Category: Calvary
God is Central
I have been challenged lately in my study of the early Old Testament books of the Bible lately. In my last post, I wrote about atonement in Leviticus and how much blood it cost in order to be made holy. While the details of sacrifices take up the bulk of Leviticus, there are also pages upon pages that go into great detail of what to do and what not to do in order to stay within the Israelite camp. → Read more...
There Will Be Blood
“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” – Leviticus 17:11 Blood is something that we’re all familiar with; we all have it and are all sustained, nourished, warmed and cleansed by it. It brings food and oxygen to our cells and organs and carries waste away. It regulates our body temperature, keeping us warm. → Read more...
Surroundings
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 13:20 Whether or not we realize it, we are shaped by our surroundings and the people that are around us. This truth and the proverb mentioned above shouldn’t be surprising, but it’s amazing how we forget how much influence we have on each other. I was reminded of this truth earlier this week after talking with a friend who has strayed away from the faith. → Read more...
Birthdays, A Meditation
Well, that was quick. Today, I find myself yet another year older. It seems like I just had my birthday a couple of days ago. I suppose the old adage holds true: time does seem to go by faster the older you get. Birthdays are a curious human phenomenon. I don’t think any other creature that populates God’s lovely Earth keeps track of how old they are and how a year has passed them by. If that were true, what would you get a gorilla or a dolphin for their birthdays? → Read more...
Born & Raised in Grace & Love
As many of you already know by now, I became a proud father for the first time to Caleb Timothy Aggen nearly a month ago on Monday, August 20. Everybody is doing well, albeit struggling with some sleepless nights with a newborn! It was on one of those nights, when I was sitting in our rocking chair in Caleb’s nursery room, feeding him a bottle in the hopes that he would be sated and fall into a nice, deep sleep, that I had a new insight. → Read more...
Enough About Me
I’m tired of me. I’m tired of how petty, vain, selfish and needy I am. I am also insecure, inconsiderate, incapable and indulgent. I am quick to judge, slow to forgive. Sometimes I do the things I should, but more often than not, I do the things that I shouldn’t. The things I should let go, I don’t; the things I shouldn’t let go, I do. My mistakes, my sin, my folly, they all dog me, nipping at my heels, reminding me of a life lived imperfectly. → Read more...
Moments
So, I don’t think I need to tell anyone that it has been a very interesting – and disturbing – week in America. Fear and hatred have been making their rounds through the tragic attack in a Colorado movie theater and through the powder keg that exploded after a comment made by the CEO of Chick-fil-A that was taken out of context and spread and distorted. It is through events like these that it is very easy for despair to set in. → Read more...
The Responsibility of Being You
Last week, I talked about the wonderful truth of how special God has made all of us and about the concept that we’re all living unique lives that no one else will ever be able to duplicate. The reality of this truth means that you will have an unique perspective: yours. No one else has walked the path that you have walked or will walk. You have discovered many life truths by simply living your life. → Read more...
Only You Are Only You
Lately, I’ve been thinking about why we exist on this terrestrial ball in the first place. I know it’s a great question that has haunted philosophers and thinkers and kings and paupers alike for hundreds of years, if not centuries. Now, I’m not approaching this question from an existentialistic angle, e.g., how do I know I exist? (For me, it’s rather plain that I exist.) Rather, I’m approaching this question from the perspective of why did God create me and why did He create me the way I am? → Read more...
God is Sacred
December 6, 2012
Calvary
Comments Off on God is Sacred
Matt
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” – Exodus 20:7 When people ask me how I know that there’s a God or whether this Bible book thing is true, I tell them that I pay very close attention to the world around me. There are ordinary signs that one can easily miss if one is not looking for them. One of them, for me, is that there is a distinction that exists between the sacred and the profane. → Read more...
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