Kyle Rye (Page 4)
Jesus Is Our Heat Shield
Most professions and organizations have their own jargon, which is a fancy word for unique and specialized terms accepted and understood within a particular field or group. For example, you may hear a lawyer say, “Objection,” while a judge responds, “Overruled.” That is legal jargon. Maybe you’ve heard a medical professional say, “Let’s check your vitals.” He or she is using medical jargon. In and of itself, jargon is not bad, but it can be confusing for those unfamiliar with…
The Christian and the Environment
Since 1970, April 22 has been observed as Earth Day, a day to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Such a day causes me to consider whether or not we as Christians possess a biblical responsibility to protect the environment. And I believe the following four biblical considerations are worth mentioning on this matter. First, Christians should care about the environment because God created it. In the very first verse of the Bible, we read, “In the beginning, God created the…
What If Jesus Wrote a Letter to Us?
In Revelation’s second and third chapters, Jesus authored letters to seven different churches in first-century Asia Minor. In each letter, Jesus declares, “I know your works” (2:2; 2:9; 2:13; 2:19; 3:1; 3:8; 3:15). This repeated statement indicates that Jesus is not oblivious to what is going on in each congregation of His church. He is intimately aware of and deeply concerned about what is happening in His church. It is this awareness that led Jesus to praise the work, attitudes,…
God So Loved the World
In one of, if not the most popular passages of Scripture, we are told, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” What specifically do we learn about God’s love from John 3:16? First, we learn who God loves. John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world.” It is worth noting that John 3:16 does not say that God so loved Christians, the church, or…
Doers of the Word
In today’s society, the term “Christian” often gets used as an adjective. You will hear people refer to a particular genre of music as Christian music. You can drive across town and shop at the Christian store for Christian books. You can enroll at a Christian school, attend a Christian conference, or even worship at a Christian church. I’m not trying to infer that all of these things are “Christian” in the sense that they are doctrinally correct. I’m simply…
A Christian Home
I once heard the story about a little boy who was inconsolably crying in the car after leaving worship services one Sunday. His father asked him three times what was wrong, and, finally, the boy replied, “The preacher said he wanted me to be brought up in a Christian home, but I want to stay with you guys!” Ideally, all homes would be Christian homes because Christian homes have surrendered to the will and the reign of God. In so…
Faith Over Fear
In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched a spacecraft called Sputnik 1, which became the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth. Sputnik 1 was a small satellite by modern standards. It was approximately the size of a beach ball but weighed 183.9 pounds. Additionally, Sputnik 1 was a simple satellite. Its only function was to transmit radio signals. And Sputnik 1’s mission was short. It transmitted radio signals for only 21 days until its batteries ran out. It orbited the Earth for only three months before…
No More Excuses
When Moses’ name is mentioned, most of us likely think of a heroic, faithful leader. But that is not the Moses to which we are initially introduced. In Exodus 3:10, we learn that God met Moses at the burning bush and informed him that He would use him to free the children of Israel. You would think a man who is identified as a hero of faith (Hebrews 11:23-28), a friend of God (Exodus 33:11), and granted the right to…
Don’t Get Comfortable
A comfort zone “is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person,” resulting in “experiencing low levels of anxiety and stress” because “they are at ease and in control of their environment.”1 And while that sounds like the optimal place to be, comfort zones can actually become danger zones because they can foster a conditional approach to discipleship. Conditional discipleship is the practice of placing conditions on your spiritual commitments. So, when I say that our comfort…
Idol Talk
One of the most prevalent teachings in the New Testament is the teaching against idolatry. Idolatry is condemned as a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:20), an activity that elicits the wrath of God (Colossians 3:5-6), an activity that will prevent one from inheriting the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9), and an activity that results in one being sent to “the lake that burns with fire and sulfur” (Revelation 21:8). As a result, we are expected to “flee from…
The Blessing of Freedom
Today is Independence Day in the United States. It is a day that commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress, which declared that the thirteen original colonies were free of the rule of Great Britain. Thus, Independence Day is a day on which we celebrate our national freedom. And since this day which celebrates our nation’s political freedom, falls on the Lord’s Day, it serves as a great catalyst for us to be reminded of…
Would God Choose You?
Everyone wants to be chosen. Do you remember in elementary school when kickball teams were selected at recess? Likely, your primary concern was not to be chosen last because being chosen last essentially meant nobody wanted you on their team. Do you remember when the high school prom rolled around? Whether you were waiting to be asked by a boy or hoping not to be rejected by a girl, your primary concern was not to have to go to prom…