Browsing Tag:

Obedience

In Blog, Book Reviews, Ten Commandments on
June 14, 2021

Ten Words to Live By

One of the most well-known passages in all of Scripture is the Ten Commandments. Not only have they been taught often at church and in Sunday School, but they have also been displayed in classrooms, courthouses, capitol buildings, and on monuments all across America. Though we may not have all ten commandments memorized, we generally know what they command, and we probably think we’re pretty good at obeying them. After all, when’s the last time you murdered someone or made a little wooden idol to bow down to? It’s fairly easy to not curse or steal, and we, of course, always put God first in our lives (right?).

But, as Jesus reveals to us in His Sermon on the Mount, these commandments have a far deeper meaning and intention than we might originally think (Matthew 5), and this is exactly what Jen Wilkin focuses on in her book Ten Words to Live By.

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In Blog, Fear, Theology on
November 2, 2020

To Fear or Not to Fear

At times, I can be a very fearful person. I often get caught up in all the “what-ifs” of life. What if this happens? What if that doesn’t happen? What if they don’t like me? What if I get lost? What if I can’t find it? What if it all goes terribly? What if, what if, what if.

As you probably know, the Bible commands us not to live in this kind of fear. We have a God, a Heavenly Father who loves us and casts out fear (1 John 4:18). He has created us and formed us, redeemed us and called us by name (Isaiah 43:1). He strengthens us and helps us, and He never leaves us nor forsakes us (Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 31:6). God is our light, our salvation, and our stronghold (Psalm 27:1).  He comforts us and gives us peace (Psalm 23:4, John 14:27). We are in Him. We have no need to fear.

So, how are we to respond to Bible verses like 1 Peter 2:17 or Matthew 10:28 that command us to fear and, of all things, to fear God? Doesn’t the Bible command us not to fear? And isn’t He a loving, redeeming, comforting God? Why do we need to fear Him?

To fear or not to fear? That is the question.

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In Attributes of God, Blog, Theology on
August 24, 2020

He is Holy

“Holy Priceless Collection of Etruscan Snoods, Batman!” 

This is just one of the hundreds of odd “holy” exclamations made by Robin (Burt Ward) on the 1960s Batman TV series.[1] Though we may not exclaim phrases quite so random as this one, people in our culture do exclaim other “holy” phrases when they are surprised, astonished, or in disbelief such as Holy CowHoly MoleyHoly GuacamoleHoly MackerelHoly Smokes, and other less savory exclamations. The word “holy” is also used in an exclamation in the Bible-

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