Darkened Glass Reflections

Category: Christians and Culture

  • Advent, Christmas, and Parallel Universes

    Advent, Christmas, and Parallel Universes

    Christians can often sympathize with the person who travels between parallel universes. We seem to do it all the time. This is most obvious during “the most wonderful time of the year.” Over the next month, we will be bombarded with “holiday savings” ads, Christmas songs on the radio (ranging from “Oh Holy Night” to…

  • Modern-Day Elijahs XI: A Nature Like Ours

    A modern-day Elijah will expect God to act in response to our prayers, or to accomplish whatever He said He would do. The faith of an Elijah recognizes God as a living, active, all-powerful Sovereign over all creation, not as an abstract concept confined within the covers of a book.

  • Modern-Day Elijahs X: Elijah, John the Baptist, and You and Me

    Modern-Day Elijahs X: Elijah, John the Baptist, and You and Me

    How did John the Baptist manifest the Elijah spirit? More specifically, how can we, like John, manifest that spirit?

  • Modern-Day Elijahs IX: Fathers and Families

    Modern-Day Elijahs IX: Fathers and Families

    Elijah ascended into heaven, but his legacy remains. Few biblical prophets share his prominence. Although he did not write any of the books of the Bible, he is considered one of the greatest prophets in Judaism. Only Moses holds higher esteem. When Jesus was transfigured, Moses and Elijah appeared with Him (Matthew 17:1–8).

  • In the World, Not of It (Revisited)

    In the World, Not of It (Revisited)

    Christians should not really be surprised that society is growing increasingly hostile towards us. We should be surprised that we have enjoyed a somewhat favorable status in American society for so long. Jesus warned His disciples that the world would hate them.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Freedom in Submission to the Truth

    “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (Genesis 3:4–5, ESV). “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my…

  • Why I March for Life

    Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5-6, ESV). I joined a contingent from my church and several hundred thousand others in the March for…

  • Keeping Christ in Christmas—Colossians 3:17

    The so-called war against Christmas is really just a symptom of a greater cultural war against Christianity and traditional Christian values. Furthermore, the battlefield where this war must be decided is not in store circulars, but rather in the church and in the hearts of people.