Darkened Glass Reflections

Category: Bible meditations

  • Daily Prayer for God’s Presence and Guidance

    There are many ways in which we can never hope to be like Jesus; He was God in human form and the Savior of the world, two of many things we can never become. However, He was also a man of prayer, and this is one aspect of Jesus’ personality we can all learn to…

  • Freedom in Christ

    Freedom is important to us not only as Americans, but more so as Christians. God speaks about freedom throughout His Word, but it is not the sort of freedom the world promotes.

  • Tempted As We Are, Yet Without Sin

    “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time…

  • Repentance: The Flip Side of Faith

    Spiritually, many Christians try to walk with a faith that lacks its flip side. When I became a Christian, I was told how I could be born again if I simply believe in Jesus Christ and accept his free gift of salvation. I could simply say a quick prayer and be guaranteed eternal life. Yet,…

  • Unceasing Devotion

    First Thessalonians 5:16–18 provides some insight into how Christians can have God’s peace in hard times: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

  • Your Way AND His Way

    As He healed him, Jesus said, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” Jesus encouraged him to go home with his healing. Instead, Bartimaeus “followed him on the way.”

  • Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Looking Ahead: New Article

    I just posted a new article on this site, entitled “Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Looking Ahead.“ This is the text of the sermon that I preached this morning at Half Hollow Community Church in Dix Hills, NY. The nondenominational church was celebrating its 134th anniversary, and I was asked to fill the pulpit. The minister, Rev.…

  • Through a Glass Darkly

    The concept that believers see “through a glass darkly” should encourage us. Questions often assault our faith: “Why? What are you doing to me, God? When will you do what I thought You would?” These are the questions that shake our faith, perhaps more so than the intellectual or philosophical challenges to our faith. The…

  • Passion and Passivity

    “Passivity” starts with the same five letters as does “passion.” Yet, these words are virtual opposites. Someone who is passionate cannot be passive at the same time, about the same thing.

  • Cheap Grace or Transforming Grace?

    German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer coined a phrase for such a distorted understanding of grace. He called it “cheap grace.” In his classic devotional, The Cost of Discipleship, he spoke of it as preaching “forgiveness without requiring repentance,” offering “communion without confession” and “absolution without contrition.”