You know one thing pros and beginners have in common? Practice. Practice, Practice, Practice. Faith works the same way.
Are Christians known for the way they celebrate? Are we centers of distribution for the joy and presence of God?
Some of us confuse self-denial with self-negligence and consider it a virtue. Is that truly the way of Christ? How do we practice good stewardship of the precious life, gifts, and body we have been given?
Godly submission is rooted in God's good and loving intentions for each one of us. Submission is not something God forces down our throats, because forcing submission is oppression. Submission is the way we allow God's Kingdom Agenda to shape our choices, relationships, and vocations, always working in conjunction with our personal freedom.
The call to fellowship is so much more than just developing friendships or connections that fulfill us. It is more than a mere call to teach or mentor. It is a call to keep up with our end of the covenant; actively committing and connecting in partnership with Jesus and one another. A new covenant made in the life and love of Jesus.
While meditation is commonly described as an “emptying” of the mind, biblical authors express an active experience where we fill our minds with things from above.
Identity politics do not distinguish God’s people in the Bible, nor does it define the meaning of justice. There is a reason the biblical authors connected justice to righteousness, finding its completed meaning in the kingdom of God.
Lament joins in the groaning of the world as it suffers, the groaning of creation as it awaits the revealing of God’s children, and the unutterable groanings of God’s Spirit within us.