It is perhaps one of the most misquoted and misunderstood Scriptures. “God will never give you more than you can handle!” Image via Pixabay It sounds really great! And it certainly can bring encouragement in the difficult times. “God knows that I can handle this, so I am going to make it through!” There’s nothing overly wrong with the encouragement in itself. It just isn’t found in Scripture. It comes primarily from a misunderstanding of 1st Corinthians 10.13: “No... Read more
There’s a song we used to sing in Sunday school, for those of us who grew up in Church: I’m inright, outright, upright, downright, happy all the time! I’m inright, outright, upright, downright, happy all the time! Since Jesus Christ came in and cleansed my heart from sin, I’m inright, outright, upright, downright, happy all the time! Image via Pixabay (I was going to post a YouTube link here but didn’t want to torture the uninitiated by having that... Read more
When I began Bible college and was working part-time at a local church, I was 20 years old and single. Image via Pixabay Very early, there was an unspoken expectation in the air that I would marry. (To be honest, the “unspoken” expectation was also sometimes spoken very clearly). I was teased in my singleness constantly. I was told regularly, “I know a nice single Christian girl!” Most people I met for the first time asked if I was seeing... Read more
Years ago, a Christian friend said to me, “Unity doesn’t mean we have to agree on every little thing. Unity means that we agree on the most important things, and we choose to remain together even if we disagree on the smaller things.” I think this is brilliant. And godly. And loving. And biblical. Image via Pixabay “In a culture so divided…” Words like that have been around forever. Political divisions, social divisions, economic divisions, gender divisions – the... Read more
Between my ministry and my education, I have had the privilege of meeting and befriending many Christians from many different expressions of the faith. Image via Pixabay I am a Pentecostal in my upbringing, and presently am an Anabaptist by adoption, and my family roots come from a long line of devout Anglicans. But beyond that, I have had my spiritual journey enhanced through my friendships with and mentorship by Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Reformed, Charismatics, Lutherans, and many other... Read more
One of my favourite quotes ever comes from Philip Yancey, who said, “Christians get very angry toward other Christians who sin differently than they do.” Doesn’t that make you chuckle and also think and also sting a little bit, all at once? Image via Pixabay Think about the sins that bother you the most, that you get the maddest at, when you see it in other people. There’s a good chance that those things are not things that you personally struggle with. Because of that,... Read more
At times, I’ve been told that as a leader that I’m not forceful enough. Image via Pixabay Usually it means that someone doesn’t think I’m condemning something strongly enough, or that my words lack some fire. I don’t deny some of it. This guy is an introvert. I’m not a shouter, and even when I’m angry I tend to remain pretty level. I choose to measure my words and speak them carefully, and I always want to show compassion, even... Read more
What happens when we see sin in another person? How should we deal with it? Image via Pixabay Do we call it out? Do we get angry? Do we give them a pass because we are to “not judge” and because “I’m a sinner too?” Do we ignore it because we aren’t perfect ourselves? Do we “out” them to other people? How do we deal with it when we see someone else sin? The short answer is, “Very humbly and... Read more
While serving at a church many years ago, our youth pastor had gone out for the day to attend a meeting with other youth ministries in the city. Guest speakers had come in to teach and equip the leaders for more effective youth ministry. He came back from the meeting angry. Image via Pixabay “It was basically just a seminar on branding,” he said. “In order to being greater glory to God, to see people find Jesus, to see Him... Read more
(How’s that for a click-baity title?!) Image via Pixabay If you’re familiar with Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount, you perhaps already get the gist of where this is going. See Jesus’ words from the Gospel of Matthew: 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge... Read more
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