Measuring spiritual growth appears to be an unspiritual endeavor but it is indeed spiritual and a Jesus-honoring endeavor. We see Paul telling the believers in Thessalonica to keep doing good and excel at it (see 1 Thessalonians 4:10), as well as Jesus exhorting His disciples to bear much fruit (see John 15:1-8). And the references…
Personally, I believe that’s a question a believer should regularly ask concerning any sin in their life? What differences does Jesus’ death make with regards to my lust, bitterness, lying, pride, and others sin? The answer to that question is crucial to making no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14) and walking in holiness (1…
Photo by Omar Prestwich on Unsplash Grouchiness about other pastors’ churches? Their size? Their coolness? The number of conversions they see? Their creativity in programming, marketing, sermons? Nope. Not me. Never. I promise. I’m always kingdom-minded and thankful for the work that God is doing in and through other churches. God tells us to “rejoice always” (1 Thes.…
Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash Anger and Our Desires We are minding our own business, perfectly content. Then someone comes along and makes us angry. We were not angry before; we became angry after. If the other person had acted differently, we would not have become angry. The logic is airtight. But this kind of thinking…
How do you know you’re being wise or foolish? How can we work toward putting wisdom to practice in day-to-day encounters? David Powlison in Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness, gives the following as examples of “good fruit” of wisdom. Keep your mouth shut, when you used to blurt out a reaction. Listen, when you…
According to David Powlison in Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness, anger is a negative evaluation, in which an individual shows active displeasure towards something important enough to care about. It was quite sobering when I reflected on this definition because, in agreeing with Powlison’s definition, I realized that my problem is too…
Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash According to David Powlison in Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness, anger is a negative evaluation, in which an individual shows active displeasure towards something important enough to care about. It was quite sobering when I reflected on this definition because in agreeing with Powlison’s definition I…
Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash According to David Powlison in Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness, anger is a negative evaluation, in which an individual shows active displeasure towards something important enough to care about. It was quite sobering when I reflected on this definition because in agreeing with Powlison’s definition I…
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…
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…
Theology Along the Way 