In contemporary society, we are well aware of the ways in which people harm or take advantage of others sexually. Certainly in the context Paul wrote, and throughout most of human history, that harm, that taking advantage of, has moved in one direction. From males to females. In the vast majority of situations where thereContinue reading “When it comes sexual expression, men, we need to do better – 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8, Part 4”
Tag Archives: temptation
What I learned from a Shakespeare class about God’s word – David’s heart after God, Part 4
For my undergraduate studies, I attended a Bible college, so it might surprise you that my top five classes included a class that wasn’t specifically related to Bible, theology, or ministry. One of my top five was Shakespeare. For that class, we read something like five of his plays. Also, my professor, Dr. Joan Tompkins,Continue reading “What I learned from a Shakespeare class about God’s word – David’s heart after God, Part 4”
What not to do when you are sick with desire – 2 Samuel 9, 13, 14, 14, Part 3
This week on the blog, we’re learning how to resolve family drama by observing how King David responds to drama of his own. I’ve said that David, throughout the entirety of his life, seemed to be a drama magnet. But in the previous post, David makes a generously sacrificial gesture to decrease drama. Turn toContinue reading “What not to do when you are sick with desire – 2 Samuel 9, 13, 14, 14, Part 3”
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”
Is accountability disobedient to Jesus? – Holding others accountable, Part 1
I have an app on my laptop and phone called Ever Accountable. It’s there to monitor everything I do online. It is watching me. I can’t see it, of course, but I know it is there because I installed it. It’s not perfect. It doesn’t have God-like abilities to know everything. But it’s good enough. Continue reading “Is accountability disobedient to Jesus? – Holding others accountable, Part 1”
To-Do Lists and…Praying in the Spirit, Part 1
There was a husband and wife who were having marital difficulties. One of the spouses would wake up in the morning, lean over to their spouse and start listing what they wanted the spouse to do that day. The list wouldn’t take long to recite. Maybe five minutes at most. Some days less. Some daysContinue reading “To-Do Lists and…Praying in the Spirit, Part 1”
You can have victory over temptation – Sword of the Spirit, Part 5
I started this week talking about Tolstoy’s short story, How Much Land Does a Man Need. Read that post here. The main character of the story, Pahom, is hiking around land for sale. As he hikes, he stakes out the land. He has from sunup till sundown to make it back to his starting stake,Continue reading “You can have victory over temptation – Sword of the Spirit, Part 5”
How to use scripture to fight temptation – Sword of the Spirit, Part 4
I believe we need to have a balanced approach to studying the Word. We need community study where we can study and discuss it together. We need Sundays where we hear the word from preachers and teachers. And we need personal study. Psalm 119:9-11, for example, says, “How can a young person stay on theContinue reading “How to use scripture to fight temptation – Sword of the Spirit, Part 4”
What we can learn from Jesus’ battle with Satan – Sword of the Spirit, Part 3
Temptations pull at me. I struggle with the empty self. It is very easy to desire a new car to replace our 2010. It often feel discontent about my car. But that car continues to get me around. It is super difficult to know when the right time is to pull the plug and getContinue reading “What we can learn from Jesus’ battle with Satan – Sword of the Spirit, Part 3”
What is the Word of God? – Sword of the Spirit, Part 2
Typically we Christians equate the word of God with the Bible. And we Christians do believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, as Paul writes to his young ministry partner Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed.” Certainly, God has communicated his word in other ways as well. We readContinue reading “What is the Word of God? – Sword of the Spirit, Part 2”
Engaging Scripture 