The gospel is for Christians, and we should preach the gospel to ourselves daily. There are countless ways that this plays out in our lives. Here are a few. 1. Identity I am fundamentally a blood-bought child of God and beloved member of Christ’s bride, the Church. I do not need to prove myself toContinue reading “The Gospel is for Christians”
Author Archives: Matt Robertson
Family Worship
Our family added a new daily routine at the beginning of 2021: family worship time! If you don’t have this as a daily routine in your home already, I cannot recommend it highly enough. We’ve wanted to do this for a while but weren’t sure what to actually do. And to be honest it justContinue reading “Family Worship”
What if I’m praying for the wrong thing?
Maintaining a consistent, daily routine of prayer is one of the most basic aspects of the Christian life. It is also one of the most difficult for me. Perhaps it is for you as well. I always find myself second-guessing my prayer requests. Is that really what I should be asking for? Is it reallyContinue reading “What if I’m praying for the wrong thing?”
Advent, week 3: Joy.
When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matt 2:3) A few years ago I noticed a small detail in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth. When the wise men from the East come to Jerusalem and ask where the newborn king is, Matthew tells us that “When King HerodContinue reading “Advent, week 3: Joy.”
Advent, week 2: Peace.
“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.’” (Luke 1:31) Pregnancy is a scary time even in the modern world and under the best of circumstances. Imagine what it must have been like for Mary. For Mary there would be no epidural. There would be noContinue reading “Advent, week 2: Peace.”
Advent, week 1: Hope.
“This is the genealogy of Jesus: the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt 1:1). There is a common trope in action movies in which a main character has been seriously injured and appears to have died. The character lies motionless on the ground, while friends around him plead for himContinue reading “Advent, week 1: Hope.”
Lydia
“A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.’ AndContinue reading “Lydia”
The Devil’s in the Details
When we consistently use passive, impersonal phrases — like “I got saved” or “prayer works” — to describe God’s interactions in our lives, we start to forget that the actor is in fact Yahweh God and not some generic, impersonal force. The Problem Have you ever heard someone say “prayer works” or seen the bumperContinue reading “The Devil’s in the Details”