born and raised twice in the bay, I preach Jesus and him crucified
Nobody just jumps straight into cheating on their spouse. Nobody snaps and murders someone without something building underneath. That kind of sin doesn’t explode out of nowhere. It starts way earlier, way smaller, and usually in ways we shrug off. A flirt here. A joke there. An outfit that’s just a little too revealing. A party we probably shouldn’t be at. A quiet grudge... Continue Reading →
The book of Genesis opens with the story of God bringing order to disorder. This primes us to understand the picture of our future salvation through the redemptive work of the last Adam. While a first reading might reveal a series of loosely connected histories, an ongoing thread streams from the garden of creation through... Continue Reading →
As we process grief and struggle to understand, we often think that if someone knows they’re loved, that should be enough to keep them here. It’s as if love has a built-in safety net that keeps people from falling into despair as if it can reach into the darkest places and pull someone back just because it exists. That... Continue Reading →
““Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom... Continue Reading →
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10, ESV) Approval is a powerful force. It shapes decisions, molds identities, and influences the way people see themselves.... Continue Reading →
Phillip W. Martin 