Category: Christian Life

You are not Jesus

You are not Jesus

There are times when life seems too much. Maybe you’re there right now. You have issues to deal with at work, at home, and even in your own mind with temptations. This is amplified if you have a responsible job like a pastor or ministry worker or elder. How do I help all these people? …

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What we learn from our sicknesses

What we learn from our sicknesses

It is that time of year when everyone seems to be getting sick. I had a virus a few weeks ago and many family members and friends have been taking time off work. There also seems to be a higher than usual amount of people with more serious, long-term illnesses. Like with all aspects of …

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Seeing the world with compassion and not fear

Seeing the world with compassion and not fear

It is easy for Christians to see our world as a threat. It is, in many ways. Governments are legislating things that Christians are either opposed to or that limit religious freedom. The views held by the majority of our societies are a long way from Biblical standards. It can feel oppressive trying to live …

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Not dividing over little things, but seeking justice and mercy

Not dividing over little things, but seeking justice and mercy

Christians often disagree on things. That’s to be expected, of course. If we encourage people to read the Bible for themselves, they will draw different conclusions. You can find different opinions on baptism, spiritual gifts, church government, what will happen at the end of time, whether alcohol is OK for Christians, birth control, and many …

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What should we make of Jesus’ harsh language in Matthew 23?

What should we make of Jesus’ harsh language in Matthew 23?

In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks very harshly to the scribes and Pharisees. As he outlines seven woes on them, Jesus calls them “hypocrites” and “blind” quite a few times. He goes much further than this as well, calling them “children of hell” (v15), “whitewashed tombs” (v27) and a “brood of vipers” (v33). This is somewhat …

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Working on the inside, not only the outside

Working on the inside, not only the outside

How do you prepare your house if you know that people are coming to visit you tomorrow? I suspect most of us would clean up a little bit. We would put the areas that visitors will see into some kind of order. Yet what about the bedrooms and areas that visitors wouldn’t usually go into? …

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Be careful what you permit (2 Kings 15-16)

Be careful what you permit (2 Kings 15-16)

Have you heard of the “slippery slope” argument? It is the assertion that if you permit one thing, that will lead to other things being permitted. You see this kind of argument used every time a new type of law is introduced. There are those who think that this argument is flawed, that permitting one …

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