Month: August 2017

interview

What Is Spiritual Formation? – Video Interview

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In early July 2017 I was interviewed for a Sunday morning service on the topic of spiritual formation. Below is the video of that interview from YouTube (I am on the left). The main topic was an explanation of what spiritual formation is along with some discussion of stages of growth. Pastor Dr. Rich Brown of Trinity Alliance Church near Redding, CA did an excellent job of preparing the questions and of conducting the interview, which was the substitute for his sermon that morning. We think it turned out well so I hope you enjoy it. It begins with some questions about my background. Then we talk about the biblical definition of spiritual growth, the causes of growth, stages of growth, the human role in spiritual growth, and a few other brief topics. Below this video is an approximate transcript of some of the discussion so you can get an Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God Cares About Our Suffering – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.” Psalm 31:7 (NLT) God sees our troubles and he cares about our distress, even if we don’t feel it. When we dwell in the place of trust in God’s care for us then our soul dwells in the kingdom of God. We are not controlled by our circumstances and we are not misled by the visible world. We have victory because by faith we dwell in the invisible world of God’s love. So we rejoice, not because we are in denial or escape to a fictitious realm, rather we rejoice because we are learning to travel the roads of the deeper reality of God’s realm. Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted – Weekly Words Of EncouragementNovember 18, 2024Have Mercy – Weekly Words Of EncouragementNovember 15, Continue Reading →

racism and Jesus

Jesus, Racism and President Trump – Issues From Charlottesville – Part 2

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Last week (see Part 1 here) we looked at problems with President Trump’s comments about the Charlottesville demonstrations. We explained why his comments about the racists were disappointing. This week we look at responding to President Trump and what we say to others. In spite of Trump’s character issues, some Christians supported his nomination, though most Christians supported other candidates. (In the general election Christians didn’t have much choice – Trump’s opponent was not concerned about declining religious freedom so what could Christians do?). But why would a Christian who cared about the virtue of America vote to nominate someone who lacked virtue? How could someone without character bring character back to America? His lack of character includes owning casinos, starting a strip club, his multiple marriages, justifying looking into a room of beauty contestants who were dressing, sexualization of women, habitual disrespectful comments, habitual glory-seeking, boastfulness, habitual distortion of Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

Finding Supernatural Harmony – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“…in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7 (ESV). This is a great encouragement because it teaches us a practice that will bring us to freedom from anxiety and inner turmoil. If we make our requests to God, and trust him then we will find peace for our souls. Our hearts and minds will find protection from the circumstances of life that steal our peace. And we can not even understand the peace for it is supernatural and so by faith we live in the Kingdom of God which transcends earthly knowledge and we learn to dwell in supernatural harmony in Christ. Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted – Weekly Words Of EncouragementNovember 18, 2024Have Mercy – Weekly Words Of EncouragementNovember 15, Continue Reading →

racism and Jesus

Jesus, Racism and President Trump – Issues From Charlottesville – Part 1

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When the great pioneer of church renewal, John Wesley, visited the American colonies in the 1730’s he observed that slavery in the colonial south (and other places in the world) was barbaric and cruel and later wrote a tract “Thoughts Upon Slavery” condemning slavery and declaring it should be abolished. It took many years for America to outlaw slavery and so it was guilty of a great moral crime. Hundreds of thousands died in the Civil War in the struggle to rid America of slavery and Christians were pioneers in the drive for abolition. But once freed America succumbed to another great crime — the Jim Crow laws, which allowed legal discrimination against blacks. African-Americans have been trying to recover from this ever since. This is why it is so discouraging for an American President, President Trump, to respond to the white supremacists in Charlottesville with comments about the protests Continue Reading →