The problem with coping mechanisms
Each day seems to bring a new announcement or policy concerning the pandemic that challenges our normal way of life. At the church where I serve, we are constantly making changes. First, we had to move worship online. Then, we partially reopened for in-person services. And now we are requiring masks in our facility. What […]
God & transgender (Part 5)
God gave us a gender (male or female); sin broke our bodies (including our sense of gender); Jesus’ body was broken to give us hope; and all Christians are called to love one another, even if the temptations we face are unique. Now what? While specialized counseling or support groups have their place, the church […]
God & transgender (Part 3)
Do you think Jesus experienced the same temptation that many transgender people face? Jesus is God—all-powerful, eternal, present everywhere—but two thousand years ago, when he took on flesh, Jesus humbled himself and experienced the weaknesses of the human body. He got hungry, thirsty, tired, exhausted, sad, sorrowful, and overwhelmed. Look how Paul puts it in […]
God & transgender (Part 2)
If God created us “male and female” and declared that our genders are “very good” (Genesis 1:27,31), why do so many people—even God-fearing, Spirit-filled followers of Jesus—struggle so much with gender? The answer comes in Genesis chapter 3 when the first male and female fell into sin and gender forever fell apart in the process. […]
God & transgender (Part 1)
How should Christians approach their transgender questions? When we (or someone we love) feel a disconnect between our brains and our biological bodies, what does God want us to do? Let’s tackle those questions in a series of devotions over the next few days. The best place to start with questions about transgender is the […]
The devil divides
Usually crisis brings people together. I remember speaking with a distant relative who fought in WWII. He said that during the war, the whole country came together to fight our common enemy: the Nazi regime. The response to 9-11 was similar. I remember our country coming together to stop the Taliban from doing more damage. […]
Dishonest scales
When I step on the bathroom scale, I generally don’t like the readout. I’ve tried pulling myself up a little with the towel bar to get a better number. But that’s cheating. “The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him” (Proverbs 11:1). God hates any kind of fraud. Fraudulent practices have […]
Tough Question Tuesday: Do Babies Remain Babies in Heaven?
Explore what the Bible says about babies in heaven and find peace in God’s unfailing love and perfect plan.