When we look at other people’s lives, it’s usually pretty easy to see root of their problems. Your friend can’t commit even though she keeps meeting potentially great partners, and she just can’t figure out why. You know her dad left her when she was young, so it seems obvious to you that her commitment … Read more
What does the Bible say about false prophets and teachers? Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-16, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” Whenever Jesus tells us to “beware,” he means this in the most literal sense. As Christians we … Read more
Twenty-six letters . . . who would have thought that twenty-six letters could be as powerful as they are? With twenty-six letters wars have been started, treaties have been made, great cures have been passed on to the next generation, history has been recorded, identities are given, order is made possible, and the ability to … Read more
Detoxing is a medical term often associated with cleansing the body from impure substances. You can detox from anything ranging from sugar to relationship or from chocolate to crack cocaine. While detoxing from sin is not a topic directly found in the Bible, there are certainly many similarities.
You are not going to find the term “personal boundaries” in the Bible. However, the Bible does talk about personal boundaries in principle.
As Christians, most of us have a general awareness that it is a good thing to pray for other people and to have other people praying for you. But perhaps praying for each other is more than “good,” perhaps it is crucial. So why should we pray for others? What benefits are there to interceding … Read more
Why does God forgive us? He can forgive us because of the sacrifice of Jesus. But he chooses to forgive us because he is love and because he loves us. Why should we forgive others? We can forgive others because of the sacrifice of Jesus. And we should choose to forgive because to be God’s … Read more
So what does the Bible say about personal responsibility? Throughout the Bible, the real problem was not the Philistines, Egyptians, Syrians, or Romans. It was not the Red Sea, the lack of water, or the absence of food for the people. Nothing could hinder God’s purpose for his people other than the people themselves.
Everyone wants to change in some way or the other. Whether it’s an addiction problem, a chronic rage issue, or a character flaw that is ruining your most significant relationships, there are areas in our lives we want to change but struggle to do so. And more than this, the Bible makes clear we must … Read more
I find it interesting that humility is not one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. I think this is probably because it is one of those qualities that works its way into all of the fruits of the Spirit. All of the good qualities Christians are to posses have an element … Read more