Shame and knowing who you are in Christ are complete opposites. And yet somehow, many Christians walk in both simultaneously – or try to. Often, the shame comes out while knowing their identity in Christ slips to the sidelines. Shame…
12 Bible Verses for Cyclists & Mountain Bikers!
The Bible doesn’t specifically mention bicycles, but it does offer verses that mention bicycle parts or are an encouragement to the cyclists and bikers. Enjoy! None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall…
The Fear of the Lord and the Trust of the Lord
Last week, I was talking with God about the fear of the Lord. It’s an oft-mentioned idea in the Bible and especially in Psalms and Proverbs. I was already familiar with the idea that the fear of the Lord is…
Walking with the Spirit
Life in Christ can be exciting. Jesus said, “You don’t know where [the wind] is coming from and where it is going; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). When you’re born of the…
10 Exercises for Growing in Hearing God’s Voice
Last week, I shared seven ways to begin to hear God’s voice. This week, I’d like to share 10 exercises you can use to grow in hearing God’s voice. Many of us have heard God’s voice in the past, but…
No Room for Faking It
I lead worship from time to time, especially within my family’s church. It’s a lot of fun – I get to play piano, sing, and worship Jesus, which are three of my favorite things to do (along with seeing beautiful…
Masks & Lies vs. Multi-Dimensional
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about how being ingenuine – creating a false mask for yourself, for example – is just a culturally-acceptable lie. You’re lying to yourself that you can be a specific kind of person who…
Why You Should Take a Compliment
Genuine compliments are nice things. They help you know how people are receiving the love or service you’re giving, what speaks to them or is meaningful to them, and even if you have a gift in one area or another…
Be Genuine; Don’t Lie
In the book of Revelation, John writes that everyone who “loves and practices falsehood” (or lies) is not in the city of God (22:15). This has been compared to a similar list in Revelation 21:8, which mentions liars (or deceivers),…
Shame Doesn’t Lead to Repentance
It’s an interesting thing to be a leader in a sinful society. Paul the Apostle was growing baby Christians in a culture so sinful it might possibly make the Western world look pure. I won’t go into the details of…