Filtered Thoughts

One of my favorite things about the Bible is that it does not shy away from the human failings of any character in its tales. Even the good guys are not elevated on pedestals as perfect guys. We know Solomon had lust. We know Jonah was bitter. We know Moses had a temper. We know Peter cowered under pressure. We know that Paul was a previous genocidal maniac. We know Rahab was a prostitute. We know Mary Magdalene had seven demons. In most stories, they try to make themselves heroes, or at least make certain characters look good and others evil. The good guys, hide their flaws, or they are spun in a way that they are not 'flaws' per se, but 'vulnerabilities'. After all, if you have the opportunity to be an original leader in a new movement and, unlike most, you actually have the education to write down and document what is happening for years to come... I'm sure it could be tempting to paint yourself in a better light. But the authors do not! Paul boasts in his ...

Promise and war. Prophesy and political upheaval. Security and trauma. Belonging and isolation. Abundance and abandonment. Palace intrigue and mundane monotony. Brokenness and healing. Truth and lies. God and sin. There is so much in the story I'd like to travel through with you today. Over recent years I've come to learn the importance of healing in community. The moments alone with the Lord are essential. There are places in each of us only God can restore, redeem, change, and make new. However, God indwells His image bearers. God uses people. God sends people. God speaks through people. God loves through people. God expresses Himself through people. If the Trinity maintains a relational community, so must we. David and Jonathan have long been the poster boys of friendship in scripture. When Jonathan realized that the Lord had forsaken his father, Saul, and that David was to be the next King, he entered an oath with David. Jonathan would send word to ...

I had never given much thought to today's topic, but when the Lord pressed me to study flattery, I was really amazed by the nuggets He revealed. To begin, we need to establish some definitions... Gossip : something that is true, but negatively said about a person when they are absent that would or could damage their reputation or tear them down. Slander : something that is not true and negatively said about a person when they are present or absent that would or could damage their reputation or tear them down. Encouragement : something that is true and positively said to a person when they are present that is meant for their own advantage. Praise : something that is true and positively said about a person when they are present or absent that would or could build their reputation and builds them up for their own advantage. Flattery : something that is true or untrue, but positively said about a person when they are present or absent meant to gain a personal advantage. It i...