-
Gathering or Scattering?
An Excerpt from Chapter 12. Read Matthew 12:30 Jesus rarely spoke in shades of gray. After healing the demon-possessed man and confronting the Pharisees’ accusations, He made a startling statement: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Those words leave very little room for neutrality. The… Continue reading
-
Before You Ask
“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…’” — Matthew 6:9 Prayer often begins where life hurts. Sometimes we come to God with fear. Sometimes with exhaustion. Sometimes with questions we can’t answer or burdens we no longer know how to carry. And sometimes we come with no words… Continue reading
-
Proverbial But O’ The Week: Teachable
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, BUT he who hates correction is stupid. (Prov. 12:1) The wisest people aren’t those who never make mistakes—they’re the ones willing to learn from them. A teachable heart welcomes correction, knowing that God’s loving discipline is meant to shape us, not shame us. Continue reading
-
The Pivot: But The Lord …
By the time we reach Exodus 10, Moses has obeyed God again and again. He has spoken God’s words. He has witnessed miraculous signs. He has watched plague after plague unfold just as the Lord said. Yet Pharaoh still refuses to let Israel go. From a human perspective, it must have felt like hitting the… Continue reading
-
But He Wanted to Justify Himself
Read Luke 10:25–37 Have you ever noticed how easy it is to ask the wrong question? An expert in the Law came to Jesus with what sounded like a sincere desire to understand eternal life. Together they arrived at the right answer. Love God with all your heart. Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus smiled. “You… Continue reading
-
Attention: Bible Readers!
But God! Dr. Buttersworth has a confession to make. He cannot walk past a used bookstore. Particularly one with an old theology section. You know the kind… Dusty shelves. Yellowed pages. Books no one has checked out in many years. The kind of place where retired pastors’ and professors’ libraries eventually find new homes. While… Continue reading
-
But If We Are Living in the Light…
Read 1 John 1:5–10, 2:1 If you’ve ever walked into a dark room on a sunny afternoon and thrown open the curtains, you know what light does. It reveals. Dust you didn’t know was there suddenly dances through the air. Corners hidden in shadow become visible. Things you’d overlooked come into view. For many people,… Continue reading
Darin Michael Shaw
In addition to being the world’s foremost expert on the conjunction but, author and freelance writer Darin Michael Shaw (he/him/his) identifies as a post-evangelical, free-range Jesus Freak, taking Jesus seriously when he says, “Follow me,” while inviting others to come and see for yourself.
Big Buts of the Bible 