared, in despair, or just plain hateful. When we hear of news like this, we are literally shocked beyond belief! I mean, what kind of mother would do such a thing?! Sure...

Glory to God Alone What is man's most fundamental problem? Depending on whom you ask, the answers you might get to this question will vary. Some would say "unfulfilled desires," "unfulfilled goals or dreams." Others would say, "a lack of self-esteem," or perhaps "a sense of feeling under-appreciated or admired." In our materialistic culture, some might say, "the pursuit...

Faith in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ Not too long ago, I was speaking to a professing believer, who with much enthusiasm was telling me about his life's goals. "You know, sometimes people want to rain on your parade, but to me, all you have to do is believe, and everything will fall into place." I thought to myself, "Believe in what? In whom?" The statement struck...

Saved by Grace Alone When he was a Roman Catholic "monk," Martin Luther would have said that grace alone was the "gasoline" that propels the car of salvation. However, the "Reformer" Martin Luther would have affirmed that Grace Alone was the "entire" car itself. In other words, all of salvation, from beginning to end, was by Grace Alone. For Luther, the issue of salvation...