Do you have a part of your body that you don’t like? Some people don’t like feet. Another famously disdained part of the body is the nose. I suspect that nearly all humans have a part of their body they don’t like. That fact is what Paul talks about in 1st Corinthians 12:12. First, PaulContinue reading “What you can learn from that part of your body you don’t like – 1 Corinthians 12:12–31, Part 2”
Tag Archives: christ
Do you feel the Holy Spirit passed you by when handing out gifts? – 1 Corinthians 12:12–31, Part 1
A person once told me they felt they didn’t have any spiritual gifts. I wonder if you have ever felt that way? You look around church on a Sunday morning, and it is easy to just see teachers, worship leaders, singers, musicians, and preachers. Did God pass you by? Are some gifts more important thanContinue reading “Do you feel the Holy Spirit passed you by when handing out gifts? – 1 Corinthians 12:12–31, Part 1”
Off the field practices to help you experience flourishing – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 5
I played soccer in college. Admittedly, it was not high quality college soccer. In fact, with the exception of my very good freshman year college team, I have a feeling my high school team could have beaten my college team every other year. Still, just about all of the players on that college team, allContinue reading “Off the field practices to help you experience flourishing – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 5”
Easy Off and the grace of God – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 4
In my first post this week, I mentioned that I received a used grill, but it was dirty and some parts were broken. It needed rehab, and rehab takes work. I wish I could snap my fingers and the grill would be magically repaired. But instead, I had to do the work. And that bringsContinue reading “Easy Off and the grace of God – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 4”
How thoroughly God wants us to be changed – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 3
In our study this week through 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Paul writes that God desires to thoroughly our whole being: spirit, soul, and body. God wants all of it to be blameless. There have long been debates among Christian theologians about what the writers of Scripture meant by spirit and soul. Body we get. We engageContinue reading “How thoroughly God wants us to be changed – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 3”
I wish there was a medication that would make us more like Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 2
A few months ago at a community event, a person waved to me smiling, and I waved back with one of those looks on my face that likely said what I was thinking, “I don’t know who you are, but you sure seem to know me, so…Hi!” I hoped they didn’t see my lost look.Continue reading “I wish there was a medication that would make us more like Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 2”
What my grill taught me about becoming more like Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 1
My brother received a new grill as a gift, and he posted on social media that he was giving away his old one. His old grill is better than mine, so when I saw my brother’s offer, I texted him, and I was thankful that I was the first person to respond. He delivered theContinue reading “What my grill taught me about becoming more like Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 1”
Be content, but don’t be – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Preview
Is there anything about yourself that you wish you could change? For as long as time, humans have tried to lose weight, get in shape, alter their bodies, learn new skills, and drop bad habits. We try to change jobs, change homes, and change relationships. Some of us are very dissatisfied with aspects of ourContinue reading “Be content, but don’t be – 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Preview”
Questioning Jesus’ Ascension, Preview
When I think about the events of Jesus’ life, there are two events that I sometimes find a bit odd. His transfiguration and his ascension. Interestingly, if you look at paintings of the two events, they appear very similar. In those paintings, Jesus is levitating in the air, while his disciples look up in shock. Continue reading “Questioning Jesus’ Ascension, Preview”
We need Mary Poppins prophets in our lives – 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22, Part 5
It is not just pastors and teachers that need to be humble, self-aware, and teachable, as I wrote in the previous post. When Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:20, “Do not treat prophecies with contempt,” he is pointing out a very common human tendency. Prophecies in the Bible are only rarely predictions of the future.Continue reading “We need Mary Poppins prophets in our lives – 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22, Part 5”
Engaging Scripture 