Tag: peace

Articles, The PursuitLeave a comment

Drawn or Driven

Lee Parish

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself (John 12:32 ESV).

God desires to draw us to himself. As a host invites guests to a party (Luke 14:16-24), and as a shepherd leads his sheep (John 10:1-4), God invites us to join him in the kingdom and to follow Jesus through a life of personal growth and Divine glory.

We may be inexorably drawn to that which is beautiful, to that which is unique, to that which is lovely. While Jesus is all of that and more, God desires to draw us to the crucified Jesus. The drawing power Jesus refers to is his death upon the cross (John 12:33).

Continue reading “Drawn or Driven”

Articles, The Pursuit4 Comments

The Christian’s pursuit

Lee Parish

A blinded and humbled man fell before the voice of the Author of life. The soul-piercing question echoes through the ages, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). Saul’s persecutions had begun with the violent stoning of Stephen, and resulted in the scattering of Christians (Acts 8:1-3).

Saul wasn’t satisfied with mere intimidation, he ravaged the church. Later, he would reveal that it was his intent to destroy the church of God through violence (Galatians 1:13). Not content with dispersing believers, in his raging fury, he persecuted Christians to foreign cities (Acts 26:11). It is here, on the road to Damascus, that his pursuit of violence led to a pursuit of peace. Continue reading “The Christian’s pursuit”

Articles, Journeys with Jesus1 Comment

See the Prince of Peace

John Henson

What did Jesus look like? No one knows. Yes, there have been many pictures painted of men as “models,” but no true picture exists.

Does this mean we can’t understand what he looks like? Until the second coming of Christ, it does. But his spiritual likeness is just as important, isn’t it?

Someone may say, “How can we come to understand his spiritual likeness?” All we need to do is look in the scriptures for the answer. Continue reading “See the Prince of Peace”

Articles, Hands-on FaithLeave a comment

It will be alright

Barry Newton

Have you ever known anyone who became so anxious with reading a story that he or she would skip to the last chapter to see how it ended? Years ago I remember someone telling me this was her strategy for reading books. For many of us this would ruin the story. However for her, knowing how the narrative tensions would be resolved enabled her to relax enough to read through the story.

I’m not convinced this is a great strategy for reading books. Nevertheless, it is a helpful way to live life. Continue reading “It will be alright”

Articles, Living the FaithLeave a comment

Contentment is never found in things

Richard Mansel

The Holman Bible Dictionary defines contentment as “An internal satisfaction which does not demand changes in external circumstances.”

Although it’s one of the most valuable things on earth, how to attain it is highly controversial.

Humanity gropes for solutions but wealth, prestige, glamour, sexuality, substance abuse and rebellion have all failed spectacularly. Continue reading “Contentment is never found in things”

Articles, Living the Faith6 Comments

Thoughts and questions about forgiveness

Richard Mansel

In the fleshly realm, forgiveness represents everything humanity hates.

In a song about forgiving a cheating, lying wife, Lyle Lovett sings, “God does. But I don’t. God will, but I won’t. And that’s the difference between God and me.”

Forgiveness to some means surrender and endorsement. We won’t forgive until they’ve suffered sufficiently to appease our anger. But emotions are the cruelest creatures on earth and they can’t be trusted. Continue reading “Thoughts and questions about forgiveness”

Articles, Bible BytesLeave a comment

Mizpah

Jon Galloway

After Jacob received the blessing from Isaac by deceiving him, Jacob had to flee for his life, as Esau wanted to kill him. This began a twenty-year sojourn by Jacob in the land of his mother, Rebekah, living with his uncle Laban. This twenty-year period can be divided almost evenly into three periods. Jacob described these this way: “This was my lot for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave for you – fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten times!” (Genesis 31:41 NET). Continue reading “Mizpah”

Articles, Living the FaithLeave a comment

Looking for peace in all the wrong places

Richard Mansel

Peace is difficult to obtain. In fact, the only lasting peace available is in the spiritual realm. However, even there it must be properly focused. Peace is a possession of God and we’ll find it only on his terms.

Humans falsely think that physical peace brings spiritual peace. But that’s backwards. All measures of peace begin spiritually and then emanate out to the other areas of our lives. Continue reading “Looking for peace in all the wrong places”