Darkened Glass Reflections

Category: Christian Life

  • Robin Williams, Suicide, and Hope (Revisited)

    Robin Williams, Suicide, and Hope (Revisited)

    I originally shared this post on August 12, 2014, a few days after comedian Robin Williams committed suicide. The recent anniversary of his departure seems a good opportunity to consider some of the lessons we can learn from this tragedy.

  • Dressed for Success

    Dressed for Success

    According to Romans 8:37, we should be “overwhelming conquerors.” Yet, many Christians suffer defeat in some area of their lives. This is not God’s will for you. God declared that He wants you to be more than a conqueror.

  • Keeping the Trolls Under the Bridge

    Internet trolling has no place in the Kingdom of God. In his pastoral epistles, Paul warned Timothy and Titus to avoid arguments and controversies.

  • Remaining Alert—Luke 21:34–36

    Remaining Alert—Luke 21:34–36

    Conjecture about the future distracts believers from the here-and-now. We can be overly concerned about living through the Great Tribulation, but first we need to survive the temptations of today. If we cannot overcome sin and Satan in today’s small conflicts, how can we overcome if full-blown persecution comes to our country?

  • Imitating the Father

    Imitating the Father

    God the Father gave us His best self-portrait when He sent His Son to show us who He is and what He is like.

  • The Faith of the Centurion—Luke 17:2–10

    Many overlook how the centurion’s claim of unworthiness contrasts with the elders’ claim that he was worthy. We can learn a lot about faith from the centurion in this context.

  • Valiant Warrior?—Judges 6:11–14

    Gideon can be an encouragement to all of us. God called him to step out in faith with strength he did not know he had, to accomplish a mission for which he seemed ill-equipped. Most of the heroes of the Book of Judges are like us. They have flaws. Their human frailties rise to the…

  • The Christian’s True Identity

    How am I known in heaven? Who do I say I am? Who does God say I am? Such questions about identity guide our lives. A person with a distorted, diminished, or deficient understanding of who they are will act on that sense of self-identity. A person who views himself or herself as a “loser”…

  • Why We Seek Jesus—John 6:26–27

    Some seek miracles; others seek Jesus because He meets a worldly need. He rejoices when we seek Him because He offers life. “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

  • Honesty and Unity—Ephesians 4:25–27

    “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:25–27). In December, I posted an article entitled…