List 1 Rebuke, reprove, admonish, exhort, confront, judge fairly, warn, talk directly and righteous indignation List 2 Attack, criticize, accuse, moralize, condemn, be judgmental, threaten, talk aggressively and self-righteous hostility. David Powlison in Good and Angry says, Do these lists sound rather similar? How are they alike? How are they different? In fact, they are as different…
David Powlison in Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness, gives the following examples that I found helpful regarding the “good fruit” of wisdom. Keep your mouth shut, when you used to blurt out a reaction. Listen, when you used to be busy crafting a comeback. Speak up courageously, when you used to get intimidated. Embed any specific…
Peaceable people lay aside warlike traits: defensiveness, aggression, criticism, self-justification, scoring points, touchiness to offenses. These moral weeds — the ‘filthiness and rampant wickedess’ that comes from the anger of man (James 1:20-21) — get plucked up by the roots and begin to wilt. Sweet fruit begins to grow as the Word of God and…
Peaceable people lay aside warlike traits: defensiveness, aggression, criticism, self-justification, scoring points, touchiness to offenses. These moral weeds — the ‘filthiness and rampant wickedess’ that comes from the anger of man (James 1:20-21) — get plucked up by the roots and begin to wilt. Sweet fruit begins to grow as the Word of God and…
Chuck Lawless give a helpful, simple and biblical approach to start walking in victory over sin. Original post can be found here. I recently read an older article about addiction, a problem the author (and others before her) called “the spiritual disease of our time.”[i] A few quotes about addiction capture the author’s thinking: “One of…
Eric Geiger has a great word on gratitude I read and wanted to pass along. The original post can be viewed here. Though you may not use the terms, you are familiar with “direct” and “inverse” relationships. In a “direct” relationship, when X rises, Y rises as well. For example, when the number of people…
Carson’s statement begs the question, “how do you give a rebuke in loving humility?” David Mathis in his book Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus Through the Spiritual Disciplines gives seven steps we can work towards giving a rebuke that is biblical/Jesus-honoring. Check your own heart first. Seek to sympathize. Pray for restoration. Be quick. In my opinion,…
What a great word by Dr. Chuck Lawless on specific questions to think through in order to be more intentional in your walk with Jesus in 2017! Love this! Original post can be viewed here. For years, I have set goals for the new year during the first week of December. Tomorrow is the first…
Original post can be found here. I am often asked how to know if the plans we make are God’s will for our life. I’m not referring to which cereal to have for breakfast. For the most part I think God would simply say choose your favorite (and, like a good parent, try to steer you…
This is a helpful word by my friend Ron Edmondson. Original post can be found here. He writes the following… I’ve learned in leadership – you can’t teach someone who doesn’t want to learn or grow personally. Perhaps you’ve tried. I have. I see one of my jobs as a leader to help people grow…
Theology Along the Way 