I hate confrontation. I think most people also hate confrontation. When I have to confront someone, I can delay and avoid like a champ. Then when I can wait no longer, and the confrontation actually happens, I can say far less than I ought to have said. My emotions and fears take over. I can physically shake. I hate it. But ifContinue reading “The Bible’s helpful teachings about confronting others – Holding others accountable, Part 4”
Tag Archives: love
Giving people another chance with gracious, truthful love – Encourage one another, Part 5
How will Paul react? Remember the situation? In the previous post, we learned that in Acts chapters 13-14, Barnabas the Encourager and Paul embark on the first missionary trip of the early church, and they take John Mark with them. But mid-trip, John leaves them to return to Jerusalem, where his mother lives. Time passes, and PaulContinue reading “Giving people another chance with gracious, truthful love – Encourage one another, Part 5”
A disturbing soccer game and some words teaching us to…Encourage one another, Part 1
When my second son was a junior in high school, his soccer team experienced something that pretty much everyone at the game found disturbing. His team was very good that year, gaining the best record in their section, section one. As the section one winner, they were the top seed in the league playoffs, meaningContinue reading “A disturbing soccer game and some words teaching us to…Encourage one another, Part 1”
Introducing a new blog series: Relationships in the church
This past fall, in front of the whole class, I had to disagree with one of my students. I was teaching Early Church, covering the New Testament books of Acts through Revelation. In that class session, a student remarked at how unified the early church was. It was early in the semester, so this studentContinue reading “Introducing a new blog series: Relationships in the church”
This too shall pass – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving, Part 4
As we study Psalm 30 this week, we’re discovering it’s parallel structure. We found its first matching pair of lines here, and we found its second pair here. To search for its third coupling, we first look at verses 4-5. These two verses are loaded with praise to God because, David says, God’s favor that lastsContinue reading “This too shall pass – Advent Psalm of Thanksgiving, Part 4”
How deeply God desires us to experience peace – Boots of Peace, Part 5
As we conclude this week’s blog series about the Boots of Peace in the Armor of God, consider what Paul writes about peace in Ephesians 2, verses 11-22: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his fleshContinue reading “How deeply God desires us to experience peace – Boots of Peace, Part 5”
What love is – Reflecting God, Part 4
Note: In this post we welcome guest blogger, David Hundert. David is studying in Kairos University – Evangelical Seminary’s Master of Divinity program. As we learned in the previous post, love is at the heart of what Jesus called the Old Testament’s two greatest commandments. How can we practice that kind of love? What doesContinue reading “What love is – Reflecting God, Part 4”
What Christian citizenship looks like – Reflecting God, Part 3
Note: In this post we welcome guest blogger, David Hundert. David is studying in Kairos University – Evangelical Seminary’s Master of Divinity program. We can look at people, and based on what we see outwardly, we can sometimes determine what their heritage is, where their family might be from or what culture they were raisedContinue reading “What Christian citizenship looks like – Reflecting God, Part 3”
Why Jesus’ teaching “If you love me, obey me” is not gaslighting – John 14-16, Part 1
When I was in Bible College, I was in the college library one day reading Christianity Today magazine. It was the September 1994 issue, and in that issue an article really caught my attention. The title of the article is “Who’s Afraid of the Holy Spirit?” by Daniel Wallace, at the time a professor atContinue reading “Why Jesus’ teaching “If you love me, obey me” is not gaslighting – John 14-16, Part 1″
How to lead with love – John 13:1-17, Part 2
In the previous post, we learned that Jesus leads with love. Now we learn how he did so. Look at John 13, verses 2-5. “The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under hisContinue reading “How to lead with love – John 13:1-17, Part 2”
Engaging Scripture 