Taking Out the Garbage

After I graduated from Dallas Seminary, waiting on my first ministry, I went home to live with my mother. My mom gave me chores. She said, "One of ...

Deep Cleaning

What happened to the reality that forgiveness of sin, before God or before humankind, is a spiritual cleansing, not just a coping skill?

Realist or Idealist?

A realist is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been purified. A skeptic is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been burned.

Raised from the Slime

(Psalms 103) blesses the Lord for "all his benefits," which include not only the forgiveness of sins, but also the lifting of shame. ... God ...

History of Baptism

Baptism today often means sprinkling water on the head. At one time, for some Christians, it amounted to washing feet.

Most early Christians practiced ...

The Need to Be Washed

Revival in my own life has been brought together by the near psychotic connection of two events--first, by a character in the late 60's who stepped ...

Snow White

It was my birthday, and on my way to work, I told God how awful I felt about allowing my bad mood to get out of control the day before. But for some reason, ...

Christ's Use of Force

We read not that Christ ever exercised force but once, and that was to drive profane ones out of his temple, and not to force them in.

Pastoral Purity

The pastor should always be pure in thought, inasmuch as no impurity ought to pollute him who has undertaken the office of wiping away the stains of pollution ...

Heavenly Wardrobe

Lord, in thy Spirit's hurricane, I Pray,

Strip my soul naked--dress it then thy way.