My Journey Journal

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
and give no opportunity to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26 – 27 ESV

 

 

Our church is studying what it means to be members of the church.  Recent lessons are on unity within the church and building one another up.  As I read the passage above I was struck by Paul’s command five verses later:

 

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Ephesians 4:31 ESV  Read more... (1081 words, 3 images, estimated 4:19 mins reading time)

Often those of us that follow Jesus can find it emotionally challenging to let go of the shame of our sins.

 

 

It is valid to experience shame that accompanies our guilt before the only holy God when we are in our sinfulness for He is perfect and we aren’t.  The sense of shame that accompanies our recognition of how we’re sinful, however, isn’t God’s ultimate goal.  Our recognizing Him, coming into a right relationship with Him on His terms then worshiping, glorifying and enjoying Him is.  Once we’re forgiven based on the blood sacrifice of Jesus, He sees us through His grace as perfectly sinless; the shame should lead to repentance and then freedom and a deep sense of value as we realize the living God loves us but often we get hung up on what demons, our messed up human brains and our fellow humans tell us.  Read more... (804 words, 2 images, estimated 3:13 mins reading time)

Written to Jewish Christians, the book of Hebrews contains some deep theology and passages that are personally challenging.  One passage that is a beautiful highlighting of history from the Jewish testament that leads into Christian responsibility is chapter 3, verses 7-13.  Read more... (611 words, 1 image, estimated 2:27 mins reading time)

My mind understands manhood backwards. I’ve grown older thinking much of what I saw around me as “manly” was the definition of “being a man.” It isn’t necessarily.

 

Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, defines the characteristics and behaviors of men and His definition is unchanged in the face of my predecessors’ or my contemporaries’ thoughts, feelings on the matter or choices.

God gives examples of courage and steadfastness in Daniel as he went into the lions den or when Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) & Azariah (Abednego) were thrown into the fiery furnace in Babylon.  Read more... (387 words, 1 image, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
and virtue with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with steadfastness,
and steadfastness with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-8 ESV

If you wonder “For what very reason?” join the club.

In verse 3 Peter tells us

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness ….
2 Peter 1:3 ESV  Read more... (242 words, estimated 58 secs reading time)