Essays discussing spirituality in Christianity.
1 Kings chapter 17 illustrates aspects of God’s character and His promise of provision, as well as our role in receiving from Him. It is the story of the prophet Elijah and a widow in Zarephath.
Continue readingPretending that temptation doesn’t exist to avoid engaging with it makes it harder to resist, and it makes you miserable. However, calling it out directly and acknowledging it changes things. Confession can be a form of therapy.
Continue readingThere is a lot of fear-mongering going around. How are Christians supposed to react to things that are out of their control? If the food supply is poisoned or if mass inflation is happening, can Christians count on God?
Continue readingPsalms 1 and 2 are alluded to in Jesus’ teachings. Let’s look at what they are saying.
Continue readingWhat does it mean to test God? In Matt 4:5-7, when Satan is tempting Jesus, he tells Jesus to jump off the Temple and says that God should protect him. Then Satan quotes Psalms 91:11-12, which says, “It is written: ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” Jesus responds in verse 7 by saying, “It is also written: ‘You must not test the Lord your God.”
Continue readingThis essay is part one of a two-part series responding to a meme. The meme in question suggests that since supernatural and ritualistic elements are in the Bible, magic and witchcraft can’t be sinful, and that the Bible is contradictory. Part 2–>
God was completely against people using gemstones as charms because it was deceptive. Deuteronomy 18:9-12 makes it clear that God was against fortune-telling, sorcery, looking for omens, witchcraft, casting spells, or functioning as mediums or psychics, calling forth the spirits of the dead. In Ezekiel 13:18-21, God curses those who use these things to deceive his people. Revelation 21:8 and 22:14-15 both have a list of sins that will prohibit people from inheriting the kingdom: sorcery, witchcraft, and such. Most of the other things listed are entirely out of context or the result of bad denominational theology.
Continue readingPeople often talk about how much God loves them, but do they ever love him back? If you don’t have time for him, then you don’t love him, because we make time for the people we genuinely care about. If you don’t keep his commandments, then you don’t love him, because we will do anything for the ones we love. Jesus even said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
Continue readingOften, people seek vengeance and revenge for the injustices and wrongs committed against them by others, yet they desire mercy when they wrong others. If you are not willing to show mercy, then you should not expect mercy in your life (Lev 19:18, Matt 6:14-15, Col 3:13). True justice is given out by God (Deut 32:35, Prov 20:22, Prov 24:29), so believers should only respond in love, their enemies can be humbled into shame for how they treated others and repent. If they refuse, then God will condemn them. In the meantime, we must love our enemies (Prov 25:21-22, Matt 5:43-48, Luke 6:27-28, Rom 12:14-21).
Continue readingWhat is speaking in tongues? Is it demonic? What does it look like? What is its purpose? Some people are opposed to it because they don’t understand it, but it is mentioned in the Bible and listed as one of the Gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
Continue readingWhen we ask God for things we need, do we need to beg and plead with him? Or can we trust that He loves us and will hear and answer us, just because we call on Him? We don’t need to beg God to help us; instead, we can trust God to supply our needs because he promises to do so.
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