Growing in Grace and Truth

One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven. The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22 But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has...

And he answered, “Y OU SHALL LOVE THE L ORD YOUR G OD WITH ALL YOUR HEART , AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL , AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH , AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND ; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF .” Luke 10:27 I have been watching my kids play basketball for close to a decade.   That adds up to hundreds of games over the years.  I have seen coaches give pep talks. I have seen the team huddle together in the middle of the court and cheer.  Once in a while I have heard the coach sternly get after the team for not playing up to their potential.  All of these things are done with gusto in hopes of spurring the team to play their best and win the game. In all of my years of watching my kids play basketball, I have never heard a coach get all excited before a game and scream to the team, "Woooo hooo!  Are you ready to give it your half-hearted effort?  I want to see you give 50%!"     On the contrary.  We hear things like, "Give it you...

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?  II Corinthians 6:14 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods.  Deuteronomy 7:3 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.Proverbs 12:15 I'm writing about something that has been on my heart for a while.  I may step on some toes but that's OK because truth shared in love is important.  As followers of Christ, we are to walk life together.  At times, that includes some straight talk.  Tim and I have always taught our kids the importance of dating the right people.  We have talked often of God's mandate for believers to date ...