Last week our nation paused to honor the memory of September 11, 2001. As part of the remembrance, the National Geographic Channel produced a special series of interviews and reflections with people who were a part of that tragic event. I watched several of the shows, and was moved by the images and the conversations…
Category: John
iBelieve: When I Struggle with Habitual Sin (part 5)
Let me summarize this week’s series on chronic sin patterns with some practical advice that Paul offered in Romans 12. In verses 1-2, he wrote, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and…
iBelieve: When I Struggle with Habitual Sin (part 4)
Even though we wrestle with living in Romans 7, the promise that God offers is that “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:1-2, NLT). In…
iBelieve: When I Struggle with Habitual Sin (part 3)
The premise of the Christian life is that believers are empowered to live above the domination of sin. Through the grace of Christ, sin does not have control over our lives. We have the ability to have control over it. But there’s a problem. Even though we are free from the power that sin holds…
iBelieve: When I Struggle with Habitual Sin (part 2)
So what do we do with those pesky habitual sins? I think one has to look no further than the Book of Romans for some timely words of wisdom. In Romans 6:1-2, Paul offers the premise of the believer’s attitude toward sin. “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us…
iBelieve: When I Struggle with Habitual Sin
Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and…
iBelieve: When I Feel Helpless
What makes you feel helpless? For me, there are a couple of factors that contribute to feeling helpless. One is having no options, and the other is lack of clear direction. When I think that I’ve run out of options or I am not sure of the next step, I feel helpless. John 4 tells…
iBelieve: On the Third Day…
Today I want to end this series by returning to the beginning. How does John chapter 2 begin? The NLT has, “The next day,” with a footnote. Most other translations render, “On the third day.” So how does the chronology work? The miracle conducted at the wedding in Cana was performed on the third day…
iBelieve: Raising Your Expectations
Disappointment happens when our expectations are not met. But in the story of Jesus turning the water into wine, Jesus exceeded all expectations. John 2:6-10 reads as follows, “Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, ‘Fill the jars with…
iBelieve: Where is Jesus When I am Disappointed?
Yesterday I began this series of posts by setting the back ground for Jesus first miracle: turning water into wine. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, you’ll want to take 3 minutes and review the setting of the story and the deep roots of disappointment the family must have felt. So what…