'faith' Tagged Posts
Yet, with Gentleness and Reverence
“Always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” Even though 1 Peter 3:15 was not one of the first Bible verses I came to know after I became a Christian, it was one of the first Bible verses I came to know not long after I became a Christian. Peter exhorts Christians, any Christian, to have their “response” ready at all times. For the past…
A Conversation About Having Faith in God
If I were to ask you to define what is having faith in God, what would you say? If you were to make a new friend while shopping at Fred Meyer, and you were to say to him you are a Christian, how would you explain that to him? The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” What goes on…
Where There is Hope There is Life
The pandemic seems to have a spawned a certain number of apocalyptic memes. The Bible is unique among religious manuscripts in that it presents a complete and orderly timeline of events, beginning with the creation of the earth and ending with its dissolution. When Earth ceases to exist, what will remain? According to 1 Corinthians 13:13, that would be faith, hope and love. Of all that exists, why are these three things so essential that they should outlast creation as…
Surrender is Not About Surrender
His queen is bearing down on my defenseless king. I know it. He knows it. It’s my turn and I have no meaningful options, except to delay the inevitable. So what will I do? Offer a draw? Resign? Never. I logout. I don’t like the word, “surrender,” and I don’t think many of you do, too. The word gives off a message of admitting defeat. After all, isn’t it a battle term? When we sense an imminent defeat, and we…
Testimony: How scripture can change us
Spiritual disciplines are an extremely important part of the life of any believer. It is the time spent on the part of the believer deepening and growing their faith and their understanding of who Jesus is and who they are as individuals. Spiritual disciplines like Bible reading, meditation, quiet time, prayer, journaling, and fellowship with other believers all aid in the sanctification of believers. It is no different for children, youth, or adults alike. One of the students in LifeWay…
‘Tis a Puzzle
I love jigsaw puzzles. For me, assembling a good 1000-piece puzzle is just enough of a challenge without inducing the feeling of frustration. I’m rather choosy about my puzzles. If I am going to spend a significant amount of time putting it together, then I want the final product to give me joy, or at least add to my knowledge base somehow. I recently put together a doozy that depicted hummingbirds of the world, and enjoyed learning about the large…
Faith and Suffering
It takes faith to thank God in our sufferings. Did you catch what I just said? It is no problem for us to find God in our blessings, and to thank him for them. But it is not natural for us to thank God in our sufferings. Why are we quick to recognize that God is in the good things that happen to us, but not so much when bad things happen to us? It is easy for me to…