Trust & Obey, Week 1: John 3 & John 14, Part 5 Jesus has been attempting to prepare his disciples for a major change, that he will be leaving them. But he says he will send the Spirit to be with them. Clearly, the disciples are unsettled and confused. So Jesus needs to explain further. Continue reading “The surprising place Jesus said he wants to have a home (hint…it’s not in heaven)”
Tag Archives: belief
Jesus says that we show we believe in him by how we live our lives
Trust & Obey, Week 1: John 3 & John 14, Part 4 It’s now just hours before Jesus will be forcibly taken from his disciples, and less than a day before he will be killed. In John 14, Jesus is having a final conversation with his disciples, trying to prepare them for what will rockContinue reading “Jesus says that we show we believe in him by how we live our lives”
Jesus’ somewhat confusing instructions for entering the Kingdom of God
Trust & Obey, Week 1: John 3 & John 14, Part 3 In John 14, verse 1, Jesus is talking about belief, as we saw him do in the previous posts on John 3. But between John chapter 3 and John 14, time has passed, and now Jesus is hours away from his death. HeContinue reading “Jesus’ somewhat confusing instructions for entering the Kingdom of God”
What Jesus means by the concept of belief
Trust & Obey, Week 1: John 3 & John 14, Part 2 “How can an adult be born a second time?” So asked Nicodemus to Jesus, who had just said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” Good question, if you’re thinking very literally. My daughter-in-law just recently gave birth to my 8lb, 4oz, grandson,Continue reading “What Jesus means by the concept of belief”
Evidence for Jesus’ Resurrection, Preview
Imagine you’re at Easter dinner with family and friends, and someone asks you, “You don’t really believe in the resurrection of Jesus do you?” You respond, “I do believe in the resurrection of Jesus.” They press in, “Seriously. A dead person comes back to life? That’s ridiculous, right?” What do you say to them? OneContinue reading “Evidence for Jesus’ Resurrection, Preview”
How to have a heart like God’s heart – 1st Samuel 13 & 14, Part 5
Saul, through a priest, has beseeched the Lord for his blessing on attacking the fleeing Philistines. God, however, is not answering. How will Saul respond to God’s silence? Will he be impatient again, unable to wait on the Lord? Actually, no. We read in 1st Samuel 14, verse 38, Saul believes that God’s silence isContinue reading “How to have a heart like God’s heart – 1st Samuel 13 & 14, Part 5”
When (and why) God turned two men into real superheroes – 1st Samuel 13 & 14, Part 4
In my family, I would venture a guess that Batman is the favorite superhero. We’ve watched loads of Batman films and TV shows, and played Batman video games. One of Batman’s signature abilities is a hand-to-hand fighting technique and speed that allows him to fight, successfully, large groups of assailants. Did you know that inContinue reading “When (and why) God turned two men into real superheroes – 1st Samuel 13 & 14, Part 4”
A person with a heart after God’s heart is willing to step out of their comfort zone – 1st Samuel 13 & 14, Part 3
The Philistines have Israel outmanned and outgunned. In the previous two posts here and here, we read in 1st Samuel 13 that a battle is brewing and it is shaping up to be a slaughter. That brings us to 1st Samuel chapter 14. We read in verse 1, “One day Jonathan son of Saul saidContinue reading “A person with a heart after God’s heart is willing to step out of their comfort zone – 1st Samuel 13 & 14, Part 3”
When life is painful, do people make stupid comments to you? – 1st Samuel 1:1-2:11, Part 2
Hannah is in a precarious situation. She can’t bear her husband an heir, and yet her rival wife, Penninah is quite fertile. Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, could kick Hannah to the curb. What will Elkanah do? In 1st Samuel 1, verses 4-5, we learn that, “Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would giveContinue reading “When life is painful, do people make stupid comments to you? – 1st Samuel 1:1-2:11, Part 2”
The biblical background to 1st Samuel – 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11, Part 1
Today we start a new blog series on the life of the great warrior poet king David of ancient Israel. We read about David’s life in the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st Kings briefly, and in the parallel account in most of 1st Chronicles chapters 11-29. This blog series will primarily follow theContinue reading “The biblical background to 1st Samuel – 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11, Part 1”
Engaging Scripture 