Temptations Are Everywhere
On Not Dialing It In
“Take, for instance, the matter of preaching old sermons. It is not good. A new sermon, fresh from the brain, has always a life in it which an old sermon, though better in itself, must lack . . . the main objection which the people have to the preaching of old sermons is in the impression that it gives them of unfaithfulness and idleness”
Phillips Brooks, The Joy of Preaching, p. 86
Because You Must Rule Yourself First
“The book of Proverbs is given to all God’s people. And the word that mean ‘to speak a proverb’ is also a word that mean ‘to rule.’ Learning to live in accordance with the proverbs God gave us is preparation for dominion”
Devoured by Cannabis, p. 24
Placement Matters
“What these people have in common is that they are all engaged in a hedonistic pursuit of sensual pleasure. They all want to get laid and loaded. The name of the game is sensory overload. Now if I were looking for a place to shelve ‘stoned out of his gourd,” would I be more likely to put it after joy and before peace, or after excess of wine and before revelling?”
Devoured by Cannabis, p. 20
Beware of Peru Rising!
Introduction: Suppose we were defending a city, and you and I and two other guys were sentries on the wall. You, of course, are a most reasonable fellow, as am I, so that's all good. But unbeknownst ...
Audio Reading of Post
Clustered Vices
“Sins are like grapes, they come in bunches . . . Sins tend to cluster, and when you go down into the middle of that crowd, you are more likely to find a pot dealer there than, say, if you were at a quilting bee.”
Devoured by Cannabis, p. 20
Why Would You Want to Miss These Letters? C’mon.
Letter to the Editor: I think I have read about "assuming the center" in your writings, but I forgot what you mean by it. From your final statement, I assume you mean living like we believe ...
Catching at Words
“When someone says that Paul prohibited ‘drunkenness’ but not ‘getting high,’ we have an example of this kind of catching at words. Paul also says not to get drunk with wine. Does that mean gin is all right? Beer? Rubbing alcohol?”
Devoured by Cannabis, p. 17
Assuming the Center
Introduction: There is a phrase that I have used and referred to for quite a number of years now, and I believe that this would be a good time to return to an explanation of it again. That phrase is ...
Audio Reading of Post
Transition at Bethlehem
Some of you have heard the news about Jason Meyer stepping down as the pastor of Bethlehem in Minneapolis. Naturally, some are using this as an opportunity to continue pushing a woke agenda, and these days so much is to be expected. From a cursory read through of that linked article, it appears plain that—by …