Yesterday I referred to the axiom, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” but I didn’t talk about how it matters. This week we are looking at Deuteronomy 11, and how to grow love for God, and I promise that I’ll eventually explain how the axiom about the apple tree relates to this. ButContinue reading “How to grow your love for God, part 2”
Author Archives: joelkime
How to grow your love for God, part 1
Have you ever heard the phrase, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”? What does it mean? That children or young people tend to behave like their parents. It happens all the time. And it is not just that we look like our parents, or sound like them, but that we tend to haveContinue reading “How to grow your love for God, part 1”
God’s surprising views on justice
Last year we started studying the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy. Then I went on sabbatical. We had covered the first nine chapters of Deuteronomy. Now we’re heading back in! For the most part, though, we’re going to study Deuteronomy differently than we did last year. Last year we went chapter by chapter, verse byContinue reading “God’s surprising views on justice”
The one non-negotiable to becoming a successful church
Author John Dickson tells the following story in his book Humilitas: there were four people traveling on a small airplane when its engines lost power. The plane started diving to the ground at an alarming speed. The pilot turned to other three, with a dire look on his face, “There are four of us butContinue reading “The one non-negotiable to becoming a successful church”
Two surprising ways to respond to suffering
Being surprised or scared can be a horrible feeling right? Even when the surprise is a good surprise, there are some people that hate to be surprised! Do you know anyone who makes you promise that you will not throw them a surprise birthday party? Why? When you are in a groove, a routine, andContinue reading “Two surprising ways to respond to suffering”
How to have loving diversity in a church family
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Sometimes church families are like any other family, and that means we can butt heads. We don’t always see eye to eye. With the exception of ethnic diversity, my congregational is quite a diverse. Young and old. Male and Female. Rich and poor. Conservative and Progressive. IntrovertContinue reading “How to have loving diversity in a church family”
When you start to change and your friends don’t like it
Have you ever gone through a life change, and that change affected your friendships? You know who your real friends are when you start changing. Perhaps you believe new things, or maybe you have shed a long-held belief, and your friends are pushing back. It could be that you have stopped doing something that youContinue reading “When you start to change and your friends don’t like it”
Christians, has Jesus transformed your life? Here’s how you can tell.
A question for any of you who consider yourselves Christians, followers of Jesus: would you say that Jesus has transformed your life? Yesterday we saw that Jesus transformed Peter’s life. It wouldn’t surprise me if Peter has that memory in mind as he continues his teaching in 1 Peter 4:1-6. In verse 3 he buildsContinue reading “Christians, has Jesus transformed your life? Here’s how you can tell.”
The one crucial step that must come before doing God’s will
What is the will of God? Yesterday we looked at the surprising weapon Christians are to arm themselves with: the attitude of Jesus, which was an attitude of following the will of God for his life no matter what. As we continue studying 1 Peter 4:1-6, Peter goes on to say in verse 2 thatContinue reading “The one crucial step that must come before doing God’s will”
The surprising weapon followers of Jesus arm themselves with
One of the biggest questions followers of Jesus ask is: how much should we be in the world, exposing ourselves to the world, participating in activities or behaviors that are considered normative in the world? And by contrast, how much should we remove ourselves from the world? Which behaviors should we stop? How much shouldContinue reading “The surprising weapon followers of Jesus arm themselves with”
Engaging Scripture 