Blog - Page 21 of 39

On the Saturday following the death of Jesus the disciples rested according to Sabbath law. This would have meant that they could not cook, they could not travel, and they could not escape into entertainment. Essentially, they had nothing to cling to in the wake of their sorrow. We can relate to the panic and […]

The events of Jesus’ final hours leading to His death were gruesome. The Jewish mob blindfolded and mocked Him. The religious council entertained blatant lies about Him. Pilate scourged Him and sent Him to Herod who dismissed Him. The religious leaders instigated the crowd to call for His crucifixion. The soldiers tortured Him and nailed […]

At dusk, on Wednesday night, after teaching in the temple all day, Jesus and His disciples would have headed back to Bethany. This is when Jesus told Peter and John to go back into the city to find a suitable place for them to celebrate the Passover meal. Jesus returned to the Temple the next […]

All of the disciples who chose to follow Jesus had to make great sacrifices. They had to leave their families and careers in order to draw close to Jesus and learn from Him. With that level of dedication, you might wonder how any of them could betray Him. As the Pharisees recoiled in their private […]

On Sunday, the religious leaders rebuked Jesus for allowing His followers to worship Him. On Monday, Jesus exposed their corruption by driving out the money changers from the temple. Now, on Tuesday, the religious leaders are questioning Jesus to trap Him in His own words. They asked Him about His authority, His political alignment, and […]

I remember when I was in little league baseball and we had to sell candy bars to raise money for our team. My parents wouldn’t let me sell them in the Church because they didn’t want to turn it into a den of thieves and somehow have my money table turned over by an overzealous […]

Jesus’ disciples have just come from one of the most miraculous events in their time with Jesus. He had raised their friend Lazarus from the dead the week prior. As a result, their group had increased in number and intensity. Entering the city of Jerusalem, they were at the pinnacle of their experience with Jesus. […]

During the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s, Martin Luther articulated a timeless distinction between two approaches to knowing God. He labeled one a “theology of glory,” and applied it to those who believe they can attain to a glorious knowledge of God by human goodness, religious effort, mystical experiences, or the wisdom of human reason. […]

Every morning here at the Songtime office we meet as a staff to pray. One of the requests that I offer every day is that God would make us good stewards of our time, our talents, and our treasures. Stewardship is not a popular topic. It makes us feel uneasy, yet it is at the […]

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:13 Years as a bachelor have provided me with immense opportunities to grow in my faith and hope. Isolation and independence have allowed me to focus on my studies and they have freed up my schedule to […]

Often our practical view of sanctification, discipleship, and counseling posits a monochromatic answer and takes the short view. If you memorize and call to mind one special Bible verse, will it clean up all the mess? Will the right kind of prayer life drive all the darkness away? Will remembering that you are a child […]

Obedience is difficult. Certainly, there are some people significantly more inclined toward obedience than others, but for the most part, obedience seems to run counter to the arc of human history that has led us to where we are today. Disobedience of a clear command is how our first parents lost Paradise in Genesis 3. […]