There is a spiritual tug-of-war happening—and it’s happening over Jesus.Different factions are trying to lay claim to him. One group proclaims: “We have the right understanding of Jesus and you are wrong!” The other group bellows the same thing.Even as you read or listen to this certain people come to mind who are actively engaged … Continue reading The tug-of-war for Jesus
spiritual growth
Thoughts are coordinates
Thoughts are coordinates.Huh?Coordinates get you somewhere. They’re about helping you end up at the right destination. Perhaps you type them into your phone or G.P.S. If you don’t input the right data, you end up at the wrong place.Or picture Han Solo and Chewbacca in the Millennium Falcon. Before they make the jump to hyperspace … Continue reading Thoughts are coordinates
Picture yourself as a literal sponge
In 1 Corinthians 15:33 Paul quotes the poet Menander: “Bad company corrupts good character.” The ESV translation says: “Bad company ruins good morals.” The NKJV puts it like this: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” You get the point.How are Christians to understand this?In Paul’s letter he is, in part, issuing a warning. If the Corinthians associate … Continue reading Picture yourself as a literal sponge
What we want to do
Modern people tend to be very tactile. “Actions speak louder than words.” We like physical results. We like concrete, measurable objectives.I get that. Our actions need to back up our words. Physical results and measurable objectives are important.But when it comes to being like Jesus, we can mistakenly conclude that it’s only about what is … Continue reading What we want to do
How did Jesus pray day by day?
"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children..." (Ephesians 5:1)If you think someone is inspiring and want to be more like them, you probably pay attention to what they do and how they do it.How do they live their life? What makes them different? What can I learn from them and incorporate into my own … Continue reading How did Jesus pray day by day?
God’s will: your sanctification
It’s critical to know the difference between salvation and sanctification. When we get them confused, it can be a source of misunderstanding—and even anguish.Salvation is about your standing with God. (This is sometimes called “justification.”) By ourselves we are sinful and separated from him. But when we trust in Jesus and in what he has … Continue reading God’s will: your sanctification
Spiritual muscle matters
Motivation matters. For example, people who do better in surgery are people who have a reason to live afterwards. It’s a matter of motivation.Or consider the 17-year old girl who didn’t want to go to soccer practice. But then her mom told her that the scout for the university soccer team would be there. “Why didn’t … Continue reading Spiritual muscle matters
Humility and hypocrisy
The opposite of religious hypocrisy is faithful sincerity. With God’s help we want to move from the first category to the second. Not only do we want to say we believe in Jesus, but to think and act like we believe in Jesus.An important ingredient is humility.In Mark 7 Jesus speaks with a Gentile woman. … Continue reading Humility and hypocrisy
A prayer for all Christians
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24). There are different types of prayers. Free-form prayers are prayers you say as the words come into your mind. There are also set prayers. These are where the words are always the … Continue reading A prayer for all Christians
The threshold to God
In Mark 6 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles on mission. They cast out demons, healed people, and preached. Verse 12 tells us something specific about the content of their preaching: “They went out and preached that people should repent.” Let’s face it. Repentance isn’t a very popular topic. If you show up at a … Continue reading The threshold to God
