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”
Tag Archives: love
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”
Should you be more selfish? – John 13:1-17, Part 1
What did you think of that? Selfishness is good? As I watched the video there were times I felt confused, thinking that it is true that we are to care for ourselves, but also we are not to be selfish. I also thought, I wonder how Jesus would respond to the ideas in this video? Continue reading “Should you be more selfish? – John 13:1-17, Part 1”
Would Jesus agree with a love bomb? – John 11:46-12:11, Preview
Have you heard of a “love bomb”? I just learned the term this past week while watching the most recent episode (4/26/23) of the Apple+ show Ted Lasso. In this episode one character expresses their love for another character by giving them extravagant gifts. That’s a love bomb. One gift is a signed first editionContinue reading “Would Jesus agree with a love bomb? – John 11:46-12:11, Preview”
Engaging Scripture 