Your Theological Statement
The actions of Christians become theological statements about our God. When we align our lives with the teachings of Jesus, we become ambassadors, reconcilers, healers and peacemakers whose lives represent God in winsome ways. When we do not align our lives with the teachings of Jesus, the actions flowing out of that are messages
On Being Human
The inhumanity of humans to other humans cuts away not only at civilization but at the core of being human. Psalm 8 begins and ends with the glory of God, but in between is the glory with which God has crowned humans. We have the stamp of God on the very essence of our
Do Good
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38 ESV). The Holy Spirit in Jesus was the source of His doing good. It is to be so with us.
His Grace Is Enough
“My Grace is enough for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is easy to forget, but it is true. His supply is boundless; His reservoirs are inexhaustible. He keeps on giving. Draw one more drink from the Spring. When you think you can’t go on; take one more step. To keep on keeping on can
It is a Journey
We have not arrived yet; it is a journey. We are formed by how we travel it. We travel this way while looking to Jesus, while being in relationship with Him as our traveling companion. He is our goal, our mentor and our strength. He has put His Spirit in us to enable our
Reflecting on My Life
Did I love the people who crossed the path of my life? Did I go out of the way to lend a helping hand? Did I look past flaws to love? Did I see Jesus in the faces of the last and the least? Did I come to love out of obedience to Jesus,
Representing Christ
We are made in God’s image to accurately represent Him before the world. We must have that image restored and refined by the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. Our failure at this is not just a failure at spiritual formation; it is a failure of mission. Our job in the world is to
What Comes Out
Jesus was dealing with people who were trying to avoid contaminating themselves by what they were eating, i.e., what they were taking in. He concludes His speech on this subject by saying, “All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” The human heart is desperately wicked and we are all
Healing Wounds
Isaiah said, “With His wounds we are healed.” How can His hurt bring about our healing? Profound mystery! Yet, it does! The crushing of Jesus yields the sweet fragrance of the Rose. The Father chose to use His own wounded-ness to heal the world. We provide comfort and healing to others by our own
Intercessory Prayer
“Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34 ESV). To be an intercessor is to be Christlike. Care enough to truly pray for those in need; stand for them before our loving Father. Christ intercedes!
The Unchanging Christ
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” Hebrews 13:8 (ESV). His yesterday was when He walked this earth; His yesterday was before the foundation of the world. When all around us is shaking, Jesus remains our firm Foundation. When life around us is unstable, we flee to the stable Rock. Today
Our Limitations
The understanding of a child is not the same as an adult. The comprehension of the untrained is not the same as the ones who have been taught. The development of the novice is not the same as the accomplished. The catechumen is not nearly so schooled as the theologian. The maturity of
Suffering and Christ
The “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah 53, until Messiah arrived, was understood to be Israel as a whole. Christians saw that the Christ and the Suffering Servant were one and the same Person. God did not sit above the suffering of humanity, but entered it by incarnation. By suffering, He sanctified suffering. We are invited
Keep Your Focus
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away” (Hebrews 2:1 NIV). Human nature is such that we can focus on minor things while neglecting major things. We chase shiny objects; we pursue popular discussions. We can neglect truth for trivia. We can find
The Flexible Jesus
Jesus did not get in a hurry. He healed` a 12 year hemorrhage on the way to heal a 12 year old child (Luke 8:40-48). He healed someone when He was on the way to heal someone. The interruption was an opportunity. We can plan our day while the day has plans of its
Self-Focused
We can be so self focused that we can enter a room and see and hear very little except ourselves. We are so hungry to express our opinions, we cannot even hear the opinions of others that may be much better than ours. We are not good listeners. We have not progressed enough in
Dwelling With Trinity
The Holy Spirit, a member of the Holy Trinity, indwells us. He does so in order: To cure us from our hunger for power and control. To cure us from our love of praise and attention. To cure us of our love of the chief seats; To cure us from this selfishness by sanctification.
Escapism or Incarnational Living
Believers are called to live the Christ-life in the world in incarnational ways, that is, like their Lord did. This means identification with the ones to whom we minister; it includes suffering with them, loving them and unselfishly serving them. A desire to escape the world and living in incarnational ways is not compatible.
Reaching for God
Much of our activity is a veiled reaching for God. Our hunger for God can express itself in life’s excesses. Realizing this will make a difference in how we view people’s sins. Substitute idols cannot take the place of the true and living God. Our devotional lives are to see and acknowledge the source
Practice Self-control
The self has no desire for self-control. The self’s desires can be insatiable. It longs for more and self-control insists on less. Self-control involves controlling our bodies, our thoughts, and our actions. It keeps watch over desires, drives, ambitions, attitudes, and temperament. It has to do with what we say and how we say
Cleansed to Love
“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Romans 8:8–9 (NASB) “And those who belong to Christ
Indwelling Love
“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in
Partakers of Glory
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Then amazingly we read later that Jesus prayed, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as
The Business of Righteousness
Righteousness Is living right as God defines right. Righteousness is treating others as we would like to be treated. Righteousness Is treating others as God has treated us. We have a duty to our fellow humans to be as generous with each other as our Father has been to us. To show the same