His Burden is Light

One might add to the title Reptilians, Ghosts, Vampires, and every kind of "Mystery of the Unknown" such as the Pyramids, the Bermuda Triangle, Reincarnation, and so on. These tales have excited the imaginations of people for hundreds if not thousands of years, and the same power to fascinate continues today. These speculations can lead to a rabbit hole of obsession. But as Christians, should we allow ourselves to become investigators into these things? If we find ourselves interested in the stories of the Loch Ness Monster, for example, should we search out the lore and try to get to the bottom of the mystery? As Christians our first love should be for the truth so one could argue that in pursuing the lore concerning these stories one is only seeking the truth. We want to know what is really "out there". But that begs the question, where is the truth to be found? Out there? The prophets, apostles, the angel Gabriel, and even Jesus Christ Himself said that Go...

In the Philippines I have seen many examples of religious expression: writings on Jeepneys that say, TO GOD BE THE GLORY, A NATION NOT FORSAKEN, and even JESUS I BELIEVE IN YOU;  people say God bless you, and before deplaning after a domestic flight the attendant said to us, "Have a blessed day." Pictures intended to represent Jesus, Mary, and saints abound. On the one hand I am reminded of the apostle Paul in Athens, when he waited in the city and saw all the shrines and monuments to various gods that the people worshiped, and also one to THE UNKNOWN GOD. Paul said to the philosophers of that city, "Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you"  (Acts 17:23). On the other hand I am reminded again of Paul but speaking of his fellow Israelites, also religious but not knowing God's righteousness unto salvation because they have not received Jesus Christ (John 16:3).  "I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according t...

I'm always searching for new ways to express not only the Gospel itself but man's need for the Gospel of grace through Jesus Christ. I often contemplate in relation to myself and my own experience, and I realize that for a long time I didn't understand my need for the Gospel or its power to really transform my life. When I did get an inkling of both my need and its power, I received it by faith. Before that, as someone raised nominally Christian, I only gave my mental assent to key statements, that is, I decided to agree that Jesus died for my sins and rose again for my justification. This most important thing I did not understand: that He died not just to forgive my transgressions but to enable me to receive by faith His Spirit, who transforms the believer progressively into the image of Christ (2 Cor 3:18) and gives the power to preach the Gospel and walk in daily victory over sin. He died to break the bonds of sin around me (Rom 7:14), to set me, the captive, free (Isai...