I live as an alien in China and have for 30 years. So, I have some thoughts on foreigners and how God calls us to see and treat them. The Bible has some specific words on this. It appears God’s message is care for the alien. See here: And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. and here: 28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and …
Loving God with all we have can be a mystery. How do you love God with you soul? What about life in the Spirit? I have some thought here, but would gladly accept more. Jesus said we should 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] Are you loving God with all your Soul? The Apostle Paul notes that we either live in the …
Today, I have a more innocuous topic that I think we might learn from. During the Middle Ages in the West, Aristotle was seen as so great that his ideas were a barrier to further scientific development. In 1277, the West started to leave Aristotle. God is bigger was the start. How About the East? In China Confucius was almost deified and held China back for hundreds of years until roughly 1919. Only the disastrous Treaty of Versailles saved China. …
The Triune God is surely our friend, relative, father, King, and warrior. God is not our grandfather, however. Let me frame that a little. God is the creator of all the emotions and drives we have. He is bigger and more than all we see. Therefore, he is more soft then the most touching mother and tougher and more demanding than the toughest father. He has everything we need. I am not saying we don’t need counselors. I am saying …
The New York Times has an article up that men centrally need a sense of purpose. Women do to, but men need more. Does God have a purpose for each man? Sure. When we reach out to men, we need to connect them with God’s purpose for their lives. Let me share my story. When I was 10 or 11 in my no faith family, I had a vision of life before me. It was a blackness that I could …
It, Consistent readers of the Main Thing know that I have some tendencies in the Autistic realm and grew up in a house determined to repress all feelings. Therefore, I especially had something to learn about loving God with my heart. I will convey that story below the Bible passages. It might help some readers to consider deeper what Jesus said. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind …
What is holiness? I may be chewing more than I can manage with such a huge question. I sang about holiness, read that God is holy, and did not really know holiness till I was doubting and rebelling against God in my depression at age 27. I could hardly read the Bible as my doubts grew. One day in my darkness, I happened upon the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw …
God is holy, Can we be holy? How do we relate to holiness? Is seeking holiness our goal? Well, first lets see the Bible command. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[a] And take a look at this: 19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and …
Let’s focus on the meaning of be born again. Nicodemus as a member of the Sanhedrin came to visit Jesus at night. Do go take a look at the passage. He was a deeply knowledgable leader who knew the Bible well and was highly respected. I think he wanted to know about Jesus philosophy more and to polish up his religion with Jesus ‘new’ ideas. Jesus knew this and that adding some good ideas would not save Nicodemus or anyone. …
God says to Adam “for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Are we only Dust in the Wind as the song says? Look what Ecclesiastes says to us and our pursuits for meaning in this life. all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Is that the story? When I first came to China. I taught English to the atheist college students. I played this song, Dust in the Wind for them as they loved …
