Posts Tagged ‘Spiritual Life’
We Have Received of His Spirit
Paul speaks of the most remarkable gift to the believer having reminded his audience that the world by its own wisdom could not find out God. To those who have believed the gospel, he assures them “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we…
Read MoreBrokenness
After learning about the then on-going Welsh revival, well-known British Bible teacher F.B. Meyer traveled by train from London to the city of Cardiff to investigate the reports. Accompanied by a friend who was somewhat skeptical regarding the religious fervor sweeping through the land of Wales, Meyer attended a service in which the young evangelist…
Read MoreBe of Good Cheer!
We live in challenging times, do we not? Perhaps, many might think “challenging” is a bit of an understatement. Truth seems to be such a rare commodity. We do not trust our government, the media, even one another. There is little in the way of civil debate over social or political issues. Rather, harsh condemnation…
Read MoreWhy We Don’t Observe Lent
[Ed. Note: Currently, according to liturgical calendars, we are in the season of Lent. We sent out a request for comment to our writer’s pool on this subject. Two of them responded. This is the second of two. You may find our first, “What About Ash Wednesday?” here.] While Lent is a ritual observed by…
Read MoreA Warning Against Contentious Behavior
The Apostle Paul thanked God greatly for the evident grace in the lives of the Corinthian believers (I Corinthians 1:4). Even so, as often is the case with every Christian, they had just as evident a need for correction as well. Consequently, Paul rebuked them for the contentions that had arisen among them as reported…
Read MoreCultivating Gentleness
The apostle Paul, seeking to help his son in the faith, wrote to Timothy, “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves…” (2 Tim. 2:24-25, KJV). In his encouragement and instruction, Paul was certainly not afraid to stand…
Read MoreAm I Worshiping Myself During My Devotions? Narcissism & Spiritual Dryness
“I need some me time,” says everyone these days—parents, employees, even Olympic athletes. In the current vernacular, time with God could also be viewed as spiritual me time. Without even realizing it, we can begin to substitute personal wellness for closeness to God—but they aren’t the same thing. If we make that switch, we will…
Read MoreSpiritual Dryness: Am I Trying to Walk in Two Directions?
Lillias Trotter stood at a crossroads.1 The words of the renown nineteenth century art critic, John Ruskin, rang in her mind. “If you allow me to train you,” he had said. “You could become one of the greatest artists in the world.”2 Trotter loved beauty. God had truly blessed her with artistic talent. Yet, Trotter…
Read MoreSpiritual Dryness: Am I Hungry for the Wrong Food?
“Oh Lord, what is wrong with me?” future missionary Isobel Kuhn prayed. “Why can’t I sense Your Presence now as I have lately? Why has the Bible become dry?” Have you been there? You dutifully read your Bible nearly every day. You pray like you’ve been taught. It feels like a chore or, even worse,…
Read MoreThe Need for Healthy Fundamentalism
I recently read an article by Roger Olson, American Evangelical Christianity: A Failed Movement? Olson says that he “grew up in the ‘thick’ of American evangelical Christianity.” Olson has written much about evangelical Christianity, and recently wrote this post on patheos.com. Needless to say, that is an intriguing title, and the article is a helpful…
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