Mercy – Apprentice 2 Jesus

The “richness” of God

God is rich. The place where he is described rich is Ephesians 2:4. The only description of God as “rich” is here. But God, being rich in mercy…

Reset toward justice

Isaiah 58 will be my grounding text for Lent. I can get caught up in fasting “correctly” and making sure I do some readings. What I am challenged in this season is the walk I have in this world.

A conversation between Bryan Stevenson and Tim Keller

Learning to live in grace, justice, and mercy. A marvelous conversation.

The simplicity (and complexity) of the Kingdom of God

This concept can’t be avoided in Scripture (though we do a good job of trying). The gospel, the Kingdom, is this simple (and yet, this difficult): “How long will you defend the unjustand show partiality to the wicked?Defend the weak and the fatherless;uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.Rescue the weak and theContinue reading “The simplicity (and complexity) of the Kingdom of God”

The downside of evangelical American Christianity

My reading has me in Micah for a few days and as I read it I get this picture of Israel that the prophets portray over and over. Israel is “weary” of serving God. They have some sense of obligation, but they are in love with the gods of the age and want to pursueContinue reading “The downside of evangelical American Christianity”

The foolishness of lacking compassion

The things I don’t get list just got a new number hit.

Can we return to a prophetic center?

I am still in the midst of lament over the jury decision last Friday. The officer who killed Philando Castile was acquitted. There is a sense of mourning, of lament, in our community and it needs to be felt.

The darkness and the dawn

When we think we’ve made it on our own, there are times the Lord may step back a bit and let us “revel” in our “self-made” achievements.

What does the Lord require?

What the Lord “requires” of us is simple. We have complicated it.

The deepest seat of our deepest emotions

When our “hearts” (which is our English way of describing an ancient concept of the “deepest seat of our deepest emotions”) belong to Christ, there is such wonderful, beautiful change. Paul describes it in Colossians 3:12-17. When Christ rules the deepest seat of my deepest emotions, anger is shoved away and love takes its place.Continue reading “The deepest seat of our deepest emotions”