February 2010
12 posts
To judge or not to judge? (Part 2)
A few days ago I wrote a post that highlighted some verses that go beyond the typical “do not judge” slogan. Today I want to even the scales a bit and mention a situation where judgement should still be avoided.
There are some doctrines in the Bible that are non-negotiable (i.e. if someone claims that Jesus didn’t come in the flesh then we shouldn’t invite them into our...
To judge or not to judge? (Part 1)
There’s an oft repeated mantra among church goers that “we shouldn’t judge others.” This is a half truth that needs clarification.
First, this is sometimes used as an excuse to not speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). When we confuse judgement and honesty then we don’t allow other people to help us, or we unnecessarily restrict ourselves from helping others.
...
The wilderness is now.
Modern versions of Christianity are so bent on reassuring everyone that they’re ok (even if they’re not) that people rarely hear the wilderness story applied to themselves. Israel, God’s chosen people, left Egypt and wandered in the desert for 40 years, during which a whole generation died off because of their sin. The NT commonly refers back to this event as an example for...
Jethro's advice.
Recently my family read from Exodus 18, the chapter where Moses received some timely advice from his father-in-law, Jethro. Moses was spending a large portion of every day dealing with the questions, concerns, and disputes of the Israelites, but he was wearing himself out in the process. Jethro suggested that he appoint others to deal with the the lesser cases, and only the difficult problems...
The mind matters.
I’ll be the first to say that intellect isn’t everything (1 Corinthians 13:2). That said, it does matter and the men in the NT were not in short supply of it. Peter and John weren’t trained in an official institution, but they knew what they were talking about because they had walked with Jesus (Acts 4:13). Paul’s wisdom was obvious even to his fellow workers (2 Peter...
People pleasing doesn't work.
As a missionary, albeit a domestic one, I have learned some of the traits that are necessary for training others in Christ. High on that list is the ability to avoid people pleasing.
People pleasing will render you useless. Those who seek to please others rarely have a lasting impact on the very people they were trying to please. When Paul wrote to the Galatians this point was made clear. In...
Eat the Bible.
I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. - Job 23:12
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. - Jeremiah 15:16
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the...
I heart Jesus.
I received an email this morning asking me to write about Christian dating since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Good call. Dating itself is a very modern idea in the scheme of things, so looking for a verse from Jesus and company with the words dating, boyfriend, girlfriend, shorty, or boo won’t work. However, the scriptures teach us how to think, not just what to think....
Obeying the Old Testament?
I received an email a few days ago from someone who was wondering what I do with the Old Testament. More specifically, I think they were wondering how I can promote reading the Bible and obeying it when I obviously don’t obey all of the Old Testament (it’s been a while since my last animal sacrifice). Answer: When I encourage people to read and obey that includes understanding which...
1 year. 11 people. 1189 chapters.
11 of us from Gulf Church have decided to read the whole Bible in 2010. Why is this important? This morning at church I shared something that is worth repeating here. The less we read the Bible the more apt we are to remember it incorrectly. The longer we go without the word in our diet the more God is made to fit our image instead of us conforming to his.
Support a working missionary.
I don’t have a nine to five. My days are spent teaching, training, encouraging, preaching, and leading, amongst other missionary specific tasks. I am constantly making disciples and building communities of faith on the gulf of Florida, where I serve. However, I need your help; I can’t do this alone. Missionaries require the financial support of people like you, people who believe in...
