Initially, the apostle Peter needed help in his relationships. He was demanding of others, exalted himself, and spoke before he thought. Â But over time he changed; he became more like Jesus. Towards the end of his life, he offers five elements that will strengthen our relationships with others. He writes: Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly … Read More
One of the common themes Iâve observed as a pastor is that people often fail to do what they should do, because theyâre trying to do what only God can do. We are not equipped to carry out Godâs role, but that doesnât keep us from trying. Here are some examples: God sees the future; we canât see it, so we worry instead (Psalm … Read More
Jesus saw people differently than we do. When the disciples saw children as a nuisance; Jesus saw them as citizens of heaven. When the religious leaders saw the tax-collectors as despicable; Jesus saw them as reachable. And when men saw prostitutes as disposable; Jesus saw them as redeemableâwomen in need of healing and forgiveness. Several times in the Bible it … Read More
In sixth grade my parents got me a biology kit. My 12-year-old friends all got chemistry kits, but I think my parents were afraid I might blow up the house, so I received a biology kit–complete with shrimp-like creatures, fruit flies, and a frog to dissect. Perhaps you remember dissection from your high school biology class. You cut, you observe, … Read More
Whenever I am ministering I am consciously aware that there are those in the audience whose hidden past is painful beyond words. They are the victims of sexual abuse. Those who have been victims of such crimes often feel guilt and shame. There are questions that haunt them. Could I have told someone? Would they have believed me? Could I … Read More
Jesus did small groups. We tend to think that small groups are a creation of the last 20 years. Not so. Jesus was leading one 2000 years ago. His small group consisted of 12 men that he chose after an entire night of prayer (Luke 6:12-13). Jesus did life with the disciples. They interacted together so frequently that he actually … Read More
Addiction isnât limited to substance abusers. The mark of an addict is when a want becomes a need â at least in his mind. This is easy to see when one struggles with substance abuse. In those cases our very body responds as if the thing we desired is an actual need. We call that process withdrawal. While it is painful to … Read More
Peace-making is rarely confused with peace-breaking, but it is often confused with peace-keeping. When I first traveled to Bosnia in 2001 on a humanitarian aid effort I got a good look at peace-keeping. The United Nations had divided up the land between the Bosnians and Serbians. Without a doubt there were heinous crimes committed during their civil war. There had not been an … Read More
The book of Deuteronomy is one of those Old Testament books we donât often read let alone study. But it was there that a verse jumped off the page recently. Moses is recounting for the Israelite children how their parents had received the Ten Commandments. It was in this setting that they were genuinely frightened by the presence of God, … Read More
Years ago a friend of mine wanted to know my take on the sex scandals that had rocked the Roman Catholic Church. He himself was a practicing Roman Catholic, and although I am not, I appreciated his invitation to share my thoughts. First of all I assured him that the Roman Catholic Church was not the only church that struggled … Read More
