In this series of posts on Daniel and his friends, we’ve been talking about assimilation. How much should Christians allow themselves to assimilate with their surrounding culture? What areas of ethics matter, and which don’t? It’s not always easy to know. One way people seek to answer this question is about process. Do the endsContinue reading “How much should we let our Christianity show? – Characters: Daniel, Part 4”
Tag Archives: god
What is Jesus most astounding promise? – Fourth Sunday of Advent, Part 3
Jesus makes lots of promises. What do you think is his most amazing promise? In this post, I think we just might have a candidate for it. We actually started studying the promise in the previous post. Jesus teaches the promises to his disciples in John 14:15-31, and he crafts in the form of anContinue reading “What is Jesus most astounding promise? – Fourth Sunday of Advent, Part 3”
How to have victory over envy and jealousy – Second Sunday of Advent, Part 5
Throughout Advent this year, we are examining our longings. During this second week, we have been studying Psalm 73, learning what to do with envy and jealousy. If this is the first post you are reading in this series of five, I urge you to go back and start at the beginning, as the psalmist,Continue reading “How to have victory over envy and jealousy – Second Sunday of Advent, Part 5”
God says he is enough for us, so why doesn’t it feel like it? – Second Sunday of Advent 2019, Part 4
Have you ever questioned something like what the title of this post suggests? I have. My guess is that you have too. What do we do when God doesn’t seem to be enough for us? What do we do when we struggle with envy and jealously, especially of the arrogant and mean people who seemContinue reading “God says he is enough for us, so why doesn’t it feel like it? – Second Sunday of Advent 2019, Part 4”
The antidote to envy – Second Sunday of Advent, Part 3
Is there any hope to rid ourselves of envy and jealousy? What are we to do with our dark longings? We can feel powerless to combat them. We hate the way they make us feel. Dissatisfied and grumpy. Convinced that the next iPhone, the next TV show, the next vacation, the next date, the debtContinue reading “The antidote to envy – Second Sunday of Advent, Part 3”
An amazing response to tragedy – Characters: Ruth, Part 2
Have you experienced tragedy and loss in your life? How have you responded to it? It’s not easy to respond well to the difficult situations in life. As we continue the story of Ruth, we will see an example of an amazing response to tragedy, a response we would do well to follow. In ourContinue reading “An amazing response to tragedy – Characters: Ruth, Part 2”
When God leaves you (and what to do about it) – Characters: Samson, Part 4
How close do you feel to God? Do you know if he is a part of your life? Is it possible that he has left you? Today we read that God leaves Samson. Yes, you read that right. God leaves Samson. Is that wrong of God? Is God allowed to do that, based on theContinue reading “When God leaves you (and what to do about it) – Characters: Samson, Part 4”
How the godly fall – Characters: Samson, Part 2
A fall from grace. Maybe you’ve experienced it. Or maybe another’s fall has affected you. There have been a number of high profile such failures, and countless more lower profile examples that don’t get reported in the news. No matter the situation, they impact people deeply, leaving us wonder, “How did that happen?” Parents splitContinue reading “How the godly fall – Characters: Samson, Part 2”
No matter how bad it is, there is hope – Characters: Samson, Part 1
What gifts has God given you? Sometimes we call them spiritual gifts. Or it could be our personal abilities. Our aptitudes. Things we are good at. Could be working with our hands. Thinking. Art. Communication. Leading. There are many such gifts. Have you ever wondered if you’re using those gifts the way God wants? OrContinue reading “No matter how bad it is, there is hope – Characters: Samson, Part 1”
How one family’s drama was healed – Characters: Joseph, Part 5
In this Characters installment, we have been following the family drama in the life of Joseph, one of the patriarchs of ancient Israel. His is a story of extremes. Joseph lost his mother in childhood, but was his father’s favorite. His father loved him, but his brothers hated him. He had dreams from God aboutContinue reading “How one family’s drama was healed – Characters: Joseph, Part 5”
Engaging Scripture 