Polar Bear Theology
I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. John 12:24 (HCSB) *** *** *** *** When the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy was a boy, he and his friends started the White Polar Bear Club. There was only one requirement for becoming a member – you had to sit on a stool in the corner and not think about a white polar bear for thirty minutes. You can imagine the difficulty of meeting this entrance requirement, particularly if you sat there thinking, …
Unarmed
Lately I have been receiving calls and visits from Christian dads who have fallen to adultery and/or pornography. Because of this, I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out why. At our ministry staff prayer this week one of the pastors I work with stated that he is experiencing the same concerns. After asking these dads a simple question … he identified the problem. There is a pattern with these men. They are not reading the Bible … God’s word … daily. I decided to expand this investigation and also discovered that these men do not meet with other Christ-following …
Giving it the old Gospel Try.
Most of you remember the old sports movies from the 40′s and 50′s where the sports hero either wins one for a kid in the hospital or the team wins one for the hero who is in the hospital. They always talked about the old college try. I have been wondering lately about the old gospel try. What am I doing to spread the Gospel? I am not very evangelistic. I am upset about part of that and some times I see my place in the mix. I have found that many people find me positive and with a sunny …
In Sync With God’s Spirit
I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me. John 17:23 (HCSB) *** *** *** *** Your soul is who you are on the inside. When you become a believer, God’s Spirit breathes new life into your soul, making you a new creation in Christ. His Spirit becomes an anchor to your soul, a steadfast force working within you so that you’re no longer pushed about by events, circumstances, or even your feelings – instead your …
A Hedge Of Thorns
“Therefore, this is what I will do: I will block her way with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so that she cannot find her paths.” Hosea 2:6 (HCSB) *** *** *** *** We run from God; He calls us back. We hide from God; He seeks us out. We chase false gods; He reminds us He is the One True God, and He guards us jealously. In order to illustrate his faithfulness and patience with us, God chose a prostitute named Gomer. Many men came to see her, but then one came, not to use her, but …
Useless Wisdom
The writer of Proverbs pleads with his children to seek wisdom and understanding “though it cost all you have“. (Proverbs 4:1-7) After reading my Bible with this theme in mind … it has become clear that wisdom needs to be redefined. Education is good, and God can use this training to open many doors for your child’s future. However, scripture teaches us that true wisdom is actually living with skill in such a way that pleases God and leads to eternal life in His Kingdom. If your child’s knowledge lands him or her a great job with financial security … …
Blind Truth
The Jewish leaders wouldn’t believe he had been blind … John 9:18 (NLT) *** *** *** *** When Jesus healed a man born blind, the Pharisees opened an investigation to determine exactly what had happened. Yet, it appears they decided ahead of time what the answer should be, so when the facts didn’t support their predetermined conclusion, they just kept searching until they found facts they liked. The Apostle John shows us a sequence of snapshots related to the Pharisee’s investigation: · They ask the man, formally known as blind, what happened (John 9:13-16), but in this story of a …
Jesus Sent, The Blind Man Went
His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Is this the same man—that beggar?” Some said he was, and others said, “No, but he surely looks like him!” And the beggar kept saying, “I am the same man!” They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” John 9:8-10 (NLT) *** *** *** And so Jesus came upon a man who’d been blind since birth. The man was begging on the streets of Jerusalem, just to survive until the next day. Although people were all around him, he sat in isolation. No one could truly understand …
Jesus Heals A Man Born Blind
“Teacher,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.” (John 9:2-3 NLT) *** *** *** It was a frustrating situation, and I was looking for someone to blame: “Maybe it was his fault, maybe it was her fault, maybe it was their fault.” I even thought, “Maybe it’s my fault,” so I figuratively kicked myself a few times. …
Perfect Love Drives Out Fear
There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:18-19 HCSB) *** *** *** *** There you are, driving to the grocery store. You’re under the speed limit and following all the traffic laws, but then you notice a police car in your rearview mirror. The policeman isn’t flashing his lights; he’s not pursuing you; in a sense he’s just like any other driver who might be following behind you down the road. …
