The phrase “separation of church and state” is common in our culture. But what exactly does it mean? And do we have separation of church and state the way our founding fathers envisioned it? In my previous post (“Should Politicians Be Guided By Their Faith?”), I talked about the impact that a political leader’s religious faith should have on their actions. That impact should be no different than the impact of faith on the actions of any citizen. If we... Read more
Politicians talk about faith more today than probably ever before. But should politicians be guided by their faith? Election Day Is Coming! Tuesday November 7 is Election Day across the United States. In some places, like Michigan (where I live), the only elections on the ballot are local. We have some ballot initiatives and some local offices to fill. These types of elections don’t normally “move the needle” in terms of public interest. But as soon as these elections are... Read more
When Jesus healed a man who was deaf, the people said, “Everything he does is wonderful!” It’s easy to say that when God does what we want – but what about the rest of the time? Scripture: Job, chapter 22; Mark, chapters 7-8 Mark 7:31-37 (NLT): Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him,... Read more
At times, believers seem to expect God to do something miraculous to “prove” himself to others. Unfortunately, people who aren’t looking for God will often reply, “Go away and leave us alone.” Scripture: Job, chapter 21; Mark, chapters 5-6 Mark 5:1-20 (NLT): Jesus and a demon-possessed man So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from... Read more
Sometimes we “hear” from God and come to different conclusions as to what God means. As we see in today’s passage, the best response in that situation is “The Lord’s will be done.” Scripture: Job, chapter 16; Acts, chapters 21-23 Acts 21:7-14 (NLT): The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed for one day. The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist,... Read more
We need each other! We need to “guard ourselves and God’s people” (Acts 20:28), and we do that by entrusting ourselves to God “and the message of God’s grace” (20:32). Scripture: Job, chapter 15; Acts, chapters 19-20 Acts 20:28-32 (NLT): “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock – his church, purchased with his own blood – over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will... Read more
We live in a world where people think they can define their own “truth.” At times, we might be tempted to try to “help” God by shading things in his favor. But defending God with lies is never a good idea – and it’s never necessary! Scripture: Job, chapters 13-14; Acts, chapters 17-18 Job 13:1-12 (NLT): “Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand. I know as much... Read more
In Acts 8, we see that the believers were scattered by persecution. But they didn’t let that defeat them! “They preached wherever they went” – just as Jesus had said! Scripture: Job, chapters 3-4; Acts, chapters 8-9 Acts 8:1-8 (NLT): Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the... Read more
We’re familiar with Job’s story. We’ve heard about his patience. But his first reaction to the tests that he faced was to worship: “Job fell to the ground to worship.” Scripture: Job, chapters 1-2; Acts, chapters 6-7 Job 1:20-22 (NLT): Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord... Read more
Money and material wealth are a stumbling block for many in their spiritual journeys. But why does God care about our money? Probably because it’s a reflection of how much we care about him! Scripture: Malachi, chapters 3-4; Psalm 148; Acts, chapter 5 Malachi 3:6-10 (NLT): “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed... Read more
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