One of the biggest questions followers of Jesus ask is: how much should we be in the world, exposing ourselves to the world, participating in activities or behaviors that are considered normative in the world? And by contrast, how much should we remove ourselves from the world? Which behaviors should we stop? How much shouldContinue reading “The surprising weapon followers of Jesus arm themselves with”
Tag Archives: Jesus
Can we experience Jesus’ victory now…or do we have to wait till we get to heaven?
What is heaven like? There is much speculation. I wish the Bible was much more clear than it is. Sometimes it talks about a supernatural dwelling place of God. In the New Testament the word for “heaven” can also mean “sky”. Is heaven up there somewhere? But then other times the Bible talks about heavenContinue reading “Can we experience Jesus’ victory now…or do we have to wait till we get to heaven?”
Can a mysterious Bible passage help those feeling defeated in life?
Are there any areas of life where you just feel defeated? Work? Parenting? A relationship? Finances? Health? Think about the last few weeks or months. How has it been? Do you ever feel like the waters are rising up around you? Like you are drowning? Sometimes I think life can be a journey in managingContinue reading “Can a mysterious Bible passage help those feeling defeated in life?”
What to do when talking about faith is scary or difficult
Have you ever been made fun of for your faith? It can feel awful, making you want to crawl into the closest hole and hide. That feeling of shame is often so powerful that it gets stuck inside us, and we fear talking about our faith ever again. What should we do about this? InsteadContinue reading “What to do when talking about faith is scary or difficult”
Are Christians in America being oppressed?
This week we are studying 1 Peter 3:13-17. As you turn there, remember that the backdrop of this letter is that the Christians were being persecuted for their faith. You might remember three months ago when we started this series, I talked about the situation that these Christians found themselves in. They were being persecuted. Continue reading “Are Christians in America being oppressed?”
A story about what happens after people die
What happens after a person dies? My uncle recently sent me this story, author unknown, that tries to answer that question. On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by theContinue reading “A story about what happens after people die”
Why trajectory is vital to understanding the marital submission passage in 1 Peter 3:1-7
Rocket launches have been all the rage recently, with private companies getting in the new space race. I have always been fascinated with space shuttles and astronauts, and thus love watching the blast-offs! A nighttime launch with is fire trail is especially amazing. See the trajectory? All week long we have been studying a controversialContinue reading “Why trajectory is vital to understanding the marital submission passage in 1 Peter 3:1-7”
How to submit to God when life is hard
There was Jesus on the worst night of his life, knowing that horror was just hours away. He is kneeling, praying to God, experiencing human pain and anxiety, wishing like we all do that there might be another way, some escape from suffering. What do you when you don’t want to do what God wantsContinue reading “How to submit to God when life is hard”
How Peter could tell slaves to submit to masters without dignifying the institution of slavery
Does the Bible condone slavery? The passage we are studying this week, in particular 1 Peter 2:18-20, seems to do just that. As I mentioned in this week’s first post, Christian slave-owners used this passage to support slavery. Imagine being a slave hearing sermons telling you to submit to your master, even when he beatsContinue reading “How Peter could tell slaves to submit to masters without dignifying the institution of slavery”
Why and how to submit to governing authorities
Yesterday we looked at Peter’s principle in 1 Peter 2:13a, “Submit to human created authorities, for the Lord’s sake.” As he continues teaching, Peter illustrates this principle three ways: Illustration #1 – verses 13b-17 – respect and submit to the governing authorities. Illustration #2 – verses 18-20 – slaves respect and submit to your mastersContinue reading “Why and how to submit to governing authorities”
Engaging Scripture 