In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Genesis 4:3–5 This is one of the more difficult stories in the Bible and has been the subject of much speculation. Why does Yahweh God look with favor on Abel’s offering, but not on Cain’s? We are told, in ...

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11 In my recent sermon on Proverbs 5, we discussed the Bait and Switch tactics inherent in sexual sins. Though such sins seem attractive, they always result in more pain than pleasure. Nonetheless, over and over again, we take the bait. But the truth is that all sin is essentially Bait and Switch. If you think about it, the serpent’s means of tempting Eve to eat the fruit, “You ...

The Scripture reading with which our church prayer meeting opened last night was Daniel 9. We were invited to contemplate and model ourselves after this rich prayer of confession Daniel prays on behalf of the nation, Israel. The prayer begins in verses 4-5: I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.” It ...

Recently I have been reading a new book from one of my favorite authors, Gary Thomas. Actually, it is a new version of the book by which I was introduced to this author in seminary. Not only was I greatly impacted by this first book, but Gary Thomas’ books have continued to have a positive impact on my life and ministry. (A number of our members have benefited from his books on Sacred Parenting and Sacred Marriage.) So, when I saw a revision of this first book, I wasted no time in picking up a copy. The new title alone was enough ...

Since the beginning of Christmas week, I have been reading Charles Swindoll’s, The Church Awakening, which I will be discussing with fellow pastors the first week of the New Year. I cannot say I have read a lot of Swindoll’s books—however, I have great respect for a pastor who has ministered with integrity for more than four decades. Swindoll begins his book with an excerpt from the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. On occasion, Leno interviews people on the street to show how comically ignorant we can be about things that all of us ...

I feel it is incumbent upon me, as I write these words within a week of Thanksgiving, to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day. I know that some of you may think it rather early to be turning to Valentine’s Day—it is three months away. However, in view of the fact that a certain number of retailers have moved up the kick-off of the Christmas shopping season to Thanksgiving night, I am thinking that if I don’t get an early start on Valentine’s Day, I might be considered slothful in my well-wishing. It seems like only a few years ...

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. Psalm 103:11 How easy it is to let these words pass by. How easy to speak them without really absorbing their meaning. As high as the heavens are above the earth—that is high! And that is the measure of God’s love for those who belong to Him. There was a time when I really grappled with the truth of this statement. There was a time when I questioned God’s love for me. Like David, I asked, “Who am I?” that you should ...

Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all. –Dwight L. Moody I appreciate pastor of yesteryear Dwight Moody’s sentiments here. Sometimes we can become self-conscious about our prayers. We wonder whether we are asking too much of God or whether we are forming our prayers “the right way” or whether our concerns are worth bringing to God. But these questions often miss the more significant truth—God desires our fellowship....

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:4 I wonder what most of us think of when we think about Heaven. Do visions of Cherubim dance in our heads? Maybe we see a picture of the pearly gates? Or maybe, in the words of one author, we see it as “just a harp and crown trip.” In truth, I am not sure any harps will be handed out—as fond as I am of stringed instruments. And I am not even sure we will be wearing jewel-laden crowns. Frankly, wearing a crown for ...

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 Without a doubt, one of the most helpful inventions the automobile industry has given us is cruise control. It not only makes long trips less laborious, it also helps to keep speed in check. But cruise control can also have a negative effect by allowing us to become less engaged. I remember hearing a story, some ...

The firestorm has passed. Rob Bell’s controversial video put out just before the release of Love Wins accomplished its intended result: free publicity—gads of free publicity. The talking heads have put in their two cents, ranging from Eugene Peterson’s1 “endorsement” (controversial in its own right) to John Piper’s2 infamous tweet, “Farewell Rob Bell.” So, here am I, Johnny-come-lately, with a few thoughts of my own, especially for those who, like me, do not spend all of their time reading blogs. First, let me say ...

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9< > This verse falls within one of the richest and most familiar passages in all of God’s Word. However, in spite of its familiarity, I must confess that my attempt, during morning devotions, to boil down its meaning has proved to be a bit of a challenge. You may want to read this passage, right now, to see what I am talking about. It ...

Sometimes I think I read too many books. It reminds me of the line in Ecclesiastes, probably the most often quoted verse by Bible college and seminary students, “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body” (Ecclesiastes 12:12b). However, my issue is not weariness with reading too many books. It is, more so, the effect of reading too many books that are spiritually challenging. Why can I not be content with the Sunday morning comics? Doesn’t another great piece of wisdom literature reveal, “A happy ...

Just this morning I was reminded of a relatively insignificant event, but one that has stuck in my memory, from my senior year in high school. It was the national speech tournament in Chicago and I was competing for a national championship in a few different events. I recall standing outside with a portion of the thousands of students and teachers present waiting for results to reveal who would move on to the next round. When I read my name on a huge posting that hung from the top of the building, indicating that I made it to the next ...

“Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” Tim Kizziar Jesus tells a parable which is recorded for us in the book of Luke that is all about a man who fancied himself as quite the success: The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will ...

It may come as a surprise to you that Sunday, February 13th has been set aside as the National Day of Purity. This little holiday is a very recent invention. However, I believe it is a great idea to recognize this day, especially in such close proximity to Valentine’s Day. For we know that the best romance is romance done God’s way. And God’s way is the way of sexual purity. I want to take advantage of the opportunity to give some practical encouragement and helps on this timely topic. There are many Scriptures which speak ...

“Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.” Daniel 11:45 When you think of the book of Daniel, what do you think of? Daniel in the Lion’s Den! Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! Or for those of you who, like me, have had young children who cherished Veggietales, maybe you think of Rack, Shack and Benny (and “The Bunny!”). The first half of Daniel is filled with these great, familiar stories with clear, powerful lessons. However, if you haven’t read Daniel in a while, you might be surprised to learn that the ...

 What is God doing at Renton Bible Church? As a pastor and elder, this is a question to be asked time and again. How is God working? Where do we see His hand moving? Central to leadership in Christ’s church is being aware of God’s leading. Why is this important? I am reminded of a small group study I led as an intern while attending seminary. We used Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God for our curriculum. What a tremendous study this was. And though the popularity of this study has faded as new curriculums have come along, ...

I have a confession to make-I love snow. I know, I know, snow definitely has it's down side. For example, the many who were stuck in traffic countless hours on the commute home from work this week definitely have a strong case against snow! It reminds me of a trip we had to take ten years ago in Minnesota. Debb's parents had flown in to visit us from San Diego. So, we had to make what is usually a three hour drive from Marshall, Minnesota to the big city, Minneapolis, to pick them up. The report on the news had said, "blowing ...

Currently, my discipleship group is doing a study of the book of Daniel. I like Daniel, but not just because he and I share the same name. Daniel is a powerful mix of prophecy and very applicable wisdom on how to live in a world that is not always in harmony with our Christian faith. Of course, Daniel understood this very well, in view of the fact that he was living in a foreign kingdom that was pagan to the core. And yet, Daniel was able to live his faith authentically, even in the face of severe persecution. Think Daniel in the ...