I want to share with you the story of a teenager named Daniel. I want to describe something that happened to Daniel when he was… Read More »Fault Lines: The Fault Line of Being Overprotective (Daniel 1) January 6, 2013 – Sunday Morning Message
Jesus says following him comes down to just two simple things: loving God and loving others.
But our Christianity is often oriented around many other things. Our faith is often complex and confused.
Is loving God and loving neighbor the focus of your faith?
Scott McKnight, author of “The Jesus Creed” offers this test to find out:
1. I sense myself being most spiritual when: (1) I am reading the Bible, (2) I am doing something religious for others, (3) I am attending church, (4) I am communing with God, (5) I am exercising love toward others and God.
One of the first words our children learned was “No.” This was especially true of our son Jacob. He suffered near paralyzing colic (paralyzing for his sleep-deprived parents, not for him) for several months. Perhaps that trauma contributed to his surprisingly high level of stubbornness. By the time Jacob became mobile, hardly a half-hour passed without Kendra or me stating firmly to Jacob, “No.” No pulling your sister’s hair. No sticking forks in the outlet. No breaking your toys. No, No, No. It is no surprise that one of his first words was “No.” He heard it more often than he’d like.Read More »When God Says No: Stages of Prayer
In March, 1997 Newsweek magazine ran a cover-story on prayer. The article included three prayer stories. The first story concerned Mimi Rumpp. Mimi’s sister Miki needed a kidney transplant. So Mimi and her family started praying. Less than a year later, Miki got a new kidney, courtesy of a bank teller who was so moved by Miki’s plight that she had herself tested and discovered she was a perfect match. Her family prayed. And a kidney was provided.Read More »When God Says No: The Unanswered Prayer of Paul