Hurt is hard. I realized in the last month that it has been more than a year since I have done any serious writing. I had given up on ministry and started my own business because, frankly, I was done being hurt. At the beginning of 2023, a friend of mine (a couple, actually) told... Continue Reading →
Pastoral Contentment and the Success Syndrome
https://feeds.castos.com/733p8 I have been in full-time ministry for 13 years. Before I started my ministry career (for lack of a better term), I had one instructor notice my goal-oriented zeal and offer a book from his personal library. That book still sits on my shelf in my office, stamped with his seal on the title... Continue Reading →
Daily Devotional: Exodus 12:15-32
God sees the blood on the frames of the Israelite doors and passes over them, not allowing the destroyer to go in. I find this wording interesting. From Genesis 4:23 onward, God has said that He will personally kill the firstborn. Yet, here we read about Him sending in or withholding a destroyer–a character some... Continue Reading →
Daily Devotional: Exodus 10:21-29
God causes darkness to fall over the land of Egypt for three days. Unlike in the movie, Prince of Egypt, darkness also falls over Goshen—but the Hebrews have sources of light within their dwelling places—which is an important note for apologetics. Many philosophical attacks on the faith can be rebutted simply by reading what the... Continue Reading →
Daily Devotional: Exodus 10:1-20
When Moses goes before Pharaoh this time, we almost have a glimpse of hope as Pharaoh offers to let the people. Once Moses tells Pharaoh that all the people of Israel must go, Pharaoh calls his thoughts evil and directs Moses only to take the men into the wilderness to praise Yahweh. God causes locusts... Continue Reading →
Killing My Vanity; Praising the Undertaker
When I started in ministry back in 2010, I had good motives as far as I knew. I set out to build ministries in number and succeeded. I set out to teach God’s word and saw lives turned around for the better. I wouldn’t change that, but I do look back and see so much... Continue Reading →
Daily Devotional: Romans 12:1-13
After spending 11 chapters expositing the doctrine of God’s election to both unbelieving and immature gentiles in Rome, Paul finally begins to apply the doctrine. Therefore, since God is the one who chooses, calls, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies—since He alone works for your salvation and not you—don’t be prideful. This is the first application, and... Continue Reading →
On Christian Arrogance
Paul writes to the local church at Corinth in order to encourage unity through maturity in the faith. He begins a new section about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols, or the participation in what is perceived as unholy actions by some. I have heard people apply this portion of Scripture to the eating... Continue Reading →
Christian Contentment
Paul has instructed those married to unbelievers to remain with them. He revealed that God hates all divorce and instructed people to, instead of seek their own freedom, to love their spouses. In such a revelation, we discover that love is not about me seeking what is right for me but, instead, long-suffering with others... Continue Reading →
When Someone Personally Offends Me
As Paul addresses the division and immaturity of the local church at Corinth, He comes to the subject of personal offenses, quarrels, and lawsuits between members of the congregation. Immediately preceding his instruction concerning personal offenses, Paul instructed the church about church discipline and excommunication. Church discipline was to be practiced when a so-called brother... Continue Reading →