As a pastor for many years, I’ve had the opportunity to interacted with people in spiritual panics, some funny, some sad, some tragic. People come to me as their pastor, or I’ve found out about their situation, and they just don’t know what to do. They feel that God’s not answering them. They’re praying. They’reContinue reading “Three steps for avoiding spiritual panic – 1st Samuel 28-30, Part 5”
Tag Archives: prophecy
Should we just skip difficult chapters of the Bible? – 1st Samuel 15, Preview
Every now and then in our study through books of the Bible we come to sections that feel strange or even if off-putting. For example, a couple years ago I blogged through Ezekiel. I called Ezekiel “The SNL Prophet” because he did so many skits (like the TV show Saturday Night Live), and some Ezekiel’sContinue reading “Should we just skip difficult chapters of the Bible? – 1st Samuel 15, Preview”
How God speaks – 1st Samuel 2:12-4:1a, Part 5
How do we listen to God? There are many ways. We listen through studying God’s word, the Scriptures. God’s word is living and active, and he speaks through the Bible. The Bible is inspired by God, which means that God’s Spirit was at work in the lives of the authors, so that when we readContinue reading “How God speaks – 1st Samuel 2:12-4:1a, Part 5”
How humility is the foundational posture to hear from God – 1 Samuel 2:12-4:1a, Part 4
As we saw in the previous post, God speaks directly to Samuel. But why? God does not speak directly to the priests Hophni or Phineas. God does not speak to their father, the priest Eli. In today’s post, we learn how Samuel put himself in a position to hear directly from God. But first, weContinue reading “How humility is the foundational posture to hear from God – 1 Samuel 2:12-4:1a, Part 4”
Putting yourself in a position to hear from God – 1 Samuel 2:12-4:1a, Part 3
There was evil in the tabernacle. All the people knew it. God was also taking notice. Read 1 Samuel 2:27-36 here, and then return to the post. Those verses are brutal, right? God sends an unnamed prophet to give a dark, dark message for Eli. He is saying, “Eli, what your sons are doing isContinue reading “Putting yourself in a position to hear from God – 1 Samuel 2:12-4:1a, Part 3”
What do you think about End Times Prophecy? – Q & A, Part 5
This week we take a break from our Relationships in the Church series. At Faith Church this past week I gave a Q & A sermon. I asked the congregation for questions ahead of time, and then I attempted to bring biblical theology to bear on their questions. Here’s the next question: What is Faith Church’sContinue reading “What do you think about End Times Prophecy? – Q & A, Part 5”
How to have hope amidst evil in the world – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 4
This week I welcome guest blogger, Jeff Byerly. Jeff is my pastoral colleague, friend, ThD classmate, and traveling partner! He and his wife Tasha have two daughters, a son-in-law and new grandbaby! As we continue studying the lament of Psalm 137, the psalmist recalls the vicious attack from Israel’s enemies that led to Israel’s captivity.Continue reading “How to have hope amidst evil in the world – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 4”
Where peace is found – Boots of Peace, Part 4
How do we find peace? In the story of the birth of Jesus, the shepherds just outside the town of Bethlehem had the shock of their lives when angels showed up in the sky above them, telling them that the Messiah had been born that evening right there in the town of Bethlehem. What didContinue reading “Where peace is found – Boots of Peace, Part 4”
What to do when your faith feels stale – Jeremiah 48
The other day I pulled a bag of potato chips out of our pantry, looking forward to a snack. I dug around the chips, pulled out a handful and started munching. Ugh! They were stale. Soft, bland, tasteless chips. It’s the rare person that enjoys stale anything. What about your practice of faith, your discipleshipContinue reading “What to do when your faith feels stale – Jeremiah 48”
God’s message to us when life seems out of control – Jeremiah 46 & 47
Over my years of pastoral ministry, when people experience sickness, lose a job or mourn the passing of a loved one, they have often asked the question, “Why did God allow that to happen?” In those painful situations, it’s quite natural to wonder what role God might have behind the scenes. Some go so farContinue reading “God’s message to us when life seems out of control – Jeremiah 46 & 47”
Engaging Scripture 