13 Hours of Rain

For many North Americans, Jesus is far too familiar. His name evolved into a curse word. His claim to be fully divine (along with fully human) became reduced by popular society to an image of a "good man" teaching "good things". The seriousness of our sin -- or outright rebellion! -- was minimized. And God's love was elevated and esteemed more highly than God's justice. In doing so, we have rejected chapters upon chapters of the Bible, labeling them as irrelevant to a culture bent on a theology of Universalism. You're okay. I'm okay. We are all okay. It will all work out in the end, whether you believe in Jesus or not. He will let you into His Eternal Glory even though you decided that you wanted nothing do with Jesus on Earth. Sure. Come on in. Take the best seat in the house. I know what I write above is laced with sarcasm, and may even sound judgmental. However, I am currently wrestling with some truths I have recently gleaned through our small ...

I just finished reading "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus", an insightful and powerful story of Nabeel Qureshi's conversion from Islam to Christianity. And while Nabeel's testimony strengthened my faith in Jesus, it also convicted me on how I often lack sincerity in how I approach God. Many Muslims around the world pray to Allah five times a day. True, we can argue whether or not those prayers are authentic outcries from one's soul. However, it is inspirational that a group of believers collectively pray world-wide, at the same time. We attend a Christian church that is part of the Evangelical movement. And while I generally resonate with the beliefs and values of Evangelical churches, I often wish we had a collection of liturgy. One of the benefits of liturgy is that it can be a constant reminder of what the group believes. If a person is asked about her religious beliefs, and she has the Apostle's Creed memorized, then she can succinctly communicate the key...