Thrashing Words

They throw their words out to and fro
     Just like a thrashing sword
And in a woeful ignorance
     Blood from the wounds out-poured

For words are not as harmless
     As we care for them to be
When we throw off the harness
     of the tongue it's stabs will be
     so fierce they'll make a spirit bleed

The worst part is the heart;
     It sees not what it brings
For thoughtless chatter, empty words
     To thrust such deadly stings
          Seems odd...

The thoughtful will bring healing
     The wise a remedy
While careless lips destruction bring
     The choicest words like silver sing
          A song to mend their broken hearts


"There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts;
     but the tongue of the wise brings healing." -Proverbs 12:18

A Christless Christmas

A Christless Christmas,
     What would that be?
With stockings, trees, and Santa lists
     Could we see past the greatest gift?

Fine pieces on the tree we hang
     Would we forget our Savior slain
     To hang upon that bloody tree
     To give us life eternally?

Fine presents on that day we give
     Would we forget in whom we live
He died to purchase every gift
     To bless us with his presents

We make the food with family eat
     Would we forget the wedding feast
We wait upon the risen Lord
     To cleanse us with the blood he poured
     To wash our sins forevermore
     That as his bride we'll be adorned
To sit around his table

A Christless Christmas
     How could that be?
For Christ has purchased everything

To miss the Fount of every gift
You must have missed Thanksgiving.

Little Prayers From Little People

Little prayers from little people
Not from strong or mighty hands
Not from power or from greatness
But from children with a prayer

Little prayers from little people
Oh when God will show the world
How he moved the coursing rivers
At these small and humble words

Little prayers from little people
If only we could see
When they send their requests to God
He changes history

Little prayers from little people
We only see the strong
We see the steady pastor
But not the rock he's on

Weak old women will need help
Little children must be served
But what they offer up to God
Is the glue that binds the Church

Little prayers from little people
Find their way to Mighty God
And when he shows them to the strong
With tear-filled eyes they'll thank them.

Undeserved Grace

As humans, we presume on grace

We sin and bank on changing

We think that God is in our hands

A card we plan on playing

When trials grow too heavy

As God, He knows our every heart

He sees just what we're doing

Although He knows our wicked plans

He still keeps on renewing

Our hearts to be as broken

As we planned for them to be

The Lord is not our puppet

Although we may presume on grace

He still gives it so freely

We make demands and test the Rock

And to our great surprise

Despite our tainted asking

The water ever-flows

God does not leave his people dry

To prove their lowly motives

But in the wake of boundless love

We see the fools we are

His plan has come to pass

His children have returned;

In shame they wish they had not left

With silenced lips they thank Him. 

Eternal Resurrection

Reflections on the Resurrection: 

“It is a serious thing...to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics...It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splenders."

- C. S. Lewis

"An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out; those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the ressurection of judgment." 

- John 5:28b-29

Family and Christianity

Children are excellent candidates for disciple-making. They come into the world with no presuppositions and no cultural baggage, just them and their sinful tendencies to fight against. They quickly learn to trust their parents for knowledge about the world. When dad gives explanations for how things work, they’re true...because he said so. Because children have the tendency to believe and learn, the faith of a Christian is often compared to that of a child. In choosing disciples to invest in, why would it be foolish to chose the most teachable individuals who just so happen to spend all their time with you. 

Think about this: when a kid grows up in a home where the parents are bilingual, the kids will grow up knowing two languages like the back of their hand. In a similar way, when kids grow up in a Christian home, they grow up knowing and understanding the biblical faith, especially difficult aspects like God’s sovereignty and predestination. That doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of kids who take up contention with Christianity, but I think we underestimate the testimonies that begin, ‘I grew up in a Christian home.’ Seeing things this way makes having a large family a much more reasonable and strategic decision, despite American arguments to the contrary.

Not only is the family one of the strongest areas of disciple-making, but it provides a strong core for robust Christianity. Strong families ground individual believers, while doing much to integrate and support new converts into the Christian community. Also, by adding into the mix grandparents, newborns, young adults, men, women, etc., the family unit keeps the Christian community from being a group of people just like you. 

Since not everyone in your family is believers, it’s always a center for evangelism. Whether it’s cousin Bob who ran away from the faith but still comes to the family gatherings at Christmas, or your brother Joe who doesn’t love Jesus but still loves and listens to you. It also allows you to invite unbelievers to your home where they can tangibly watch godly fellowship. This is often a more comfortable context for unbelievers than local Church gatherings. In talking about discipleship and evangelism, I don’t think the role of the family can be overstated. I certainly don’t think it should be overlooked.

Can Christians Chop Down Fruit Trees?

Are Christians allowed to have tattoos? Do Christians have to take a Sabbath? Is tithing mandatory for new covenant believers? Can Christians cut down fruit trees during a siege while the Jews under the Mosaic law couldn't? (cf Deut 20:19-20)

These questions come up all over the place (except the fruit tree one).

This blog post has one simple point: These questions, all of these questions, are the wrong questions. As all Will Smith lovers know, "You must ask the right question" (I-Robot).

"For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Gal 5:14). Christians have one command. One. Keep that command and fulfill the entire law! Rather than asking, "Is it allowed?" ask "Does it love?" Now that is the right question.