Built Up
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Build others up. Be built up. 1 Corinthians 8
Food Chain
I was considering recently how ridiculous all of us are. Then I remembered that we are the crown of all that Jesus has created. As I marveled at the contrast between our ridiculousness and the position humans hold in the created order, I was reminded by His Spirit first that those who are born from above, of Him, are even […]
Growing Families
When we use professional designs to grow tribes, we end up with orphanages: a couple of professional parents and a crowd of children who have no parents. When we instead allow the supernatural design built into humanity, boys and girls fall in love and become parents of boys and girls who fall in love and become parents of boys and […]
The One Who Justifies
The lights go out – he says to her, “Honey, did you pay the light bill?” She says to him, “Yes, I remember paying for that.” The accuser brings an accusation before the Righteous Judge regarding your failure. The Judge replies, “Yes, I remember paying for that.” What then are we to say about these things? If God is for […]
Out of the Shadows
Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ. For in Him the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily, and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. In Him you […]
In Christ the King
The morning that I became a believer, I woke up in a condition and mindset that was pretty open to any possibility regarding what the truth might be regarding the source of power and control that had created and continued to manage the universe. I had been in that condition for a while. I was 22, and since I had […]
In Christ
This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent — Jesus Christ. (John 17:3 Holman Christian Standard Bible ®©) Is it really that simple? Is it knowing Jesus and our Father? Saved, born-again, we have so many rules and codes and conditions that we use to separate the “us” from […]
Ecumenical Smoke
Fear of not being in control has helped produce fear of unity among believers. “We want to work with you – come join us in our projects,” is more likely to be heard than a gathering for prayer in which the prayer might be, “Lord, show us how we can submit to you by submitting to one another.” Ecumenism is […]
Seeking and Saving
One test of the righteousness of our responses to the situations we face or discuss could be to ask ourselves how well they line up with the work of reconciliation and restoration and redemption. He is still at work seeking and saving things and people that were lost to Him. But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, […]
Strong Currents
We are all on a journey. Our lives are thrust into a flow of others’ lives and deaths. If we simply surrender to the current, we will end up somewhere. The destination will not be good if we are only under the influence of powers and purposes from the world. Bitterness, unforgiveness, mismatched partnerships – these can snag us and […]