Tag: discipline

  • God of Boxes

    God of Boxes

    We struggle (and that’s fine) with the concept that God would discipline through pestilence, famine, war, etcetera. We will often use the language of “God allows”, or explain things as “an ‘old world’ understanding”.

  • The Fruit We Yield

    The Fruit We Yield

    Psalm 52; Jeremiah 22:1–9; Luke 6:43–45 Have you ever been somewhere with a beautiful bowl filled with fruit, then picked up a piece of fruit, and realized that it was fake? It looks pretty and improves the ambiance, but beyond that, it is useless for living. Christians have a discrepancy (okay, we have many). We…

  • All About Me

    All About Me

    Psalm 130: Genesis 3:8–15; 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1; Mark 3:20–35 Self-examination is probably one of the hardest Christian practices. It is probably also the one most needed today. When we do our self-examination properly, we are better equipped to recognize some issues we have that inhibit our continued transformation into the likeness of Christ. First, the…

  • The Next

    The Next

    Psalm 47; Deuteronomy 34:1–9; John 16:4–11 Who will come next is part of the “calculation” of many things. Psalm 78:4 speaks of telling the next generation about God. Proverbs 13:22 tells of leaving an inheritance for grandchildren. In 1 Timothy 1:2, Paul tells Timothy that he (Timothy) is his (Paul’s) true child in the faith.…

  • Sharpening Together

    Sharpening Together

    Psalm 98; Deuteronomy 32:44–47; Mark 10:42–45 What are your two pet sins? Or, what sin of others sets you off (lying, adultery, etc.)? And, what sin of yours do you just try to brush off as not being that significant? Most of us have these. It may be severe, and it may be mild. Regardless,…

  • Junk Food Fast

    Junk Food Fast

    Psalm 80; Isaiah 5:1–7; Galatians 5:16–26 Both Psalm 80 and the passage from Isaiah 5 are not warmhearted Scriptures. They both address the reality that the Israelites have not been faithful to God. Other places in the Scriptures note that the Israelites were faithful in their actions, or at least they attempted to complete the…

  • Depths of Lent

    Depths of Lent

    What life experience can you use to relate to hope in despair?

  • Found and Find

    Found and Find

    The physical life should be crying, “I’m dying,” while the spiritual life is crying, “I’m gaining life.”