Monthly Archives

July 2021

In Bible Study, Blog, Jeremiah on
July 26, 2021

Plans to Prosper

I am a big Disney fan. I love watching animated Disney films, listening to Disney movie soundtracks, and going to Walt Disney Word. One of the best parts of Disney movies are the sidekicks. Pascal from Tangled, Olaf from Frozen, and Mushu from Mulan are just a few of my favorites. But we, as believers, run into a problem when we begin to treat God like a Disney sidekick.

What does it mean to treat God like a Disney sidekick? We can think of Him as our very own Fairy Godmother, who instead of giving us a big blue gown and a pumpkin carriage, will give us perfect health, a dream job, or a new relationship. We can think that if we pray hard, do good Christian things, and rub the lamp in just the right way, God will be like our genie, whose wish is our command. We can think that if we wish upon a star and have enough faith all our dreams will come true, just like Jiminy Cricket sang.

We treat God like a Disney sidekick when we begin to see Him as someone whose sole purpose is to give us good things. And while God does certainly give us good things, He does not promise or guarantee that we should or will receive certain things in our lives. This belief is rooted in a misinterpretation of scriptures like Jeremiah 29:11.

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In Blog, Christian Living, Theology on
July 19, 2021

Worldliness vs. Godliness

One thing I’ve noticed about many believers in this day and age is that they are beginning to look more and more like the world. They share the same beliefs. They use the same language. They champion the same causes. The one thing that used to differentiate between believers and unbelievers – the truth of God’s Word – is now being thrown away and cast aside as untruthful, untrustworthy, and unloving.

This is alarming because Christians are called to be holy and set apart (2 Peter 3:11), to not be conformed to the ways of the world (Romans 12:2). What is even more alarming is that many of these Christians don’t even realize they’re slowly slipping into worldly beliefs and convictions. We then, as believers, need to look to how the Bible characterizes both worldliness and godliness to determine what kind of life we are living and ensure we remain on the right path.

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In Blog, Book Reviews, Spiritual Growth on
July 12, 2021

The Well-Watered Woman

I’ve had my share of dry seasons in my spiritual life. I’ve had times when my Bible study felt dull, when God seemed to be silent, when a cloud appeared to be hanging over my head. And my dry seasons weren’t for a lack of effort on my part. I still went to church every week. I tried different Bible studies and reading plans. I even went on mission trips to foreign countries. But there were times when I felt further from God on a mission trip than I did back home.

I’m sure you can relate. Every Christian struggles with dry seasons in their spiritual walk. Maybe you’re struggling with a dry season right now. You want to be close to God, but He feels so distant. You want to learn from God’s Word, but you can’t seem to comprehend what it’s telling you. You want to grow, bloom, and flourish in your faith, but you just feel stuck in the mud. If you’re feeling this way, Gretchen Saffles’ new book, The Well-Watered Woman, is just the book for you.

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In Blog, Names of God, Theology on
July 5, 2021

He is Jehovah-Raah

Sheep aren’t exactly known for being smart. They are defenseless against predators. They can get stuck on their backs. They can’t swim, so they can easily sink and drown in water. They can eat grass down to its roots, which destroys whatever pasture they’re in. Sheep have even been known to walk off cliffs. This is why shepherds are so important! The shepherd watches over his sheep constantly and protects them from predators. Sheep know their shepherd’s voice and follow him to safety and green pastures. If a sheep falls on its back, the shepherd sets them back up on their feet. Sheep are completely dependent on their shepherd.[1]And this leads us to an amazing truth about God-

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