So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up… Read More
Let the Healing Begin
Experiences play a leading role in our character development. Our growing up years set the stage for the rest of our lives. We can become type-cast, locked into a role that is not of our choosing, a role that responds to the experiences of our young lives. An adult who suffered abuse as a child… Read More
Gentle correction
Godly discipline allows children to please parents. It fits the punishment to the crime. Children come to understand cause and effect, sowing and reaping. Big crime gets a big punishment; little crime receives a little punishment. With abuse, punishment is arbitrary and often unfair, but Godly discipline distinguishes between a mistake and a deliberate sin. Or… Read More
Growing good citizens
I am God—yes, I Am. I haven’t changed… Malachi 3:6 (The Message) God has given us laws to live by; we know what they are. And we know we’re going to mess up. He has a plan in place for that as well: love, grace, and mercy. His people know exactly where they stand with… Read More
Ephesians 3:7-8 What’s your excuse?
What’s stopping you from doing God’s mission for you? When I read through Paul’s list of excuses, I was surprised at the similarity to mine. I had always thought of Paul as an extremely confident, know-it-all kind of guy, and here I was reading a list of his anxieties about himself–lots of excuses giving his… Read More
Ephesians 3:4-6 Come on in, ya’all!
The original non-discrimination clause. Ephesians 3:4-6 (New Living Translation) As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has… Read More
Let love out of the box
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13 (NLT) Live in freedom—use… Read More
