Posts with the tag “naked-and-unafraid”

The topic of how to deal with what’s right and wrong is a big deal in the church world right now. I see things on Facebook like, “you can’t change the Bible to meet your needs” with everyone agreeing left and right. I don’t disagree with this, but do people really stand behind it? I mean, are people striving every day to live a holy and blameless life themselves? Are they putting God first in thei...  Read More

I have lived around military bases for 12 years (if I did my math right). I have learned that there is a different weight that comes with scars that people can see and scars that people can’t. I learned this firsthand as the scar on my forehead healed, but the scars on my brain were still present. Every one of us carries the effects of our life’s story–the good and the bad. “Too many carry the sca...  Read More

Have you ever needed a redo? Some days, before I get the kid out of the house, I need to rewind the morning and start it all over for everyone. We have a house full of people who are not morning people.You may have a relationship or friendship that needs a refresh. It’s never too late as long as you and the other person are still alive. Some relationships have too much hurt and harm to be able to ...  Read More

We live in a world that’s all about desire. You can find many pippy quotes like “Do what makes you happy,” and so forth. It’s part of our nature to desire and want to be desired. God is the number one thing to desire over everything else in life. “In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” –Jeremiah 29:12-13 NLTWhen God tells us to love him wh...  Read More

There are some stories in scripture of people pushing their way to Jesus. Others are arrogant and argue with Jesus. Then there's the story of the woman who sees herself as unworthy and hides from him. At the same time, she believes in who he is enough that she makes her way into the crowd to touch the hem of his clothes, believing that simply touching his clothes would heal her. "But Jesus said, "...  Read More

My final thought this week about intimidation is that God’s intention has never been to intimidate his people. He intimidates the enemies of his people but never those who were his. When Jesus came, he extended God’s promises to everyone beyond the Jewish people. Those of us who in the past would never have been included in the protection of the Almighty, creator of all things, can now call him ou...  Read More

The more we have for God to forgive us, the more we celebrate receiving God's grace. Another way to say it is the more messed up our lives, the more overjoyed we are when we realize that God loves us and forgives us while we're messed up. After all, Jesus died for us while we were in that messed-up state, knowing we could become more if we had a way. "Maybe the alcoholic and the blind man didn’t k...  Read More

There are a lot of Christian denominations out there. We have some large categories like Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant, but no matter how you look at the breakdown of Christian beliefs, there are more things we have in common than differences. One of those shared beliefs is that we are not worthy of God’s forgiveness. When we are non-Christian, someone who has yet to accept Christ’s free gift...  Read More

We've got the idea that being a Christian is comfortable and is supposed to make sense. We want things to be the same, consistent, and orderly. I'm sorry that I have to share the bad news. That's not how this life works. God shakes things up as soon as we think we've hit a smooth path and will coast for a while. "The God of the Bible is the master of surprises: frightening clouds of smoke and fire...  Read More

Do you have a picture of what “godly” looks like? Maybe it’s someone who never loses their temper and is kind to everyone. Or, maybe, it is a person who is selfless. In Bible times, the Jewish people thought godly meant following all the rules to the letter. When Jesus came, he changed everything. He showed people that to try and live according to God’s ways, you must take the rules to heart and t...  Read More

I have said it more times than I can count, "Peter is my favorite disciple of the 12." It's not because he because the leader of the church; it's because he is so boldly himself and often messes it up. From the beginning of Peter's journey, he steps out and doesn't appear to think twice about it. "He begins a good work in us, he starts changing us, but the finishing process is a more-than-a-lifeti...  Read More

I’ve talked about emotions a fair number of times. One thing I may not have said is that for most of my adult life, I have struggled to battle feelings of Anxiety and Depression. I don’t get anxious to speak in front of people; that comes naturally. However, I pray obsessively over pending conflicts, worried about doing or saying the wrong thing. I am also very hard on myself, so I take negative c...  Read More

Have you ever been to a spiritual retreat or conference, and felt so connected with God, then had to come back to the real world? You may have felt like it was a complete letdown and been frustrated. You might have even thought, “Life would be so much simpler if I didn’t have to deal with people and just spend my time with God.”That’s the point of people who join monasteries in different religions...  Read More

Sunday, we reflected on Jesus getting “in trouble” with the religious leaders because he had a feast with what they called “misfits, sinners, and scum.” Let’s look at it from two different translations: “Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious...  Read More

The phrase from Jesus, “Follow Me,” has a strong image for many of us. For me, I first think about Jesus calling his disciples from the lakeshore: “One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you ho...  Read More