Warrior Poet

In my last blog I talked about love. Love goes to the heart of the matter, which is the heart. Love is the summation of all the law and prophets (Matthew 22:36-40). It is also how the world will know we are truly Christ's disciples (John 13:35). Right on the heels of this popular message of love, the Holy Spirit began speaking to me about holiness. I daresay this is a much less popular topic than love. One rarely comes across the word holiness or even the idea of holiness nowadays. In hindsight, however, it's not at all surprising to me given his name -- the HOLY Spirit. You must be holy because I am holy. (1 Peter 1:16) Peter wrote these words right after encouraging us with the good news of salvation, the gospel of Jesus Christ. In light of all Christ has done, Peter calls us to holy living. It is our reasonable response (see Romans 12:1-2). It is also what God commands of us (see Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7; 20:26). First and foremost, holiness is something we are...

I thought I would start my new venture into blogging by sharing what God has been impressing upon me lately. I recently shared with my wife my own take on the opening to the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians. That's a book in the bible for those who aren't familiar with it and it's considered the "love chapter". It's often quoted in Christian weddings. Anyway, here's what I came up with: "Though I go to church every Sunday, but have not love on Monday, it's just religious pageantry. Though I read the bible every morning, memorize scripture, fast regularly and tithe consistently, but have not love, I gain nothing. Though I have all knowledge and I am right about every doctrine, but have not love, I am nothing." I am learning through personal experience that many of my struggles are really issues of love. When you passionately love someone, you love them every day, not just one day of the week. When you passionately love someone, getting up ea...