We live just down the road from a local volunteer fire station, so we hear the fire siren quite regularly. If my dog is outside when the siren goes off, my dog will start howling. I don’t know why he doesn’t howl inside. Only outside. But here’s the thing. He cannot control the howling. WhenContinue reading “What my dog’s howling taught me about how God wants to change the world – Easter 2022, Romans 8, Part 5”
Tag Archives: fruit of the spirit
The Kingdom of God is within you – Mark 11, Part 4
What is the Kingdom of God? Jesus himself taught about it, almost from the very beginning of his ministry. As we continue studying the events of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry on the very first Palm Sunday, we’ve been following Mark’s account in Mark 11. Mark tells us that the people in the crowd, as Jesus rodeContinue reading “The Kingdom of God is within you – Mark 11, Part 4”
God wants you to be a rule-breaker? – Galatians 1:1-5:15, Part 1
Are you a rule-follower or a law-breaker? Sometimes following the rules is difficult. Take a look at this video, and you’ll see what I mean: Would it surprise you to hear me say that you God wants you to be rule-breakers? In fact, you need to be a rule-breaker to enter the Kingdom of God.Continue reading “God wants you to be a rule-breaker? – Galatians 1:1-5:15, Part 1”
The time my co-worker said, “What’s wrong with you? You’re not right.” – Galatians 1-5, Preview
As a line of blood trickled down my face, my co-worker looked at me, shaking his head saying, “What is wrong with you? You are not right!” But let me back up and tell you what led to that. My first job after graduating from college in 1996 was as a youth care worker atContinue reading “The time my co-worker said, “What’s wrong with you? You’re not right.” – Galatians 1-5, Preview”
Current Events – The Failure of Ravi Zacharias, Part 3
This week we’re talking about the failure of Ravi Zacharias. In the first post, I wrote about how Zacharias was for me and many others a mentor from afar, but how it has been revealed that he lived a double-life. In the second post, we looked how Jesus’ disciple, Peter, wrote about the story ofContinue reading “Current Events – The Failure of Ravi Zacharias, Part 3”
Keeping up with God – Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:8, Part 5
We recently had a snowstorm that blanketed our area with 8 inches of snow. Nothing massive, but given that we only got 5 inches total the entire previous winter, 8 inches felt like a lot. About 20 minutes away at my son and daughter-in-law’s house, the storm dropped 12 inches. As you traveled further northContinue reading “Keeping up with God – Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:8, Part 5”
How the surprise vine in my garden taught me about how Christians should live after the election – Current Events 2020 Q4, Part 4
This year we had a large vine growing in our garden. It was a vine we did not plant. I wondered if it was a weed, but it looked familiar, and it didn’t strike me as a weed. So we let it grow, and as the weeks went by we watched as this plant tookContinue reading “How the surprise vine in my garden taught me about how Christians should live after the election – Current Events 2020 Q4, Part 4”
How to walk with the Holy Spirit every day – Our Identity: Temples of the Spirit, Part 5
If you are a Christian, you carry the Holy Spirit around with you everywhere you go. So what? What does that matter? How do we live out our identity as temples of the Spirit? It starts with confession and repentance for the sin in our lives. Admit it, and turn away from it. One ofContinue reading “How to walk with the Holy Spirit every day – Our Identity: Temples of the Spirit, Part 5”
What is the Holy Spirit? And how do we receive the Spirit? – Our Identity: Temples of the Spirit, Part 2
What is the Holy Spirit? As a spirit, you cannot see the Spirit. The Spirit is invisible. But the Spirit is God, God’s true spiritual being. The Spirit is equal to God in every way. In Scripture we see various descriptions of the Spirit. The Spirit came like a dove alighting on Jesus during hisContinue reading “What is the Holy Spirit? And how do we receive the Spirit? – Our Identity: Temples of the Spirit, Part 2”
How the Holy Spirit helps us have peace when we struggle with fear – Fourth Sunday of Advent 2019, Part 5
What is at the root of fear? Human nature? Maybe it is just a part of the human experience? We fear that we won’t be taken care of. Clearly so many of us, young and old fear rejection, loneliness, insecurity, or being destitute. We can fear that people will look down on us. There isContinue reading “How the Holy Spirit helps us have peace when we struggle with fear – Fourth Sunday of Advent 2019, Part 5”
Engaging Scripture 