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Bible Study

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 Bible Study, Blog, Ephesians on
June 28, 2021

Truth in Love

If there’s one thing the American church overemphasizes, it’s this: love. Don’t get me wrong; love is an important thing for Christians to have and to practice in their daily lives. We are called to love God, love our neighbors, and love our enemies (Matthew 22:37-39, Luke 6:35). Love is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and it’s greater than faith or hope (1 Corinthians 13:13). Those who do not love don’t know God. How do we know this? Because God is love (1 John 4:8).

Love is important for the Christian. But many people today, including many in the church, are redefining what love is. To them, love is an acceptance and an affirmation of a person and their lifestyle. To them, love means that you cannot judge someone, regardless of the choices they are making in their lives. To them, love equals avoiding controversial or uncomfortable conversations for the sake of “keeping the peace.”

This love is not a biblical form of love. These practices are not what the Bible calls us to. Instead, God’s Word calls us to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). But what exactly does this mean?

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In Bible Study, Blog, Habakkuk on
May 31, 2021

Live by Faith

Some of the least read books of the Bible are the Minor Prophets. Though they are short books, they are full of poetic language and imagery that is often difficult to understand and interpret. Because of this, many Christians (especially American Christians) don’t see how these books are at all relevant to their daily lives. But these books are more relevant than you might think.

In one of my last classes of my graduate program, I had to write a brief commentary on the book of Habakkuk for one of my Old Testament classes. I couldn’t have told you the last time I had read Habakkuk or even if I had ever read through the entire book at any time during my Christian life. However, as I began to study and dig deep into the book, I realized that the message of Habakkuk is extremely relevant and necessary for all Christians in this day and age.

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In Bible Study, Blog, Philippians on
May 3, 2021

All Things Through Christ

One of the most popular and well-known Bible verses is Philippians 4:13. It’s a particular favorite of many Christian athletes, and it appears on numerous Christian Instagram bios. But Philippians 4:13 is also one of the most misused and abused verses of the Bible. Christians often take it out of context and use it in a way that attempts to manipulate God’s power to serve their own wants and desires. But when we look at the context of this popular and misused Bible verse, we will see that its true message is far more comforting and encouraging.

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In Bible Study, Blog, Genesis on
April 5, 2021

For Good

“Why do bad things happen to good people?”

It’s a question that has puzzled people for generations and has been the reason why many have chosen to not put their faith and trust in God. If God is truly sovereign and truly good, how could He let such terrible, evil things happen to us? How could He allow so much suffering?

Maybe you’ve asked yourself these questions during different circumstances and situations in your own life. Perhaps you have endured certain trials that have caused you to cry out, “Why God?” If so, you’re not alone.  Even back in biblical days, people were asking this question. And there is one story in particular near the beginning of our Bibles that I believe helps us answer all of these questions – the story of Joseph.

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