Tag Archives: Spiritual Growth

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Believing In Miracles

We started a new series this week in our youth ministry. Over the next few weeks, we are taking a look at several of the miracles that Jesus performed during his time on this earth.

As I read through many of the miracles found in the Gospels, I started asking myself several questions.

Water To Wine

I’ve read each of these accounts before. In fact, using the Bible Reading System I’m currently experimenting with, I’ve read them several times this year alone.

But reading them all together has allowed me to see them a bit differently.

And it brought to mind some hard questions.

Have you ever seen a miracle?

I’m not talking “natural” miracles, like sunsets or butterflies or newborns. We tend to overuse the word, throwing it around everywhere, effectively neutralizing its real definition. No, I’m talking about the real thing. I’m talking about a miracle like Jesus performed. Water turned into wine. A storm calmed. Blind eyes opened. The dead raised.

I know these things still happen. I know God is still working powerfully. I just don’t think we see them as often as we used to. At least here in America, that is.

I have a few friends who are missionaries. One is in China. Another is in Africa. The stories I hear from them give me chills. People are experiencing miracles like crazy, and it sound very New Testament-ish.

But I don’t see that happening as much here in America. And I’m asking myself why.

I think I may have the answer, or part of the answer, at least.

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Losing Someone Always Leaves A Hole

I lost my brother, Mike, to cancer in 2005. He had just turned 30.

That’s too young.

Mike and Titus

Mike with my son, Titus

Today, he would have been 37 years old.

Even though several years have passed, I still sometimes grab the phone to give him a call.

And then I realize what I’m doing. There’s a hole there that cannot be filled.

However, I do have a hope. I know that I will see him again one day. And I’ll be able to catch up on all the “Happy Birthdays” that I can’t give him right now.

I’m thankful for that.

Happy Birthday, Mike! Love you! Miss you!

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Memorize Scripture – Week 37

Right now, I am memorizing my way through what is called the Romans Road. While many of these passages are very familiar, and some I’ve memorized before, this experience is helpful because it puts several passages together in a cohesive sequence that helps us understand Paul’s letter a little better.

Last week, we looked at Romans 3:23-24. This week, we’ll move ahead to the fifth chapter, memorizing Romans 5:8:

Romans 5:8

Verses like this one reveal just how good the Good News is. God, who didn’t have to do anything for us, rescued us. Even in the midst of our sin, he sent his Son to die for us. That shows us just how great is his love for us.

How many of us would be willing to die for someone else? How many of us would be willing to give up one of our own children to save someone else?

I’m guessing that the answer is pitifully small. And that’s because, while we may make the sacrifice, it won’t do any good. It won’t save anyone.

But Christ’s sacrifice was different. Because of his sinlessness, he was able to take on our sin, restoring us to God’s favor.

God knew this was the only way to accomplish this. And, as hard as it had to have been, he did it… for you, for me.

That’s some pretty intense love!

How do you see God’s love for you displayed in your life daily? Are there any tangible ways that you can see it? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Memorize Scripture – Week 36

Last week, we started memorizing our way through the Romans Road.

This week, we move forward to the third chapter… Romans 3:23-24:

Romans 3:23-24

Most of the time, we simply memorize the first part of this passage, the “all have sinned” part. But that leaves us with a bad taste in our mouths. That’s bad news. We’re sinners. We fall short. Ouch.

But verse 24 gives us the good news side of the equation. We are justified through what Christ did on our behalf!

But many people, especially non-believers and new believers, may not understand what that means. After all, “justified” is a pretty churchy word. What does it mean?

Here’s how I explain it to the students in our youth ministry: Justified means that because of what Christ did for me, it’s “just as if I’d” never sinned at all.

You and I both know that I did sin. So did you.  And sadly, we still do. But God’s grace takes care of that, and presents us as holy before God, all because of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross.

That is good news!

What is (or was) your initial response to this good news? How do you share this with others? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

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A New Bible Reading Plan – 9 Months Later

Back in January, I started a new Bible reading plan. I decided to use Professor Grant Horner’s system of reading through the Bible.

It has been incredible!

Bible

Allow me to give you a brief synopsis of the plan.

The Bible is divided into ten different reading lists: the Gospels, the Pentateuch, Major Epistles, Smaller Epistles, OT Poetry, Psalms, Proverbs, OT History, OT Prophets, and NT Church (including Acts, Romans, and Hebrews).

Each of these lists have differing amounts of chapters in them. When you read one chapter from each list each day, you’ll finish each list at different points. When you finish a list, you simply start it over. This means that you will never be reading the same ten chapters each day. Each day puts new scriptures together, drawing your attention to the comprehensiveness of God’s Word.

As I said, it’s been incredible!

Today, I finished the last chapter of Malachi, which is in the longest list. That means that I’ve read every chapter in the Bible this year. But at ten chapters a day, I’ve read much of it more than once. For example, the shortest list is Proverbs. I’m currently in my ninth reading this year of the book of Proverbs. Or the 62 chapters of Poetry… I started my fifth reading just the other day.

At this point, I’ve read more than 2500 chapters so far in 2012. With only 1189 chapters in the Bible, this plan has helped me read more in a shorter time frame than any other plan I’ve ever tried.

And I’m loving it!

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Memorize Scripture – Week 35

For the next few weeks, I want to memorize the passages from what many people refer to as the Romans Road.

There are several different variations of this series of Scriptures through the book of Romans, and mine may differ a bit from what many people list.

That’s ok. I think my version is a little more comprehensive than most.

The first passage is found in Romans 1:16:

Romans 1:16

It’s pretty simple, isn’t it?

The gospel is the power of God for salvation.

That’s truly Good News!

And nothing to be ashamed about!

What do you do to foster boldness when sharing the Gospel? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Memorize Scripture – Week 34

Do you ever get the feeling that we are missing something in American Christianity that the rest of the world may have figured out?

I do.

And I think I know what it is… partly, at least. Look at our passage for this week.  You can find it in James 5:16:

James 5:16

You can walk into any bookstore and find dozens of book on the power of prayer. They are everywhere. But when you walk into most churches, you hear phrases like “How can I be sure God hears my prayers?” and “Why won’t he answer my prayers?”

If prayer is so powerful (and it is), then why don’t we experience that power more often? What are we missing?

I think James gives us a hint at the answer in the first part of this verse. We love the second part, the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective part, but we overlook the first half of the verse to get to the part we like.

James tells us to confess our sins and pray for each other. The result? Healing. And only then does he speak of the power of prayer.

Confess my sins? Are you kidding me? I don’t want anyone knowing that stuff!

The simple truth is that if we don’t, we hamstring our effectiveness in other areas, such as prayer.

I realize that this isn’t the complete answer to the problems Christianity is facing in America today. But I believe it is a key component to our spiritual growth, both as a community of believers and as individuals.

The only question now is who do I unload my list of dirty laundry upon?

Do you have someone in your life to whom you can confess your sins? If not, what might it take to develop such a relationship? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.