Have you ever asked God for sign? After all, life overflows with difficult decisions, ambiguous pathways, and sundry uncertainties. That’s why asking God for some kind of clarity or confirmation can be so enticing! There’s good news: God has already given us direction about how to clarify his will for our lives. Let me suggest … Continue reading The Triangle of Discernment
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Are all new ideas good, bad, or something else?
Some people think every new idea is a good idea. And others think that every new idea is a bad idea. But it’s not that simple. So let me share something that I think should make us both more humble and more hopeful about how we approach new ideas. Larry Osborne points out that virtually … Continue reading Are all new ideas good, bad, or something else?
Behind the times?
I get the opportunity to interact with people who aren’t totally sure about Jesus yet. Sometimes these interactions are online, and sometimes they’re in person. One of the stumbling blocks people identify is that the Bible seems to advocate teachings that are “behind the times” or “morally regressive.” And that makes them uncomfortable. I appreciate … Continue reading Behind the times?
Messier’s bold prediction — and the Bible’s
On May 25, 1994, Mark Messier did something bold. He was the captain of the New York Rangers hockey team. It was the playoffs. His team was down 3 games to 2 in the Eastern Conference final. They had to win two games to beat their opponent, the New Jersey Devils, if they were to … Continue reading Messier’s bold prediction — and the Bible’s
Is it the Holy Spirit?
Do you ever wonder if the Holy Spirit is nudging you to believe something or to do something? If so, you wouldn’t be alone. But the Holy Spirit can be confusing to people. After all, he’s invisible! So let me explain a few things. The Holy Spirit is the Person, power, and presence of God … Continue reading Is it the Holy Spirit?
Only God can count the apples in the seed
A friend of mine told me about something he saw on a fridge magnet: “Anyone can count the seeds in an apple. But only God can count the apples in the seed.” The reason I share that is because it’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t see something important in your life bearing fruit. … Continue reading Only God can count the apples in the seed
How to grow in godliness
“Godliness” is like “world peace”—we want it but we’re not sure how to get it! So let’s break it down. Godliness is being “of God” or more “like God.” Since we’re all flawed, none of us will ever totally get there, but we definitely want to make progress. 2 Peter 3:11-12 says: “You ought to … Continue reading How to grow in godliness
The Devil’s Achilles heel
Imagine we’re playing a football game, but we can’t see an opponent. So we obviously think the game is going to be pretty easy. But as it begins we keep running into invisible roadblocks and frustrations. This makes us scratch our heads. Why isn’t this easier? But then someone tells us that we’ve been misinformed: … Continue reading The Devil’s Achilles heel
Did Jesus trust the Scriptures?
Last week I highlighted how some people struggle to understand the Bible. Because of that I encouraged you to (a) get a translation in modern English, and (b) buy a good study Bible. But if we’re honest, I think one of the reasons we stall in our reading is because we aren’t really convinced it’s … Continue reading Did Jesus trust the Scriptures?
Struggle to understand the Bible?
A new year is upon us. And more than one of you have set some kind of Bible-reading goal. And even if you haven’t, hopefully you know the importance of being continually rooted in the Scriptures. An inspiring verse about the importance of God’s word is found in Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp … Continue reading Struggle to understand the Bible?
