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Allie Stuckey

In Bible Study, Blog, Matthew on
October 14, 2024

Can I Love Others Before I Love Myself?

What is the greatest commandment? If you’ve spent time studying God’s Word, you probably know the answer: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind (and all your strength, depending on which Gospel you’re reading). Jesus declared this to be the greatest commandment in the Law when He was speaking to a group of Pharisees who were trying to test Him. Of course, being the omniscient Son of God, Jesus is not one to be outwitted or outsmarted. He replied without hesitation, giving them an answer that not only refers to a specific Old Testament command (Deuteronomy 6:5) but also encompasses the purpose of the entire Law God laid out for His people.

At the same time, Jesus also shares the second greatest commandment, another one you’re likely familiar with: love your neighbor as yourself. What it looks like to love your neighbor has been a highly discussed topic, both in ancient times and recent years. Many professing believers have misused this passage or taken it out of context. Some have used this verse to argue that one cannot love their neighbors until they love themselves, but is this true? Is this really what Jesus meant when He said these words?

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In Blog, Feelings, Theology on
August 28, 2023

Am I Enough?

You are enough.

Or, at least, that’s what everybody says. That’s what’s on the t-shirts and the coffee mugs and the pastel Instagram graphics. It’s the mantra of every female empowerment influencer. You are enough. Having a bad day? You are enough. Dealing with “toxic” friends? You are enough. So frustrated with your kids that you can’t get through the day without a glass of wine? You. Are. Enough.

This little phrase is quite popular these days, especially amongst women, even amongst some Christians. These three words are meant to be encouraging, inspiring, empowering, to remind you that you’re doing the best you can do and that’s okay. But while the phrase may make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, it shouldn’t be automatically accepted as authoritative truth. As with everything else, we ought to take it to the Bible and see how it lines up with the teachings of Scripture.

So, what does the Bible have to say about this? Does the Bible teach that we are enough?

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In Blog, Feelings, Theology on
August 16, 2021

My Feelings are Valid, or Are They?

My feelings are valid!

If you’ve followed any female influencer who prioritizes self-love and self-care for any length of time, you’ve probably heard this phrase before. Or perhaps you’ve even used it yourself. We live in a culture that highly prizes, validates, and affirms one’s feelings, whether they be good or bad. And this culture is even trying to train us to always speak in a way that will never leave anyone out, offend anyone, or hurt anyone’s feelings. Rene Descartes, a French philosopher who lived in the seventeenth century, once said, “I think, therefore I am.”[1] But is appears our culture has changed this to, “I feel, therefore I am.”

Many people today find their identity in how they feel, so they want their feelings to be validated because that then validates their identity – who they are as a person. But the problem with this phrase is that not all feelings are valid. Therefore, as believers, we cannot and should not affirm those feelings which are in fact invalid.

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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 1 Samuel, Bible Study, Blog on
February 8, 2021

The True and Better David

The story of David and Goliath is one of the most popular Bible stories of the Old Testament. It’s a story that is loved by children, and it’s been the focus of innumerable Sunday School crafts and lessons. It’s a story that is just as popular with adults, which is evidenced by the many David and Goliath sermons that have been prepared and delivered on Sunday mornings. Many well-known pastors, like Louie Giglio, Max Lucado, and David Jeremiah, have even written books that are centered on the David and Goliath story. Everyone loves an underdog story, and David was certainly an underdog!

But many teachers, pastors, and authors, even those who are very well-known, get the story of David and Goliath wrong. They focus on the wrong details, they miss the main point, and they end up leading their students, congregants, and readers astray.

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