How grace not only transforms our status before God but also rewires our motives for walking in his ways as forgiven, reconciled, and treasured sons and daughters. — “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” — Psalm 51:10 In his Psalm of repentance, David teaches us a lesson about humanity that defies everything man-made religion assumes. Man-made religion is inherently moralistic. Meaning that rightness, reconciliation, and peace with God is determined by the degree to which I purify myself from human corruption.

What would cause a physician to run toward the Ebola epidemic in West Africa? — “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” — 1 John 4:10 Dr. Ian Crozier was born in Masvingo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). When he was ten years old, his family moved to the United States and he became an American citizen. He attended medical school at Vanderbilt University on scholarship, specializing in infectious diseases.

Sometimes following the will of God feels like walking across a deep canyon on a rope bridge lined with broken planks. Jesus understands the tension. — This is Part 6 of our series, Teach Us to Pray, based on the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6. “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:10b This may be the hardest, yet most liberating prayer you ever pray. The challenge is that if I really mean this, I am totally, unconditionally surrendering my will to his, submitting to God my plans, my dreams, my wisdom — everything.

It’s better news than you might expect. — “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” — John 21:15 Do I really love Jesus? Silly question, right? I am a former pastor who now teaches seminary and mentors other pastors. Of course, I love Jesus. But how do I know that I love him? And what about you? How do you know if you really love Jesus? What is the evidence of love? By…

It really is blood that binds. — Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. — Hebrews 10:23 Christian, as you prepare to gather on Sunday with your local congregation of covenantally bound brothers and sisters in the Savior, it isn’t ethnicity, not socioeconomic position, nor political affiliation that binds us. We’re bound by blood. As the author of Hebrews writes in chapter 10,

It’s more practical than you may think. — “Your Kingdom come.” — Matthew 9:10a The Kingdom of God was a favorite theme of Jesus. The establishment of the Kingdom also was the preeminent concern of the disciples just before Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts 1. But what were they looking for? The physical reign of God on earth? A revived theocratic nation-state like Israel had been under the Old Covenant?

We have a choice: contempt or compassion. — “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” — Galatians 6:1 I’m a fan of the television show Life Below Zero, which chronicles the lives of several people who live near or above the arctic circle in Alaska. It is really cold up there. Thus, the name of the show — Life Below Zero. As in zero degrees.

Sound doctrine is a vital means to an end but is not an end in itself. — “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.” — John 10:1 Theological correctness is a bad replacement for truly knowing Jesus. Don’t misunderstand. I am not saying theological incorrectness is a virtue. This is especially important to emphasize in a cultural context in which subjective spiritual experience is prized over objective moral truth.

The gospel according to Charles Dickens. — “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” — Galatians 2:20 It’s a story of an unexpected, stunning sacrifice. Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities, follows a number of characters through the tumultuous events of the French Revolution of the late 18th century. Two of the main characters are Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton.