What Confession Is and Isn’t

“Confession of sin is one of the missing ingredients in the life of today’s Christian. We feel bad all the time, but often it’s over the wrong things. And when we do feel sorry for our sin, we don’t know what to do with it. We feel like we would be cheapening the blood of Christ if we confessed again. So we hesitate to repent. We feel bad, but we don’t confess and enjoy a clean conscience.” Kevin DeYoung

“Repentance is not usually a moment wrought in high drama. It is the steady drumbeat of a life in Christ and, therefore, a day in Christ.” Tish Warren

“The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.” Augustine

Confession is the acknowledgement to God of our sin, brokenness, and waywardness in order to be cleansed and restored to him. It’s an essential practice of the Christian, even though it’s often neglected or relegated to when we feel like we’ve really blown it. But with all the misunderstandings of confession, what is it?

Continue reading What Confession Is and Isn’t

Lessons Learned in the Wilderness (Part 3)

Each Wednesday night for the next few weeks, I’ll be teaching a class online about Lessons Learned in the Wilderness. You can view this on Facebook live at the Pennington Park Church account at 8PM.

Tonight we’ll look at The Mirage of Idols versus The Oasis of Worship (Exodus 32).  Continue reading Lessons Learned in the Wilderness (Part 3)

Let Us Statements and Resurrection-Ascension Statements in Hebrews

Let Us…

Hebrews encourages and exhorts us with a number of “let us” statements. These provide a helpful snapshot of what the book calls us to do as we hold fast to Jesus. I left gaps between the numbers to show which verses are connected.

Continue reading Let Us Statements and Resurrection-Ascension Statements in Hebrews

How the Cross Counters What We Know and Answers What We Long For

From an early age, we’re taught that what people think of us is based largely on our performance. Teachers, parents, coaches, and peers all seem happier with us and affirm us when we stand out as good students, athletes, musicians, or obedient children. Most jobs reinforce this. The more I can impress and prove my worth, the more secure my job and future is.

Continue reading How the Cross Counters What We Know and Answers What We Long For

A Few Posts for Easter Weekend

First off, I took this picture several years ago in southern France (Nice). I was walking through the remains of a very old stone fortress. As the sun burst into the darkness, I was reminded that there was once a dark morning and empty tomb that exploded with light. It created a moment of awe, thankfulness, and joy. This week and weekend provides us a great opportunity to reflect on and rejoice in that weekend two-thousand years ago.

But even for us as Christians, it’s easy to spend more time focusing on the holidays than the meaning behind those holidays. Usually with Easter, there are travel plans, cleaning, meals to make, and candy to buy. This year, a lot of that has changed and Easter will have a bit of a bittersweet flavor as so many of us celebrate alone. Hopefully, even this reminds us this is not forever but we have true and living hope that separation, fear, sickness, and death does not have the ultimate say. Jesus–the one who conquered the grave, reigns from heaven, and will soon return–has the ultimate say.

Continue reading A Few Posts for Easter Weekend

Why Good Friday is Good News

On Good Friday, we remember the death of the Son of God on a bloody and horrific cross. It seems paradoxical to call such a day Good Friday. How can a day focused on death and suffering be good? How can Jesus being rejected by his people and tortured on a Roman cross be good? To understand more of this mystery, and what Good Friday is all about, it might help to wade deeper into the pool of theology by considering the meaning of the cross. Ultimate victory was at work in initial defeat.

Continue reading Why Good Friday is Good News

Lessons Learned in the Wilderness: Part 2

Each Wednesday night for the next few weeks, I’ll be teaching a class online about Lessons Learned in the Wilderness. You can view this on Facebook live at the Pennington Park Church account at 8PM.

Tonight we’ll look at God’s Provision and Daily Grace to Battle Worry (Exodus 16). Here are Lesson 2 Notes and here’s a link to the video from week 2. You can also read a related post on 10 Ways to Battle Worry.

Continue reading Lessons Learned in the Wilderness: Part 2

Hebrews Reading Plan: Day 23 (Heb. 11:17-40)

As we walk through Hebrews in our reading plan, below are a few additional thoughts, questions, commentary, and quotes. These aren’t designed to substitute your personal study and reflection on God’s Word, but they’re small supplements to your study. It’s always helpful to begin your study by reading the passage and making some basic observations. See the post “Making Observations”  for basic questions to help you understand and apply what you’re reading.

  Continue reading Hebrews Reading Plan: Day 23 (Heb. 11:17-40)

Hebrews Reading Plan: Day 22 (Heb. 11:1-16)

As we walk through Hebrews in our reading plan, below are a few additional thoughts, questions, commentary, and quotes. These aren’t designed to substitute your personal study and reflection on God’s Word, but they’re small supplements to your study. It’s always helpful to begin your study by reading the passage and making some basic observations. See the post “Making Observations”  for basic questions to help you understand and apply what you’re reading.

Continue reading Hebrews Reading Plan: Day 22 (Heb. 11:1-16)

Hebrews Reading Plan: Day 19 (Heb. 10:1-18)

As we walk through Hebrews in our reading plan, below are a few additional thoughts, questions, commentary, and quotes. These aren’t designed to substitute your personal study and reflection on God’s Word, but they’re small supplements to your study. It’s always helpful to begin your study by reading the passage and making some basic observations. See the post “Making Observations”  for basic questions to help you understand and apply what you’re reading.

Continue reading Hebrews Reading Plan: Day 19 (Heb. 10:1-18)