-
Bible notes
To whoever inherits my Bibles… good luck trying to decipher my notes in each one. (I’ll also leave my Logos password and log in so you can try and decipher all that as well.) And I also have hundreds of notebooks to decipher… So… good luck.
-
Our preference for chaos and division
“And the fruit of righteousness I shown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:18) What I reflect on in our current day is how we love controversy, discord, disruption, chaos, pride, and so much more. We don’t mind creating chaos. We have come to a place as conservative American Christians where we like our power and we will…
-
The challenge of waves
If there is anything that describes the time in which we currently live it’s an acceleration of waves. This is a picture I can grasp in my mind. Waves of change. Waves that get bigger and bigger and crash to the shore with more frequency. We can be caught off balance. We can be swept away just by the thought…
-
Immature Christianity
I am listening to a podcast series currently that interviews a pastor I’ve admired for many decades. It is a master class on ministry, leadership, and spirituality. A recent episode talked about his love for learning. He cultivates his spiritual learning and spoke frankly of a time when he was 45 years old and had this sense of being able…
-
Our “personal devotions” need a serious reformation
I have grown up in love with Scripture and have learned the two aspects of “quiet time”: Prayer and Bible reading. I have moved deeper into studying and had the ups and downs on “prayer life.” And it’s not enough. It lacks.
-
The both/and of belief
My reading the end of this year in the daily office reflects on Revelation and Isaiah beautifully. I am drawn to heart-searching conclusions every time. The gospel in Scripture is far more concerned with my ACTIONS than my beliefs. If the Kingdom of God is truly working in me, this is how I ACT. Generally, it’s not about “personal holiness”…
-
Do I really believe these things or not?
Matthew 13:1–9 (NIV): That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.…
-
The reminder of gratitude and service
Luke 17:1-10 is a challenge to my pride. Verse 5, the disciples are so challenged they call out: “Increase our faith!” (This is something we think we need in our day… more faith.) Jesus’s response lets them (and us) know the true power of the Kingdom: we don’t need “more faith.” We need faith in a great God. I am…
-
Living in the power of the Spirit
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. — Acts 1:8 The POWER has always been about “experience” in Pentecostal terms. But power is so much more. It is power to live. We have to…
-
The great vision of the Kingdom of God
Luke’s rendition of the Sermon (on the plain rather than mountain) is stunningly simple. The life of the Kingdom is simple and powerful. Yet… we do not live them out. It begs the question: WHY DO WE NOT TAKE THESE WORDS SERIOUSLY? Go to Luke 6:27-20.
Category: Bible Study
