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My “Guilty Pleasure” is the Book of Revelation
Today our church goes through 1-3 John, but I’ve already begun my re-reading of Revelation. This book is my “guilty pleasure” in Scripture reading. I find so many people avoid it because it’s so difficult to understand. Those who seem to “enjoy” it do so as they “teach” in a way that is linear and very American. While I was…
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The Works of God
http://theworksofgod.com/2012/08/18/just-to-be-clear-all-children-are-gifts-even-the-weird-ones-and-those-with-personality-flaws/
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Loving the World
Was it an old Keith Green song that said, “You love the world, but you’re avoiding Me”? 1 John is clear about NOT loving the world. He gives us examples: craving what the body feels, craving for what the eyes see, and the arrogant pride of one’s possessions. (CEB). Sounds like it pretty much includes… everything. What IS loving the…
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Our World at Boiling Point
From Aurora, CO to Milwaukee, WI to College Station, TX to Louisiana today, there is always evidence that we are a world coming apart. It’s always been that way. It’s the world, after all. As believers, is it possible to have a different type of conversation? Is it possible to engage in some sort of civil discourse that can tackle…
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Spiritual DNA
This is a repost from last year. As I am reading 1 John for “Eat This Book” at our church, I was reminded of the Common English Bible’s rendering of this passage. 9 Those born from God don’t practice sin because God’s DNA remains in them. They can’t sin because they are born from God. 10 This is how God’s children and the devil’s…
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Is Love “Fluffy”?
1 John is so full of the word “love” it has to give the Rambo types in the theological world ulcers. It’s probably why Mark Driscoll may stay away from it. But the concept of “love” is what needs work. We have this mushy definition of, “I am what I am and you need to accept and affirm all of…
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The Anointing and Sin
1 John almost seems to be a mystical letter. There are bold, brash statements about “knowing the anointing” and “not needing any teacher,” plus the whole thing of not sinning anymore. 1-3 John are such short books and make such outlandish statements, it’s almost too easy to skim right over them. Not sin? REALLY? Part of what we miss is…
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Ayn Rand, Paul Ryan, Mormonism, and Religion in General
When it comes to elections, as I stated before, it really should be tough. While one’s religion is not a qualifier, or disqualifier, for president (in legal terms), it is something to consider. So, we have the question of Romney as a Mormon and should the president be considered “pastor in chief.” Then, there is the discussion of Paul Ryan’s…
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Is There Joy in the Journey?
We are down to our last two weeks of “Eat This Book,” our journey as a church through the New Testament. We have made an intentional effort to read the New Testament with fresh eyes, tackling whole books at a time rather than a few verses at a time. This has been a joy for me personally. It is so…
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Why Election Seasons Should Be Tough
This summer has been one of the most enriching as a pastor that I can remember. Our church has been on a journey to read through the entire New Testament this summer. The main goal was to read each book of the New Testament as a book. Get the overall view without trying to dissect things verse by verse first. For…
