16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Rom. 8:16-18)
Read moreThe steep cost of following Jesus
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:66)
There has to be a willingness to enter in. There has to be a willingness to follow NOT for my own convenience, or because I understand everything fully. I need to follow BECAUSE HE IS LIFE. I trust him, even if I don’t understand him fully in that moment.
Self examination in the time of coronavirus
Our New Testament reading for this past Sunday was from Ephesians 5:1-14. I have found this passage to be fundamental in my life. It is a passage that calls me to prayerfully self-examine my spiritual walk.
Read more“If they stop they’ll die…”
A friend recommended the book The Emotionally Healthy Leader by Peter Scazzero. It as a book influencing his life so he recommended it to me. I am grateful.
There is a chapter on Sabbath in the book that coincided with a podcast I finished on the same day. The podcast is an interview with A J Swoboda and it is well worth your time to listen.
Read moreThe way to greatness
43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (Mark 10:43-44)
We look for ways to greatness. Christ shows us the way of service.
A gentle rebuke
I have dropped away from social media for a time. Call it a “Holy Spirit timeout.” The rebuke came this morning when I was in a men’s Bible study and we were reading in 2 Timothy 2. This phrase in v. 25 stuck out:
Read moreThe tone deaf church
My reading today took me through Matthew 20:17-21. It is about disciples who just don’t “get” what discipleship is about.
Jesus has just finished talking about his suffering, death, and resurrection and here comes a mom asking about her boys. (As moms tend to do.)
Read moreIs Jesus worth following?
One of the great phrases I use from Dallas Willard is this: “There is a cost to following Jesus. There is a cost to not following Jesus.” We need to weigh both costs.
Read moreThe downside of evangelical American Christianity
My reading has me in Micah for a few days and as I read it I get this picture of Israel that the prophets portray over and over. Israel is “weary” of serving God. They have some sense of obligation, but they are in love with the gods of the age and want to pursue other lovers. Yet, they know Yahweh is there and they need to “appease” him. The question becomes: “Okay, God, what do you want? What’s it going to cost me this time?”
Read moreThe practice of devoting yourself to prayer
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Col. 4:2)
There is a call the Lord keeps putting in front of me in regards to prayer. It is the great invitation to walk in prayer. Through the years I have had the Spirit bring many tools into my life to assist in this desire to walk in prayer. I don’t desire to have a “prayer time.” I have grown in a desire to walk in prayer.
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