Luk 14:10-11 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who...
Continue ReadingWatch Out for People Who are Running to the Head of the TableAuthor: Jeff Crippen
I am the pastor of Christ Reformation Church in Tillamook, Oregon, arriving here in 1993. I have been a pastor since 1983 and was a police officer for 12 years before that. My wife and I have been married since 1971. Verla is a medical assistant at a local clinic and in our spare time we like to hunt, fish, and ride our motorcycle.
Shunning is Not Always Wrong
Many times I have heard people criticize churches and Christians for "shunning" someone. And in many of those cases the criticism is valid because the person being shunned is in fact a victim of some evil which the church refused...
Continue ReadingShunning is Not Always WrongThe True Christian Forgives as Jesus Forgives – True, and False
This past week my wife and I were driving up the interstate when we saw a large billboard that said: Real Christians Forgive Like Jesus The sign also included a Scripture reference, Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them,...
Continue ReadingThe True Christian Forgives as Jesus Forgives – True, and FalseYou Cannot Appease Evil – It Will Just Grow Stronger
Pro 22:10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease. A widespread, common, and dangerous fallacy rampant among Christians is that if victims of evil just submit to it, if they work harder...
Continue ReadingYou Cannot Appease Evil – It Will Just Grow StrongerThe Danger of Confusing Faith with Superstition
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Many non-Christians accuse Christians of being superstitious (and therefore foolish) people. Some of these accusations are correct. Let me show you why. First,...
Continue ReadingThe Danger of Confusing Faith with SuperstitionThe Blindness of Seeing Only What we Want to See
Jer 6:14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace. The Jews knew full well what the Law of God said. They also knew the promised blessings for obeying that Law...
Continue ReadingThe Blindness of Seeing Only What we Want to SeeWe Cannot be Careless About Who we Allow Our Children to be With
Mat 19:14 but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." When I was a youngster I was put in many situations that could easily have...
Continue ReadingWe Cannot be Careless About Who we Allow Our Children to be WithThe Evil Man Consistently Works to Make the Righteous Look Bad
Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will...
Continue ReadingThe Evil Man Consistently Works to Make the Righteous Look BadWhen We Believe the Wicked and Dismiss the Oppressed, We are Guilty of Cowardice
Forcing the weak to submit [to an evil oppressor] is clearly easier than confronting the strong, particularly if you have persuaded yourself that the weak deserve what is coming to them. (William Manchester) This quote is taken from Manchester's observations...
Continue ReadingWhen We Believe the Wicked and Dismiss the Oppressed, We are Guilty of CowardiceThe Mortal Danger of Living as if Evil is Non-Existent
As a contributor to the Yale Review has pointed out, [Winston Churchill's appeal for a recovery of moral health] was his way of saying that the English after Munich had to learn all over again to recognize evil. They had lost...
Continue ReadingThe Mortal Danger of Living as if Evil is Non-Existent