Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.(Ephesians 4.29) At least for me, the ladder out of the slough of sarcasm is grounded in Ephesians 4.29. This verse doesn’t have to do only with sarcasm, but it includes it if sarcasm is “unwholesome” speech. […]
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4.29) I have a love-hate relationship with sarcasm. I love it, but it hates me and those to whom it’s directed. According to my Random House College Dictionary sarcasm is a “harsh or bitter derision […]
Sitting in front of my desk the gentleman asked, “Barry, is it true that what we will be doing for eternity is worshiping God?” “Well,” I said, “that sure seems to be what the Bible teaches,” briefly referring to Revelation 4-5. “Hmm,” said he, “that sounds boring to me.” That conversation echoes in my soul louder than most others. I was thrilled he was even thinking about heaven. But he […]
Brooding over my sin last Sunday morning I wondered if I’d deceived myself again. Would God really have me preach the gospel? Is what I feel humility due to the grace given me or fear that men will not like me? In my desperation I was drawn to the following prayer in The Valley of Vision entitled “A Minister’s Confession”: O GOD, I know that I often do thy work […]
The last few weeks at our church we’ve concluded the prophet Micah and began Nahum. Among other insights we have been blessed by the the prophets’ answer to this question: “What is God’s posture toward his people?” They don’t speak of God in abstract language or nebulous theological concepts. They speak of a God who attends personally to those staring down the barrell of a loaded Assyrian shotgun. They worship […]
He must be one who manages his own household well . . . if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God? (1 Tim 3.4-5) For ten years of marriage and eight years of ministry involvement I’ve had something completely backwards. The “thorn in my side” was actually a speck in my eye. And the speck in […]
One can never have too much of Eugene Peterson. May this quote from Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places stay your mind on Jesus (pp144-45): When things go wrong, whether at home or in society, in church or in government, it is easy to find a moral reason: disobedience or ignorance of the biblical commandments is obviously at the root of a lot of what is wrong with the world. […]
Due to William Marshall‘s commendation, I recently procured Arturo G. Azurdia’s book entitled Spirit Empowered Preaching. The book lived up to the hype. And like pork ribs on the 4th of July, the Azurdian aroma still wafts through my hungry soul. You cannot afford to miss this book, especially those of us who decorate our preaching with self-exalting trinkets. You’ll know its benefits soon enough. But, here are a few […]
Well, I’ve had it up to here (about 5’7″) with the mainstream “Christian” bookstores. Actually, they’ve frustrated me for many years. Once you tiptoe past all the crystal nativities, gold-plated crosses and ceramic Jesuses, you might find a book. But don’t blink because you’ll be quickly surrounded by stuffed animals, CDs, and wall plaques. The actual book section of a typical Christian “bookstore” is two aisles’ worth of fiction, an […]
Jonathan Edwards preached at Robert Abercrombie’s ordination ceremony in 1744 (Works, Hendricksen, vol. 2, 955-60). Can you imagine having Edwards preach your ordination charge? I feel silly thinking about it. Preaching from John 5.35, his message was entitled “The True Excellency of a Gospel Minister.” Ministers, says Edwards, are to be both burning (passionate) and shining (doctrinally clear) lights. At one point he provided this convicting insight: If a minister […]