Reading through the Bible with my son has me feeling like a kid again. This isn’t something new; we’ve always read Scripture together. But at the ripe age of seven, our son is weaned off the storybook-style, paraphrased, pop-up, scratch-and-sniff “Bibles” marketed to kids in his bracket, and now we’re plodding through the original. We … Continue reading Crunching the Numbers on the Resurrection Toll
The Government of What?
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with … Continue reading The Government of What?
When Surrender Is Sweet
If you would, indulge me in a test of your knee-jerk reflexes. What rises in you when you read the command submit? Hostility? Ambivalence? Don’t decide too quick; sometimes surrender is sweet.
The Plan for Your Ultimate Joy
Have you ever realized that everyone always, without exception, pursues what makes them most happy? Sure, we all do unselfish things from time to time. But at the bottom of all our motives, we chase after whatever satisfies us the most—what gives us joy. Is it possible to actually find that soul-satisfying joy? The … Continue reading The Plan for Your Ultimate Joy
How to Know if You’re Good Enough
Our culture can smell a Pharisee from miles away. No one likes hypocrites—especially the religious type. But that’s just one flavor of hypocrisy. What’s at the root of hypocrisy? It's trying to behave righteously without being righteous. The dirty secret of the Bible is that righteousness is a gift from God, not an achievement of ours. In … Continue reading How to Know if You’re Good Enough
Why God Commands Obedience
No one enjoys being told what to do. To those outside the Christian faith, the idea that God would lay claim to every part of my life—from what I do with my sex organs to where I spend my extra money—is oppressive and even repulsive. In the year 2015, obeying authority is uncool. But there was … Continue reading Why God Commands Obedience
Why God Gave You the Holy Spirit
If you have been cleansed from sin through Christ's death, you are a vessel of God's very own Holy Spirit—the same Spirit who enjoyed eternal fellowship with the Father and the Son for all eternity past. That's an incredible thought. But amid all our seeking the gifts of the Spirit, discussing what it means to … Continue reading Why God Gave You the Holy Spirit
4 Signs Your Jesus is Dead
A few months ago, I was speaking to a friend of mine, a Muslim woman, who sells jewelry. As I shared the gospel with her, she pointed out the crucifixes sitting in the glass counter and explained how she felt. She couldn’t understand why we Christians worship a dead God. For me, my heart within … Continue reading 4 Signs Your Jesus is Dead
Human Sexuality in a World of Screens
The debate over sexuality in America has moved far beyond what behaviors are okay and what is off-limits. Buried beneath, there is questioning over what it means to be human. Our culture essentially says our physical bodies have nothing to do with the way we should live our lives. Earlier this month, discussing transgenderism, Laverne Cox asserted to TIME Magazine that biological gender "doesn't necessarily mean … Continue reading Human Sexuality in a World of Screens
How to Be Complete
Is there a way to actually be "complete"? The New Testament often uses a phrase that sounds a bit odd to us: "in Christ." It doesn't just talk about believing in Christ, trusting Christ, or following Christ, but actually being in him. If you've surrendered your life to Christ, your life is enveloped inside the … Continue reading How to Be Complete
Alex Kocman 