Trust & Obey, Week 2: Matthew 16 & 18, Part 4 Can you recite the Lord’s Prayer? Our Father who art in heaven… In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus not only teaches his disciples how to pray, but also what to pray for. What he taught us to pray for has everything to do with thisContinue reading “What Jesus’ kingdom looks like (hint: it’s not church buildings)”
Tag Archives: king
Asking questions: a helpful model for confronting others – 1 Kings 1—2, Part 2
I hate confrontation. When I have to say something the least bit confrontational to a person, I get shaky and nervous and often say far less than I ought to. Do you know the feeling? I suspect that the majority of people do not enjoy confrontation, even those who are confident enough to confront. IContinue reading “Asking questions: a helpful model for confronting others – 1 Kings 1—2, Part 2”
David is cold, can’t get warm. What his attendants do to help him is a shocker. (Or is it?) – 1 Kings 1—2, Part 1
My wife recently purchased a new comforter for our bed. The floral print on the comforter is very nice, and the comforter stuffing is fluffy. It’s a great-looking comforter. It is not a warm comforter. We heat our home with a wood stove, which is located in our living room. We love our wood stove.Continue reading “David is cold, can’t get warm. What his attendants do to help him is a shocker. (Or is it?) – 1 Kings 1—2, Part 1”
People of God act to decrease drama – 2 Samuel 9, 13, 14, 15 – Part 2
In some cultures, particularly in the ancient world, kings sometimes purge their nations of any contenders to the throne. Some even have members of their own extended family killed, just to preserve their lineage. That kind of purge is the epitome of family drama. In 2 Samuel 9, however, David does the opposite. David isContinue reading “People of God act to decrease drama – 2 Samuel 9, 13, 14, 15 – Part 2”
Women are not responsible for the way people view women’s bodies – 2 Samuel 11, Part 3
Editor’s Note: This week we welcome guest blogger, Emily Marks. Emily is an adult and community educator. She and her husband Sean live in Lancaster, PA, with their dog Corvus. I learned so much from her sermon on 2 Samuel 11-12! I’m excited for you to read these blog posts. David is smart. As weContinue reading “Women are not responsible for the way people view women’s bodies – 2 Samuel 11, Part 3”
Was David right or wrong to make a peace deal contingent on getting his ex-wife back? – 2 Samuel 2:9-3:39, Part 3
In the previous post, Abner, the top general of the eleven tribes of Israel, has just been dishonored and shamed by his king, Ish-Bosheth. Deeply angered, Abner not only threatens to reach out to David, who is now king of the other tribe Judah, but also Abner begins organizing a massive defection to David. HowContinue reading “Was David right or wrong to make a peace deal contingent on getting his ex-wife back? – 2 Samuel 2:9-3:39, Part 3”
God’s view of outward appearance is like Dove Soap – 1st Samuel 16, Part 2
We humans tend to be very outward focused. Think about how our culture is fixated on outward appearance. There is so much emphasis on having good skin, toned muscles, a certain Body Mass Index, dieting, working out. No doubt some of that is also beneficial for good health and quality of life. But we can worshipContinue reading “God’s view of outward appearance is like Dove Soap – 1st Samuel 16, Part 2”
The diminishment of the American presidency – 1st Samuel 8-10, Part 5
A few years ago I was in a doctoral class about leadership, and we were talking about the American presidential election coming soon. My professor made what I thought was a very irresponsible comment, “The person in the White House matters very little.” My professor is a deep thinker, so I was surprised to hearContinue reading “The diminishment of the American presidency – 1st Samuel 8-10, Part 5”
The king who didn’t want to be king – 1st Samuel 8-10, Part 4
This week I’ve been blogging about the story of Israel asking for a king. God is their king, but they want a human king. Amazing God grants their wish, and in the last post we met the king. He’s a man name Saul. As the story in 1st Samuel chapter unfolds, Saul searches for hisContinue reading “The king who didn’t want to be king – 1st Samuel 8-10, Part 4”
How do you react when you are hurt by someone? – 1st Samuel 8-10, Part 2
What comes out of you when you are hurting? When someone treats you poorly or says something unkind to you, how do you react? The elders of Israel have just come to Samuel, asking for a king. See the previous post for all the details. What will Samuel say? Samuel’s response is in verse 6,Continue reading “How do you react when you are hurt by someone? – 1st Samuel 8-10, Part 2”
Engaging Scripture 