Checklists, idols and loving God
A preacher said: “You cannot love the Lord if you do not do these things.” Paul wrote: “I tried keeping rules. It didn’t work.” Why checklists lead us astray.
Spiritual schizophrenia and the two-headed snake
"How long will you try to go both ways?" Elijah cried. Where people identified with God cling to deep double-mindedness, they empower a two-headed snake.
Sabotage, coerce, shame: Bullying in the church
It’s agonizing to be bullied – and it can happen to an adult, in the church. Supposedly godly people, seeking to control, plot to sabotage, coerce, shame.
Spirit, power, blessing and an undivided heart
Elijah was human, like us. The spirit and power in his life had everything to do with the God who gave them, and the undivided heart that welcomed them.
When church leaders bully people and reject God
The day I realized what I had been seeing for years, it broke my heart: church leaders bullying people, rejecting God, leading their followers to do the same.
Journey to a divided heart
In the beginning, a divided heart may look very much like an undivided one. Two paths before you appear to run side-by-side. It seems you don’t have to choose.
The LORD is with you, mighty warrior
May I tell you a story? It’s a true story. And it shows what can happen when God sees courage in you that you do not see.
The great righteousness-justice divide
Ultimately, collectively, the church quenched the Spirit’s voice in order to embrace the society’s values. The church began to preach - and to try to live - a righteousness unencumbered with justice. But. God.
How Ahab and Jezebel outsmart us
Be blessed to see past strong deception and skillful misdirection, to recognize Ahab and Jezebel at work.
Profound forgiven-ness
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves ... then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”