Category Archives: Random Thoughts

Jesus Didn’t Come Just To Die For Our Sins

So often people forget what Jesus was all about; what His purpose really was. I’ll even include myself in this. We think about how Jesus taught incredible, new, life-changing principles in a whole new paradigm. We think about the miraculous healings He performed, and the way He inspired people to worship Yahweh. We think about the Pharisees with whom He argued. And most importantly we think about how He died for “me.”

But in all of that, I think we often tend to lose sight of an underlying theme which deserves to be brought out into the light. Let’s not forget what Jesus himself said. Here it is in His own words Continue reading

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Journal Entry – Acts 2:45-46

Acts 2:45 “All the believers were together and had everything in common, selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” This is what Jesus was talking about (I think) when He told the parable of how the Kingdom of God is like a hidden treasure – the man sells everything he has to obtain it. These first Christians really believe that the Kingdom of God was so important and valuable that they sold everything in order to be a part of it. Continue reading

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Embrace The Fall – A Prayer From The Hallway

Here’s a little prayer I wrote the other night, while in the midst of a very uncertain and uncomfortable time in my life.

Embrace The Fall: A Prayer From The Hallway

I will walk by faith, not by sight.
Cause I sure can’t see right now
Can’t see what’s ahead, what you have in store for me
Can’t see where you want me to go
Is there a decision for me to make? Or have you already made it,
And now I’m just waiting?

But I’ve heard you say to walk
So I’m stepping
Slowly stepping
Cautiously into the unknown
Feeling with my toes to see if peril’s pending

I have faith, Lord,
Help me walk by faith
I trust you, Lord,
Help me trust for real

It’s like I’m falling backwards, trusting that you’ll catch me
But this drop seems farther than expected
Are you really there?
Or is your plan for me to hit the ground
Then heal me when I break

Ok, God, as long as I know you’ll hold me when it hurts
I’ll embrace the fall, embrace the hard ground if I reach it
I’ll embrace the pain
If it will bring you glory, may your will be done, whatever it may be

I will praise you when the door slams in my face
I will praise you when a new door opens again
Or if you lead me to a window
Whether it’s to show me the pain you’re saving me from
Or if to glimpse what’s yet to come
If I’m here an hour, a year or just a day
I will praise you, even in the hallway

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Film Portrayals of Jesus

With the release of the new movie “Son Of God” out this weekend (I haven’t seen it yet, but was very unimpressed with the few minutes I watched of “The Bible” which was produced by the same people and features the same actor as Jesus), I was reflecting on the various film portrayals of Jesus I’ve seen. I actually haven’t seen that many, but I can definitely name a few standouts.

Of course Jim Caviezal’s performance in The Passion of The Christ (2004) is a standout. He does a great job of acting, but there are several other things that make it stand out even more. First of course is the focus on the brutality of Jesus’ experience. It’s not that I’m a fan of watching people get beaten or killed (I can’t stand horror flicks or even UFC), but I think that we tend to forget, ignore, or overlook the depth of Jesus’ sacrifice. He didn’t just take a bullet for us and die quickly; He was beaten to a pulp and hung on a cross for hours. Whenever I watch this sobering film I find myself feeling how much I hurt God when I sin. And that allows me to appreciate His grace all the more.

The second thing I appreciate about The Passion of The Christ is Continue reading

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Jesus Wept

John 11:35. It’s the shortest verse in the Bible. When I was a kid in Sunday School, it was kind of a joke verse. Our teachers of course wanted to make sure we were memorizing scripture, so this was the “go to” verse. “Of course I have some scripture memorized, Mrs. Davis; Let me recite it for you: John 11:35 says ‘Jesus Wept’.” (snicker snicker) I don’t think I’m the only kid who ever tried to get credit for doing the least possible amount of work. I probably spent more time and energy trying to find the easiest way of doing things, more time and energy than if I had just done the thing the right way from the beginning, but it was a game for me. And I was pretty good at it.

I don’t think of John 11:35 as a joke any more, and I don’t think of it as a simple way to do the least amount of work in memorizing scripture. I think of it as one of the most beautiful and powerful verses in the Bible (granted there sure are a lot of beautiful and powerful verses in the Bible). Continue reading

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