Being Christian Without Losing Your Mind
Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born anew, it’s not possible to see God’s kingdom.” — John 3:3 I started out as, and still consider myself to be, a “born again” Christian. But that phrase has changed and expanded a bit over the decades. The default setting is that, when you’re born again because you’ve …
Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 There’s a place in Scotland called, “Rest and Be Thankful.” It’s a scenic overlook where people stop, get out of their cars, and allow the overwhelming beauty to awe them. The picture you see above is from there. …
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain. He sat down and his disciples came to him. He taught them, saying… — Matthew 5:1-2 Have you ever noticed that some of the Ten Commandments are written negatively, framed in the “thou shalt not’s?” That’s on purpose. They restrict the way people will live …
If you want an insider’s view of church (and society) life in New Testament times, read 1 Timothy. There you’ll find some things you won’t necessarily hear from the pulpit today. I’ve handed over (Hymenaeus and Alexander) to Satan so that they can be taught not to speak against God. (1:20) I want women to …
Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character. — 2 Timothy 3:16 This famous passage from Paul has certainly been abused. It’s sometimes used as a justification for reading the Bible literally. Actually, Paul was referring to the Old Testament, since the New …
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength because he considered me faithful. So he appointed me to ministry even though I used to speak against him… — 1 Timothy 1:12-13a For some reason, I’ll occasionally see a clip from a televangelist shouting and gesturing. There’s no doubting that he feels himself …
Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit, because all those parts make up a single body, so it is with Christ. — 1 Corinthians 12:12 Sometimes we simply assume that no sooner did Jesus leave than the church began. We judge the past from our …
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence. Know him in all your paths, and he will keep your ways straight. Don’t consider yourself wise. — Proverbs 3:5-7a I have an annoying habit, and wonder if you share it with me. When faced with a major project or event, my mind …
The incessant news touting how divided our nation is seems non-stop. And some of the policies and actions coming out of Washington only add to the negativity, in my opinion. Consequently, it was taking a more-than-normal effort today to nudge the patriotic needle. But then the bigger picture opened up. It struck me that some …
“Now the one who had received one valuable coin came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest grain where you haven’t sown. You gather crops where you haven’t spread seed. So I was afraid. And I hid my valuable coin in the ground. Here, you have what’s yours.’” — Matthew …