In Chapter 7 (“The God of Entertainment”) of Gods at War, Pastor Kyle Idleman tells of a mission trip one of his friends made to India. His friend had a picture of what served as the family room in an Indian home. The centerpiece, somewhat like a mantel on a heart in our country, featured […]
In Chapter 4 (“Calling All Gods”) of Gods at War, Pastor Kyle Idelman references Joshua’s farewell address to the Israelites at Shechem (Joshua 24). Following a brief history lesson regarding God’s constant faithfulness to Israel, Joshua throws down the gauntlet. It’s time for the nation of Israel to make a choice- to follow the God […]
“Idolatry is huge in the Bible, dominant in our personal lives, and irrelevant in our mistaken estimations.”- Os Guinness, author and social critic Pastor Kyle Idleman begins Chapter 1 (“Idolatry is the Issue”) of Gods at War with the assertion that goals can become gods when we serve, love, and sacrifice for them. Often these […]
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”- Ephesians 4: 31-32 As we react to your ministry downsizing or career loss, it’s very easy for bitterness to become our […]
In Chapter 10 (“A New Conception of Work”) of Every Good Endeavor, author Timothy Keller expands his definition of a Christian (Biblical) worldview. God not only creates, He provides providential care, largely through the labor of others. Pastor Keller explains: “As an extension of God’s creative work, the Christian’s labor has its orientation toward God […]
As Pastor Timothy Keller continues his look at the beginning chapters of Genesis in Chapter 5 of Every Good Endeavor, he states that as soon as Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they experienced the natural consequences of working against God’s design- the […]
As Pastor Timothy Keller concludes Chapter 1 of Every Good Endeavor, he reiterates an idea he presented earlier in the chapter, that many people mistakenly think of work as a curse. Antithetically, then, something else such as leisure or family becomes the only way to find meaning in life. Yet, the fact that God rested […]
At the conclusion of his Introduction to Every Good Endeavor, Pastor Timothy Keller relates an overlooked story by J.R. R. Tolkien entitled “Leaf by Niggle”. Niggle had one particular picture he was trying to paint- it was to start with a leaf, then a whole tree, followed by an entire forest with snow-tipped mountains in […]
In Chapter 3 (“What Drives Your Life?”) of The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren discusses 5 of the most common circumstances, values, and emotions that can drive our life and obstruct our relationship with Jesus. 1.Guilt: People driven by guilt are manipulated by past memories and hurts. Following our ministry downsizing or career loss, we may […]
John Ortberg begins Chapter 8 (“As You Wish”) of God is Closer Than You Think with this quote from C.S. Lewis (A Slip of the Tongue): “What matters, what Heaven desires and Hell fears, is precisely that farther step, out of our depth, out of our own control.” Borrowing an oft-repeated line from the movie […]
“If I were to describe Scripture in a single word, it would be kaleidoscopic. You can read the same verse on different occasions and it will speak to you in totally different ways. . . . [The Holy Spirit’s] illumination of Scripture is based on His intimate knowledge of your personality, your circumstances, your dreams, […]
Toward the end of Chapter 5 of God is Closer Than You Think, author John Ortberg notes that solitude does not automatically orient our thoughts to God’s presence. He states that the natural effects of solitude are quite the opposite: “When people are alone, undistracted by noise or activity, their minds naturally drift toward an […]