In China where I live, if you are a child of a top political leader, you have the world at your feet. Some might wish that they were some official’s son or daughter. The Bible says those who believe become children of the King of the Heavens and Earth. That is a lot bigger than earthly political power. That is why the Bible says we can be joyful always. God is in charge and says we need not worry. Why …
I have often noted that Jesus said we are to be children all our lives. He, further, emphasizes that we need to be like little children. The result is that the gap between what we are today and what the Bible says can be daunting. We also have gaps in terms of meeting people’s needs around us. Are we good enough? It can all be too much for us, and we give up or shrink inside ourselves. How does God …
Jesus says he hates divorce and says we men need to love our wives, and wives need to respect their husbands. No sex before marriage is also clear and so wise. Let’s think how we can do better from that base by looking at Christian marriage and newlyweds. Translating for a marriage counselor, Chinese-English-Chinese, a wise American Christian older woman said to the young Chinese woman. “Do not give too much of yourself at the start of the marriage. Hold …
We are made in the image of God according to Gen 1:27: So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. We do well to remember that. Let me give an example or two to help us think. In the world, the people of the snowy north are much better off than southerners. Why? An Example To Illustrate The Philippines and Japan are both island nations in the West Pacific. In …
Reading the Bible daily is a challenge for almost everyone. Let’s think on another way to read the Bible. My personality is pretty patient and habitual, so I could jump in and do it. However, I saw a problem. 4 years after I started reading the Bible in Middle school, I had read the whole thing. How many books do you have that you read more than once? I mean if you really liked Harry Potter, you might read it …
Covid-19 has killed over 6 million people and ruined whole industries. as well as families. Lots of familes had it tons harder than our family. Our family did pretty well at the start, but it got harder on my faith over time. Did Covid-19 get you down? For two years, due to Covid-19, our small business has been in trouble. 4 of us in the office pray every week together. At the start, no business but thankful that the business …
I am a first generation American Christian ESTJ dad who is very rule bound married to a first generation Chinese Christian ENFJ. Both of us have a very strong J meaning we are a very black and white rules family. My wifes’s black and white is about responsiveness in relationship. Our 3 kids are 14-18 and one is one semester into a US college. The boy is the second child. They are ESTJ, INFP and ISFP/J. How Do we raise …
First, let’s see the passage where we get the idea of weakness as strength. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may …
Fear is an enemy for all of us whether we know it or not. We all are like Gandolf in this great painting. God’s goal in Christ is to free us from fear, but it is hard for us to get there. First, let’s look at God and see what he says in two passages in 1 John. “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an …
Really? Desire More is the path to life? Doesn’t desire cause our problems? So, I grew up in a family where my parents saw emotion and desire as the enemy. This led me to have a favorite color of gray and really a gray life. I first discovered that God wanted me to feel when I was 25. However, that does not mean I could clear away all the wrong attitudes and habits I had. I married a woman who …
