A Perpetual Catechesis

Poor (If Only in Spirit)

2009-10-23T17:53:41Z

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. --Matthew 5:3 (NASB) The first of Jesus’ beatitudes is also one of the most unsettling. It touches on one of the top things that matter to people—money—and in a way that, even...

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The Shame of the Levite

2009-07-31T06:44:29Z

I realized today, in examining why I would ever show up late and unprepared for my duties at the City’s worship center, that I still haven’t gotten over the shame of my calling. I was able to make it work while my wife was away at her job and ...

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The Ultimate Test

2008-08-17T23:38:29Z

Of all the tests God blesses us with to, perhaps the most difficult is the one that settles the question, “Do we love God only for his blessings?” Or perhaps that is the greatest test, the others being variations as he removes blessings in dif...

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Idolizing God's Presence

2008-08-06T22:39:56Z

There’s a bit on Saturday Night Live, called Really!?! with Seth and Amy, where the two “newscasters” lampoon the blatant hypocrisy of some public figure. I think of it now that I’m reluctant to consider the implications of New Testament passages...

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Field of Treasure

2008-05-08T01:52:35Z

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know…what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints… (Eph. 1:18 NASB) “Paris is just super,” goes the old joke, “except for the Parisians.” I sometimes fee...

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The Idolatry of Safety

2008-05-05T18:38:58Z

Recently, two teens attacked their own school in Littleton, Colorado, killing over a dozen people. As I listened to the reports pour in, I became struck by how much emphasis was placed on school access and safety. Here in Chicago, the news emph...

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The Company of Mighty Men

2008-05-05T18:18:08Z

Lately our pastor has been teaching on the life of David. One of the odd moments in the story is how “everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him” (1 Sam. 22:2 NRSV). Why would a m...

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Friends 7 Evangelists 0

2008-05-02T02:45:52Z

Next month I will baptize my friend. I've hardly known her more than a year or two, but she's been many things to me in that time. At first she was little more than an afterthought. All I knew was that another friend I pray for had a new girlfri...

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