Did you know that Jesus only describes his heart one time in the Bible? In Matthew 11:28-30, he says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t say, “I’m serious and severe in heart,” or, “I’m dignified and distinguished,” or even, “I’m happy [...]
In 1942, one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century, C. S. Lewis, published The Screwtape Letters. The book was a fictional correspondence between a senior demon, Screwtape, and his nephew junior demon, Wormwood. Screwtape advises Wormwood on all sorts of ways to tempt and torment his subject, ultimately attempting to draw his subject to reject Christ. As an exercise this semester, my small group at Dallas Theological Seminary had us write our own Screwtape letters. How would Screwtape advise Wormwood to tempt us if that was Wormwood’s [...]
The Christmas season is a good time to reflect on why Jesus came into the world. His coming is the reason for the season after all! This question is one that we can come back to each year because it has such a rich and varied answer. In fact, there’s not just one reason why Jesus came into the world. There are many. For example, he came to glorify his Father (Jn. 17:1-4). He came to save sinners (Matt. 1:21). He came to defeat the works of the devil [...]
Disappointment can be overwhelming. A bad grade on a test, being rejected, a loved one contracting a grave illness, more than just disappointment, some of these circumstances can be accompanied by grief. This is not to say all situations are the same, grave illness is undeniably more serious than a D- on an exam. Nonetheless, all disappointment feels all-consuming when we’re experiencing it. In this article, I’d like to address the idea of disappointment in the context of prayerful persistence, and how that relates to the goodness of God. [...]
As our country approaches a national election, many will (and should) look carefully at the party platform of the candidate they intend to vote for before they cast their vote (here are links to the two major party platforms: Democrat Party, Republican Party). Christians will read these platforms and come to different conclusions about which is more important, or which lines up better with what they believe. This is understandable and inevitable, as our individual experiences and beliefs shape the way we think about public policies. What Christians must [...]
It is said that we are born into the world looking for someone who is looking for us. This is why it’s so important for parents to connect with their children in the earliest part of their life. We were made for relational connection, made in the image of a “We” not an “I.” Just as each person of the Trinity delights in the other, so we who bear God’s image were made to delight in others and be delighted in by others. Unfortunately, many of us feel like [...]
“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” – 1 Corinthians 12:26 In this season of great, worldwide, suffering, the church needs to remember the oneness we have in Christ. Our faith in Jesus’s sacrifice for our sins on the cross brings us into a family, into a body that has many members. In every family, there will be suffering and there will be rejoicing. Me and my family cried together when we learned that my mother tested positive for the coronavirus. [...]
Christians have always needed to think carefully about the way we use words. The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29, NIV). James said, “The tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.” James pled with the early [...]
Our church’s Statement of Faith is the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. All our members sign this statement when they join the church. Some may not be aware how the BFM 2000 speaks directly to what is happening in our country after the killing of George Floyd. Article 15 in the Statement is on “The Christian and the Social Order.” It says this: “All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society. Means and methods used for [...]
Sermon audio from Preston Highlands Baptist Church.