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Church of Destruction
Galatians 2:17–21, Ephesians 2:1–10 There has been a lot of talk in some circles about the increasing percentage of the U.S. population that calls themselves, “nones.” This is used to define categorize people as those having no definitive religious identity. This “none” categorization is awful. It covers a huge range of people. The panic, in
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A Little Tempted
1 Samuel 25:36–42, Luke 22:39–46, James 1:13–15 Temptation is a tricky thing. It can seem easy to succumb to, and it is. It can also be easy to beat yourself up should you fall to temptation. In many respects, after the failure, it is the mind game you play with yourself afterward that sets you
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Strong Protecting Love
Isaiah 26:1–6, Psalm 18:1–9, Nehemiah 6:15–16 Strength is measured in many ways. When you’re the one being attached, often it is by fists (or equivalent). Another way is deterrent. In other words, what will be the cost to attack? When a strong city is called out, it is a city that, yes, can defend itself.
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Burning Jealousy
Genesis 37:3–11, 1 Samuel 16:1–13, 1 Samuel 17:12–29, Proverbs 14:30 Unrighteous jealousy is very much a human feeling. Joseph’s brothers were, without question, jealous of Joseph. Their father was—in many respects—the initiator of their jealousy, for he treated Joseph differently than them. He even had a special robe made for him. It is not unreasonable
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Choosing Sabbath
Nehemiah 13:19–22, Isaiah 56:4–7, Mark 2:27–28, Hebrews 4:9–11 We really are bad at taking a Sabbath. Even in the “good old days” restaurants would be filled on Sundays with people leaving church and eating. So now we have memes that say, “consciously choosing to slow down and rest is a revolutionary act of self-care.” Obviously,
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Witnessing Falsely
Jeremiah 5:1–3, Mark 11:12–14, Mark 13:28 Bearing false witness is a known problem. Isn’t it? Maybe not. In Jeremiah, those that bore false witness refused discipline (no matter how loving and grace-filled). In fact, the implication is that they took their behavior and made it a way of life, rather than an incident in life.
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Looking and Not Turning Back
Genesis 19:15–26, Deuteronomy 17:14–20, Proverbs 26:11, Mark 13:14–20 Looking back to see how far you’ve come is a good practice. One of the gifts of doing so is seeing where God had been moving when you were unaware. It is also good to see what decisions you made that you will be able to make
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At The Threshold
2 Chronicles 8:14–16, Mark 13:32–37 Have you ever been to a fancy hotel or apartment building, and seen (or interacted with) the doorman? In a way, they act as a guard, granted a more passive one, yet their presence often acts as a mental barrier to entry. In the times of the temple, the gate-keepers
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Deep Water Religion
Matthew 21:23–27, 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12 Religious figureheads are often accused (too often, correctly) of seeking their own gain, whether by influence or money. Even those with no Christian background see a problem with it. Truthfully, it is not just Christianity that has this struggle, not by far. As Christianity is the culturally “dominant” (though how
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Binding Ties
1 Samuel 2:12–17, 1 Samuel 2:22–36, Matthew 10:16–23, Ephesians 6:10–20 Who or what are the dark powers that Paul talks about in Ephesians? Perhaps they are the family members that oppose believers. Perhaps they are the family members the “dress up” in righteous clothing and whose behavior is unrighteous. Eli’s sons Phinehas and Hophni are