Savedthroughfaith.com

I love the start of football season. Whether college or pro, I am on board. One of the perennial hallmarks of summer camp is the optimism. Everyone is excited. Everyone has a chance. One of the ways in which you see this confidence expressed in football is with daily demonstration of smack talk. I know some traditionalists and old school guys don’t like it, but I secretly enjoy the art. I also like how it effects the team and in due cours...

That may be the strangest title ever on this site. I went running through a different part of town early yesterday morning. To my surprise I heard a rooster doing his thing at about 0510 am. After the shock of hearing this guy belting out his morning recital I began to engage in one of my favorite life practices: spiritualizing daily events. I am out there running through fairly quiet streets. The morning dew is on the grace; yesterday is gone a...

Think about the strangeness of the Gospel. We are confronted by the Law of God and convicted as sinners. This righteousness of God reveals that there is no port on earth where we might safely dwell. We have no personal means of withstanding God’s wrath ourselves and we have no earthly means of hiding from it. All things amount to rotting fig leaves; our invisibility cloak has holes. But then in the gospel we have the righteousness of God re...

We are reminded of time everywhere we turn. We all have some general awareness of time. We have watches, phones, public clocks, appointments to re-sync us throughout the day. This isn't the watch I got but it fits the article. This morning I was particularly reminded of time in looking at the new watch my kids got me to keep track of my time when I run or bike. I watched the seconds tick past. My mind drifted away in thought and I realized I ...

One of my first jobs was as a shoe salesman at Foot Locker. I loved sneakers and basketball gear so the job was not really a ‘job.’ One of the things you’ll notice in a Foot Locker is the basketball hoop up by the register. Whenever someone ‘significant’ from the sports world came in the manager would have them sign the backboard. (I remember trying to get my manager to let a big time hip-hop artist to sign our board...

Yesterday my family and I went to a farm outside of Omaha. This is unique because I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have ever been to a farm. If you have ever been to one I don’t have to remind you that unique sites and smells abound. In particular, I want to focus here on the smells. Now, I will not go into great detail, so queasy stomached folks may continue reading. However, the fact of the matter is, the place ree...

I remember being at a circus and watching the performers toss and juggle sharp knives like they were pencils. I was amazed at their skill amid such obvious potential danger. However, their familiarity actually lessoned the impact of the feat. I, myself even became somewhat used to their act after time went on. I think there is a similar affect upon us when we come to familiar narratives in the Bible. And there are not many narratives more familia...

One of my favorite contemporary authors is Paul Tripp. I like him because he makes me hurt and sing. He shows me sin and gospel. Earlier today he tweeted the following: Humility is admitting that my greatest, most long-term personal dilemma is inside me, not outside me and I can’t free myself from it.(sin) I think this is a very helpful quote. As I sat and chewed on it a bit, I couldn’t help but pile on… Humility is admitting th...

I am continually struck by Jesus’ teaching in Luke 18.9-14. There are so many angles by which I am instructed, convicted, refreshed, and amazed. Jesus tells us that he told the parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous. In other words, they did not need him. They were good with their own ability to earn and maintain God’s pleasure through their obedience/holiness. At the heart of the parable Jesus shows that i...

If you are like me you might begin to become so familiar with God’s promises that they become residual and assumed. You might even feel somewhat uncomfortable praising God for doing what he has always said that he would do. For example, Jesus speaks of God’s sovereign, loving faithfulness to his sheep: (Joh 10.28-29)  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has...