Faithful Writers

And if we stopped yanking this verse out of the middle of a very intimate, emotional conversation — if we actually slowed down and listened to what was really happening — we might hear something much more human. Much more hopeful. And far more powerful than a doctrinal threat.

The encouragement for today is that having great faith does not exempt us from making mistakes. Such errors originate from either attempting to help God do what He alone promises, our to add our own desires to the limits of what actually commanded us to do.

I didn’t walk away from faith — but I did start asking harder questions. And wouldn’t you know it, that’s when something deeper began to grow.

I’ve come to learn, mostly from the Apostle James, that joy is not found only in the absence of difficult life events. When I am going through challenges, I can find encouragement and joy, knowing that they are building a better, stronger version of me.

Today, some have tried to surgically separate the teachings of Jesus from those of the disciples. In effect, they eliminate all the New Testament save for the four Gospel stories. Some prefer the teachings of Jesus without the complications the Epistles bring to Christianity.

Naw, and the Book of Psalms proves it. I'll show you. The Psalms were written before the Books of Enoch, it took about 1000 years but they were all still written before Jesus was born. Blue Letter Bible goes even further in giving an estimate for each section of Psalms and the probable timeline it was written in, with Psalms 37 being written during Babylonian Captivity. 539 B.C.

We’ve built entire sermons around words Jesus never spoke. It’s time we stop preaching a misquote and start living the truth.

The Christian journey can be full of ups and downs. Sometimes, both moments can happen very quickly. We can find ourselves on a mountaintop in one moment, and then deep in the valley in the next. I have found myself in a moment of deep worship and communion with God, and then in the next, yelling at the kids because they left their toys on the floor. Again.

There’s something profoundly sacred about folding socks, waiting at stoplights, and fixing dinner for the umpteenth time. These are not wasted moments. They’re invitations. Brother Lawrence, the old monk who found God in doing dishes, once said, “The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer.”

Suddenly, it’s too much. Sobs wrack your body as you think, I can’t do this. Why is all of it so hard? Then you hear it — the still, small voice you’ve been ignoring all day. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

I was discussing a prevalent view among the church and held by many Christians: the belief that a spouse can’t leave and divorce an unrepentant and abusive spouse. They got it all wrong, and I’m here to help.

However, there is a qualitative difference in those born of the Holy Spirit and those who pretend to believe and have not received the special anointing mentioned by John. Jesus told his disciples that one of the benefits of receiving the Holy Spirit is that He would teach them and remind them of everything Jesus had taught them.

No Christian who is elect of God seeks revenge or attempts to be a catalyst that encourages vengeance. This is not consistent with anyone born of the Spirit of God. However, today, as in the past, many so-called Christians have championed conflict, wars, and deaths. Seeking to enforce the commands of God on a fallen world through instruments of punishment.

I’d close my eyes, exhale, and then — bam — launch into a bullet-pointed list of wants, needs, and stressors. It was fast. It was organized. And it was empty. But for a while, I felt like I was fulfilling my prayer obligation of being a good Christian. (Sad to say).

Truly, who is better than the redeemed in God to teach, preach, and spread His message? We are walking examples of the depth of God’s love and forgiveness.

So, how did we get from there to here? From house churches to $60 million sanctuaries. From martyrs in the arena to pastors with private jets. From “take up your cross” to “God wants you to be rich.”

The Holy Spirit is subject to the individual and can be patient and wait its turn to share with the assembly. God is not of disorder but promotes peace.This is all good and informative until we reach verse 33. Suddenly, we are told that women should be silent in the churches.

When I read that verse or heard it from the pulpit, I thought it meant: Read your Bible. It’s the inherent, infallible Words from the mouth of God. In reality, it was intended to reinforce the notion that the preacher’s dogmas (called doctrines) represented God's word and will on the matter.

We usually come to God ready to unload.But good conversation starts with listening. Scripture gives us God’s side of the conversation — His tone, His heart, His repeated themes of mercy, justice, presence, and love.

Being prepared is very important for the house of faith. God provides in His word examples of some who actually faced and lived through Biblical prophetic times of woe and destruction. As bad as it was, God found a way to help his people survive. This is an additional assurance, while some await a pre-tribulation rapture to rescue, we have to be ready to face those days, should it be God’s will.

Church hurt is real and heartbreaking. Our churches should be the safest place for believers and non-believers alike, but the unfortunate reality is that many times, church is where some of the deepest wounds are inflicted.

Doubt was treated like a disease. If you had doubts, you were either backsliding, disobedient, or not truly saved. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it was the process of dealing with doubt that I discovered a richer relationship with Christ.

Faith isn’t about pretending the mess isn’t there. It’s about finding God in it anyway.

However, before I turn to the deep teachings of Paul, I must address another growing tension in Christendom that seeks to isolate the teachings of Jesus from those of His holy apostles.