Another Scientific Reason To Go To Church
According to Harvard University Professor Tyler VanderWeele’s study on church attendance, people who attend church Read More
Things I Heard In Church: Without Relationships, You Can’t Realize Your Gifts
From my notes on yesterday’s excellent teaching by Curtis Zeigler.
Without relationships, you can’t realize the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit can’t be exercised in isolation.
If you study the gifts of the Spirit anywhere they’re mentioned in the Bible, you’ll find that Read More
My time is shorter than I thought, much shorter
Read John 7:32-36.
After some in the crowd believed what Jesus said about himself, that he was the Messiah, the Pharisees heard about it, and they sent officers to arrest Jesus. Then Jesus said, “I’ll be with you a little longer, and then I’m going to him who sent me. You’ll seek me but you won’t find me. Where I am, you can’t come.” The crowd said to one another, “Where is he going that we can’t find him? Is he leaving us to go teach the Jews who live among the Greeks? And what does he mean by saying, “You’ll seek me but you won’t find me,”? And what does he mean by saying, “Where I am you can’t come”?
If you follow this blog you know that my Read More
“This Is All That’s Left”
“I can’t believe it. After her whole lifetime, this is all that’s left.”
Kathy said that Friday as she stood in the front corner bedroom where the remainder of her mother’s possessions were. They buried her four days earlier.
I had to agree, it’s remarkable. Her house was sold a few years ago, all her possessions were sold, donated, or thrown away. Only a tiny fraction of what she owned was claimed by family members.
“. . . this is all that’s left.”
After making that statement Kathy continued to clean out the bedroom. It’s empty now. I know that because I can hear the Read More
Senna Part 2–Teach us to number our days: Psalm 90:12
(From the archives.)
The story of Formula 1 race car driver, Ayrton Senna is so compelling that I couldn’t help but write this post to let you know how the whole thing ended. After his victory over his rival Alain Prost (see post on Genesis 33 to read Part 1 of Senna’s story) he went on to win two more world championships. Ayrton Senna was a flawed man, yet greatly loved in his native Brazil, and around the world, for his humble, unassuming nature. In an interview after winning his third world title, Senna talked about how he was happiest when he was learning and improving as a driver, and also as a man. At the end of the interview he made this comment:
“There is a lot to go, a lot to learn, a lot to live, but I have plenty of time.”
I don’t know anything about Ayrton Senna’s beliefs or theology, but I do know that shortly after that interview, on Sunday, May 1, 1994, the morning of the San Marino Grand Prix, Senna woke up and asked God to talk to him. He opened his Bible to a verse that, according to his sister, said Read More
Someone I Love Lies Dying In My Bedroom Right Now
As I write this someone I love lies dying in my bedroom.
Life is short.
Life is fragile.
Live for Jesus.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –Jesus Christ
[Time Is Running Out Image via glasgow’s finest – Creative Commons]
Maybe The Most Undervalued Verse In The Bible (Or how to fail at guarding your heart)
(Read Proverbs chapter 4)
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 NIV
How To Fail To Guard Your Heart
The writer of Proverbs chapter four is sharing wisdom with his sons. He spends much of the chapter admonishing them to listen to his words and to value wisdom highly. Then, toward the end, he says what he says in verse 23, “Above all else, guard your heart . . .”
“Above all else,” he says.
This instruction, which is at the very least Read More
This Is Where You Want To Be In Life
This is where you want to be in life: The place where you love Jesus so much, you live to do his will, to bless him, to please him.
Image via Wikipedia-labeled for reuse on Google Images, Italian, early 14th century
Does God Want Me To Be A Patriot? Thoughts On Independence Day
Independence Day
It’s 3:30 in the afternoon, at the time of this writing, on the 4th of July, Independence Day. And I’m thinking about patriotism. I wonder about it sometimes, patriotism, because sometimes it can lead to decisions that hurt another human being simply because someone isn’t from our own particular country. So I get that there are problems with patriotism. Those problems make me wonder what God wants from us. They make me wonder if he wants me, and you, to be patriotic.
What Does The Bible Say? Read More
Is Believing In Jesus All That’s Required? (Because after all, Jesus gave us commands)–John 6:22-40
We left off in our study of the book of John with Jesus allowing his disciples to be battered about by a storm. There may have been a good reason for that. If you’re interested you can read the last post from the Gospel of John here: What It Takes To Be Glad About Jesus: John 6:16-21.
The Work Of God
The morning after the storm, what the crowd saw was that Jesus sent his disciples over to the other side of the sea of Galilee in a boat, and then he himself hiked up a mountain to pray. What they didn’t see was Read More
The Article About Anger That Might Make You Angry
Cain and Abel by Josep Vergara, 18th Century
The Article About Anger That Might Make You Angry
I have to confess, I was reluctant to write and publish this article about anger, because I’m concerned it will make people angry. But maybe in spite of my better judgment . . .
Jesus Nerd
If you follow my Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ accounts you know I put up scripture on these almost every day. More than one person has criticized me for it, but what can I say — I’m a Jesus nerd. I’m completely fascinated by this ancient Jewish Rabbi, so much so that I just can’t help myself. I want to learn all that I can about him, and I want to share him with others. Anyway, recently, on Facebook, I posted the words from Jesus, “. . . I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…” (Matthew 5:22) And a friend of mine, Danny, asked in the comment section, “What do you think is meant by ‘brother’?” Read More
