Losing Our Edge
Did you know a dull knife can be more dangerous than a sharp one? It's true! Without that razor edge, you apply more pressure and risk slipping as the blade catches. Who knew?
Similarly, spiritually dull Christians pose hazards, too, often without realizing it. Now, I'm not suggesting we go around stabbing people with convictions, but lukewarm faith does subtle damage.
When passion cools and vision blurs, we drift along numbly. Rather than piercing darkness, our words and witness lose edge. We fear ruffling feathers with truth. But Proverbs 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend,” meaning caring rebuke holds more value than mute passivity.
Stirring Up the Soul
There's nothing quite like the smell of a big pot of soup or chilli simmering on the stove during these chilly winter months. The savoury aroma fills the kitchen, bringing comfort and warmth on cold days. I don't know about you, but something about stirring a steaming pot of soup feels soothing to the soul.
As I stand over the pot, swirling the wooden spoon around and around, I'm reminded of what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:6-7:
“6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Channeling Your Inner Superhero
Lately, I've been dreaming about being a superhero. Wouldn't it be amazing to fly through the sky or lift a bus over our heads? To run faster than a speeding bullet or be invisible? Or to read an entire novel in the blink of an eye? Who wouldn't want superpowers like that?
While we may not be able to shoot laser beams from our eyes or scale tall buildings, we can still be superheroes in our everyday lives. No, I'm not talking about building your secret base or wearing your underwear on the outside of your tights. I'm not even talking about donning a mask. Instead, I'm referring to using the gifts God has given us to make a difference and spread His love.
Lukewarm Faith
As you can see, Jesus had nothing good to say about the church of the Laodiceans. Even the way he addressed the letter showed his disapproval. With every other church, their letters were addressed to the "church of [insert city]" or "the church in [insert city]." This time, the letter was addressed to the church of the Laodiceans. In other words, the church of the people. The Lord recognized how the people there viewed the church as "theirs" rather than "God's". No wonder this church made Him sick!
That being said, can you imagine Jesus saying He wants to spit you out of His mouth? That's some tough love right there! But the Laodicean church was just going through the motions. They showed up on Sundays but had no passion or zeal for God. Their faith was like a cup of tea that's been sitting out too long—not hot enough to be soothing and not cold enough to be refreshing. In a word, yuck!
Taking Sin Seriously
Jesus introduces His message to Pergamos by reminding them of the sharp two-edged sword proceeding from His mouth. This symbolises the Word of God that will soon cut to their hearts concerning compromise in their midst.
The city of Pergamos was an epicentre of pagan idolatry and immorality. Yet Jesus commends the believers there for clinging to His name despite persecution. For the most part, they had resisted the rampant evil around them.
However, Jesus takes issue with Pergamos' tolerance of sin within its walls. Some members dabbled in idolatry and sexual immorality. These wayward sheep should have been confronted and corrected for their own good. But instead, they remained unchallenged as part of the flock, to its detriment.
Who’s the Fixer?
Picture this: You're in the midst of a hurricane of chaos, trying to control everything around you like a weathered ship's captain steering through a storm. You've got your hands full, attempting to "fix" your circumstances, mend broken relationships, and even "improve" people to meet your ideal standards. You've got a toolkit brimming with solutions, and you're determined to use it, no matter the cost!
But wait just a second. Before you envision yourself as a one-person repair crew, let's chat about the power of relinquishing control and acknowledging what isn't our job.
What’s Going On Beneath the Surface?
Hey there, friends! Today, I've got a story to tell you, and it all started when the shower and internet went out simultaneously in our house. Yep, last week, our cosy home experienced a weird, isolated power outage. We had lights and electricity in most of the house, but the power shower (popular in the UK) and the outlet our router was plugged into went dead. Things were very interesting for several moments as Jason was using the shower and I was using the internet when they both suddenly quit. No fun!
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Tess is undeniably adorable, but she's got a bit of a disobedience problem. She can't resist the urge to find a way out of our yard and into the sheep pasture behind us. Despite our best efforts to contain her, our mutt just can't help herself. Sound familiar? Observing Tess's behavior can give us valuable insights and lessons from a biblical perspective.
First and foremost, Tess's antics remind me of our human tendencies to wander from God's plan for our lives. Just like my pup can't resist the allure of exploring beyond her boundaries, we often find ourselves tempted by worldly distractions that lead us astray from God's intended path.
Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing
Some days I want to withdraw from social media altogether. One would think my aversion and distress would be due to worldly influences, and while there is a degree of that, my current frustration with social media lies primarily with Christians using it to attack one another. What’s up with that?
Like most things in life, social media has the potential for both good and evil.
It All Boils Down to Love
In my Bible study time, I’ve been looking at the various passages of Scripture that talk about putting on or putting off things. The gist of these verses is that we are to put off the old ways, the sinful ways, and the ways of the flesh and put on the new man, the one who longs to be like Christ. It’s been an insightful study, and I’ve learned much.
As I closed out my study yesterday, I read Colossians 3:14, which reads, And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.