We need to talk about the other direction of salvation. Jesus does not only save us from terrible consequences, he also saves for something. We are saved for the abundant, flourishing life, filled by the Spirit, so the good things of the Spirit flow out of our lives. We are saved to live according toContinue reading “God’s wonderful plan for your life might not be what you think – Helmet of Salvation, Part 2”
Tag Archives: bible
Football helmets, good news and the…Helmet of Salvation, Part 1
There’s been a lot of research put into football helmets because of concussions. What we see in the video below is the development of a helmet that is intended to “save” people. In Ephesians 6, verse 17, we learn about a different kind of helmet intended to save people. This verse is part of aContinue reading “Football helmets, good news and the…Helmet of Salvation, Part 1”
What hidden cash has to do with the…Helmet of Salvation, Preview
A few years ago, my wife’s great aunt passed away. She lived in Michigan where my wife’s mother’s side of the family is from. My wife’s great aunt was single, had a long career as a teacher, and was also joyful and bright. As most of us do, she also had a quirky side. ForContinue reading “What hidden cash has to do with the…Helmet of Salvation, Preview”
How to use the… Shield of Faith, Part 5
I volunteer to help with CV SEEDS English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. During the current six-week session, I have been helping with childcare on Tuesday nights and teaching a Level 4 ESL class on Thursday nights. In the hours leading up to childcare or class, I can sometimes feel like I want aContinue reading “How to use the… Shield of Faith, Part 5”
Sometimes faith follows faithfulness – Shield of Faith, Part 4
If you’ve been following along with this series of posts on the Shield of Faith (starting here), you might be thinking, “Whew, I’m struggling with faith and faithfulness.” There is hope. True faith is rooted in who God is. Consider what Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2, “If we are faithless, he remainsContinue reading “Sometimes faith follows faithfulness – Shield of Faith, Part 4”
Why true faith cannot simply be passive, but must be active – Shield of Faith, Part 3
In our current blog series, we are studying the Armor of God in Ephesians 6, verses 10-20. So far this week, I’ve introduced the next piece of the armor, the Shield of Faith, by describing the noun version of faith. Is that noun version of faith what Paul had in mind when he taught usContinue reading “Why true faith cannot simply be passive, but must be active – Shield of Faith, Part 3”
Which religion is most pleasing to God – Shield of Faith, Part 2
In the previous post, I described faith as a noun. The noun version of faith is our ideas, opinions that we believe. But there is so much more to faith. Back to the writer of Hebrews. In the previous post we read his definition of faith in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 1. He goes onContinue reading “Which religion is most pleasing to God – Shield of Faith, Part 2”
Why we need to see faith as opinion – Shield of Faith, Part 1
What is faith? There are many ways to describe faith. Faith can be a noun, an idea, and faith can be a verb, an action. When we think of faith as a noun, we might think of a religion. The Christian faith. The Muslim faith. The Hindu faith. There are many, many religious faiths. AContinue reading “Why we need to see faith as opinion – Shield of Faith, Part 1”
Why I’m not upgrading my cell phone, though I really want to – Shield of Faith, Preview
I recently received an email from my cell phone provider with an offer to upgrade my phone. My current phone is three years old, and it is a base model. The more advanced models have larger screens, better cameras and other features such as facial recognition. The email tugged at my desires. I desire aContinue reading “Why I’m not upgrading my cell phone, though I really want to – Shield of Faith, Preview”
How deeply God desires us to experience peace – Boots of Peace, Part 5
As we conclude this week’s blog series about the Boots of Peace in the Armor of God, consider what Paul writes about peace in Ephesians 2, verses 11-22: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his fleshContinue reading “How deeply God desires us to experience peace – Boots of Peace, Part 5”
Engaging Scripture 