Archive / Shane’s Posts

When Salt Loses Its Taste it’s Just Grit

Opening Thoughts: This isn’t one of my typical expository blog posts, where we crack the code of Scripture 🙂 I wanted to be open and honest with you all because I believe that is very important above all things. I pray that you are encouraged by this post and that God will speak to your hearts about where some of you may be at. 2 Timothy 3:16 .. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” Last night Danae and I were struggling with the challenges of life, keeping up with our blog, finding time to continue writing our book, raising our kids, keeping up with my work demands, keeping up with the house demands, daily devotion, staying connected in our relationship, local church, connecting with […]

Is He Your Judge or Father?

Opening Thoughts: Weather is likely one of the most commonly used topics for small talk. I likely talk with people about the weather five to ten times a day, give or take a few. It’s an easy conversation opener and there are actually ways you can make it interesting as well. Weather affects many aspects of our life, such as our work (shops are less busy if it’s pouring rain and farmers have to prepare if it will rain or if there comes a drought), as well as vacations and events. Have you ever planned an amazing outdoor event that you are so excited about and as the day draws near you discover it’s supposed to rain that very day? The only reason you know of this unfortunate turn of events is because we have the “luxury” of having people who have been trained to read the weather (weatherman). How do they do it? I […]

Karma and the Gospel

Opening Thoughts: Karma Isn’t the Gospel; so in the rare chance that you just dropped in from another planet and you haven’t the slightest idea what Karma is nor what it means, here’s a brief summary taken from Wikipedia: “In Buddhism, karma (Pāli kamma) is strictly distinguished from vipāka, meaning “fruit” or “result”. Karma is categorized within the group or groups of cause (Pāli hetu) in the chain of cause and effect, where it comprises the elements of “volitional activities” (Pali sankhara) and “action” (Pali bhava). Any action is understood as creating “seeds” in the mind that will sprout into the appropriate result (Pāli vipaka) when met with the right conditions. Most types of karmas, with good or bad results, will keep one within the wheel of samsāra, while others will liberate one to nirvāna“. The main thing I want you to take notice of is the bizarre concept of the seed […]

The Good Shepherd and the Little Flock

Opening Thoughts: Over the past few years Danae and I have been forced into a position where we have had no other option than to thrust ourselves into the arms of our good Shepherd and depend on Him for literally every last need that we’ve had. Never before have we faced so many trials and yet never before have we trusted in His care like we have during these years. God has graciously allowed us to lose almost everything earthly that we might trust in Him and value Christ alone who has made rich provisions for us with everything eternal. To this I joyfully testify that all our material losses have literally been deposits into our eternal bank account. As always my hope and prayer is, that as we read through the words of Jesus God would give you the eyes to see if indeed you are truly part of this little flock that belongs to […]

Are You Ready for the Return of Christ?

Opening Thoughts: Danae and I cross the border into the U.S. a lot, mainly because we are able to save around 50% on our grocery bill every month. It’s crazy, sometimes I think that here in Canada we must get out our food shipped from an entirely different planet judging by the cost. There is a catch though, in shopping across the line you must go through the dreaded border crossing and speak to the terrifying guards who ask you all kinds of insane questions like “Are you hiding drugs in your tomatoes?” they do this to see if they can stump a person up and possibly catch someone who actually is hiding drugs. I once had a guard ask me if I had drugs with me and when I told him NO, he said “why not?!” Funny right? Well it actually did stump me up a little because I wasn’t expecting him […]

The Beating of Your Life

Someone Has to Die for Your Sin Who Will it Be, You or Jesus? You Earned Death Not Life: I LOVE the Bible! I am very thankful for the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ! I’m thankful that He took the severe beating for me, that He was cut in pieces for me, that He absorbed all of God’s (Just) wrath for me. Yes that’s right, you and I deserved nothing but God’s wrath, we actually earned it. Like a person who works very hard at their job with the expectation of a big fat check, so it is with our lives, the first instance we use our own will and pride to commit treason against God’s kingdom we begin to earn our pay-check. When Paul says “The wages of Sin is Death” he’s using the term wages so that we all understand that everyone of us deserves death, so when […]

Jesus Brings Division

Opening Thoughts: Have you ever had a conversation with someone where you just know it isn’t going to end well? In fact it almost seems impossible that you’ll even come close to a peaceful resolve? I mean, it’s so bad that the only way you can properly release the tension is if one of the parties either changes their mind or someone gives in and goes along with the other way of thinking? I think this situation is at its worst when it involves family. As Christians we need to be peacemakers right? I mean, is it not our duty to bring resolve to situations and not cause division? Yes it is, but not at the cost of the Gospel. Though we must be sure that our offenses are only for the sake of Christ and His gospel and not simply because we’re argumentative, or opinionated, or crass. Jesus came to bring division not Peace. […]

The Pursuit of Happiness and The Gospel

Opening Thoughts: The past two years of our lives have literally been challenge after challenge. Shortly after our eyes were miraculously opened to the biblical gospel we were briskly ushered right into 2 years of heavy fiery trials. Trials that would have permanently derailed us if it had not been for God’s grace. So it was both God’s grace that allowed us the trials and equally it was God’s grace that sustained us through them. If we had been left to ourselves Danae and I would have pursued the American dream right to our graves. We thank God every day that He did not leave us to ourselves in the Pursuit of Happiness. Luke 12:22-31 ESV … And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider […]

The FOOL and the Prosperity Gospel

Opening Thoughts: What this post is not: it is not a post for calling out the men who I know preach this well known “Prosperity Gospel”, neither is it an effort to convince you to desire God over earthly things; that would be futile on my part. My hope and prayer for this commentary is that as you read the scriptures along with me that God would open your eyes to the reason you desire to be near Him. What I mean is, for what purpose do you associate yourself with Him? The Bible makes it very clear that trusting in Jesus for the wrong set of reasons is the same as not knowing Him at all. In fact, in Matthew 7 Jesus actually uses as strong of language as “Get away from Me“, in reference to people who presumed upon salvation simply for earthly blessing and supposed gifts. I’m praying that […]

Jesus Says Preach the Gospel, We Say, Send Someone Else

Opening Thoughts: What a joy it is to be in Christ! Considering what we all actually deserve (hell) and yet God through His infinite mercy and grace rescued us, adopted us and placed His Spirit in us. We should be the most joyful people on the planet. We should be the most content people in this material world and the most joyfully motivated in declaring His fame. Colossians 1:27 “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” I love that passage for a couple reasons, it talks about how we are to make known to the Gentiles (the world) the riches “this glorious mystery”. What glorious mystery? That the God of the universe, who is entirely Holy, would choose to reconcile a criminal like me, not just saving me from hell but saving me from sin itself. He does […]