The Suburbs of HeavenColossians 1:24 is one of the most challenging passages in the New Testament. For many years, I struggled to understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s…
Many years ago, as part of our church’s search to find a new assistant pastor, my wife and I took the leading candidate and his wife to dinner so that we could all get to know one another better. At some point during our conversation, we began discussing the hobbies…
I am convinced that all of us struggle with procrastination, at least to some degree. For many of us, it is a relatively minor problem. We put off doing certain things for a short time simply because we don’t like them, but we always get around to doing them eventually.…
Many years ago when I was in seminary, I had a visit from a friend who—as soon as I opened the door—could tell that I was stressed. The normal pressures of dealing with a full-time ministry job, a wife and two kids (at the time), a house that desperately needed…
I remember hearing a well-known minister and theologian talk about how he had once been asked to write a book on prayer when he was younger. He declined, citing his feelings of inadequacy to meet the required challenge, and instead gave the publisher several names of other ministers whom he believed…
Have you noticed that the pronouns “me” and “my” never occur in the Lord’s Prayer? Jesus doesn’t tell us to pray to “My Father in heaven” but to “Our Father in heaven.” He doesn’t teach us to pray for “my daily bread” but for “our daily bread.” And the same…
