I have failed at being a Christian. I have failed morally. I have failed to be unselfish. I don’t know if God is always first in my affections. I’ve never prayed with anyone to receive Christ. My prayer and Bible study habits probably aren’t up to snuff. In these, and many other ways, I have…
Tag: Spirituality
Following, Losing, and Living
Art by Patrick Murphy The following is a meditation on Luke 9:23-24 from my personal journal. *** “If anyone wants to come with me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will…
God with the Smelly and Beastly
With Christmas just past, I’ve been thinking about one of the names by which Jesus was announced: Immanuel, “God with us.” “God with us” was a prophetic name first uttered by Isaiah in a prophecy (Isaiah 7:14). Matthew tells us Jesus fulfilled this prophetic appellation when he was born (Matt. 1:23). Jesus’s birth as a…
House of God (Reprise)
Art by Patrick Murphy “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it” (Gen. 28:16). As we said before, the Lord revealed to Jacob that God was in His house. Bethel means, “House of God.” It shows Christ and His people as God’s dwelling, God’s house. The Lord is in us!…
House of God, Gate of Heaven
On his way to Haran, Jacob stops for the night. He puts a stone beneath his head and sleeps. He dreams of a staircase that goes from earth to heaven with angels traveling up and down. Echoing His promise to Abraham, the Lord tells Jacob He will give him the land and bless all peoples…
Pickled in the Spirit?
Our pastor started a sermon series on topics that can be controversial among Christians. The first was baptism in the Holy Spirit, which the pastor asked me to teach on. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is something I, admittedly, haven’t spent much time thinking about. I believe the Spirit would rather focus us on Jesus…
Soapbox
OK, I’m going to soapbox about one of my pet peeves. (And please excuse me if I get snarky). The other day, I saw it on a church readerboard. Then it popped up in my son’s children’s Bible. We’ve all heard it. The wording varies but the gist is, “Jesus told parables to help people…
An Atheistic Fly
There’s something I’ve observed about Christians: at times our beliefs are based on what we haven’t experienced. Now, the atheist would say our entire faith is based on what we haven’t experienced. Since the atheist hasn’t had spiritual experiences (or won’t admit he has) then no one has really had such experiences. We might shake…
Doctrine Himself
Lately, I’ve been meditating on a line from Psalm 73: “God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). I’ve known God is my portion for years. But for those same years I have lived with dissatisfaction. The truth I knew didn’t make up for the grief I felt about what I…
Spring
Great Springs National Park in Great Falls, Montana “So Isaac left there, camped in the Valley of Gerar, and lived there. Isaac reopened the water wells that had been dug in the days of his father…. Then Isaac’s slaves dug in the valley and found a well of spring water there” (Gen. 26:17-19). Isaac reopened…
The Voice of One 