Transformed Mind

Introduction Who do you serve? Seriously think about it, what do you think about when you get up in the morning? Is it how to make a quick buck, so you can feel financially secure, or to get dressed up in order to impress others? Do you ever wake up and dwell on how awesome God is, how majestic, beautiful, and holy He is? Or is He primarily a means to an end, a kind of wish fulfiller that is at our beck and call? What kind of God do you serve, or does He simply serve you? Many of us grew up hearing the story of the Tower of Babel. Of how God came down and scattered humanity by confusing their once unified language. But what is the lesson within this historical narrative? What can we glean from this short passage? Original Meaning Before extracting what the passage means to us today, let me first unpack some of the historical-cultural meaning to shed some light on what was going on here. This episode in history occurred after the cataclysmic flood that destroyed every living thing ...

Kaiser Söze from The Usual Suspects (yup, I’m quoting Kevin Spacey’s character from this awesome movie) once said, “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” [1] The Apostle Paul and his contemporaries knew better though, and so, taught and fought against this otherworldly entity from the power of God, through Christ, and by the Holy Spirit. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians as a whole speaks of salvation as the grace of God (2:4-5) and expounds greatly on the unifying work of Jesus Christ (2:13, 16; 4:3-6). God is sovereign and loving, bringing new life to those who know and accept His Son. What of the last chapter of the letter to the Ephesians then? Although believers are saved by faith and not through works (2:8) faith is an active obedience to God’s Word, so that one cannot simply sit idly by, but must strive to become more Christ-like. The spiritual battle then, Paul asserts, occurs because if true believers walk in a way worthy of our ca...

It just amazes me how God answers prayers in ways we never expect. We almost tend to lower our expectations because we don't think God can handle what we actually want. But He always comes through, in His timing of course. So, a few weeks ago I went through my ordination board, which is a pretty big deal. Twelve pastors/elders/scholars that went through my twenty page ordination paper with a fine tooth comb and pretty much grilled me on my theology. Anyway, I received this card and little Bible from two wonderful people that have just been a joy in my life from 9th grade to present. This is what the card said, "I'm returning your little Bible to you. The last time you were at our house before you went overseas to serve our country, you handed me this Bible and told me you 'wouldn't be needing this.' I carried it in my purse as a prayer prompt. I was not sure if you meant you had another Bible? You did not need the Lord, you did not have faith - I just pray...

Father God, it just amazes me how truly creative You are. While sitting in a hotel in Frankfurt doing homework the song “Red is the Rose,” by The Chieftains comes on, an Irish diddy with life, vibrancy, and spirit. In but a few moments it picks me up out of my chair and brings me to my knees. It’s not necessarily the music, but what that music represents, an imaginative, creative, and awesome God that provides beauty and joy for all through His creation. It’s the small things that we take for granted in life that when we stop and look, really proclaim Your genius, Your splendor, Your awareness. Father, why do You give us such extravagant gifts to enjoy and share when we so often turn away from You? I thank You for loving me in my brokenness. That when I attribute inspiration and ingenuity to others, that it is really You behind it all. I read Revelation and picture the multitudes, every creature on earth, under it, and in the sea singing praises to You in every type of music...

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” – John 12:24-25 You must lose it, to really use it. When I first read this I was like, “Aren’t we suppose to love the gift of life that God gave us, aren’t we to love ourselves, being image bearers of God?” Well yeah, but that’s not what this passage is talking about. Who are those that love their lives then? What is Jesus talking about? This my friends is selfish love. Think of those that have that cavalier and careless attitude and serve themselves above all else. Bernie Maddoff comes to mind; a man so enamored with money and opulent living that he was blind to everything peripheral to him, to those who would be hurt and to the consequences of his actions, and what happened, he lost everything. Really lost it all. Both his sons are now...