The Inner Work: Part 2
As we wrap up our last couple of posts from our series on God’s image and likeness, I’m going to give some practical ideas here on how to connect with God. I’m hesitant to do this because what’s most important is what is unseen. There are not magical practices that if you simply follow these […]
Mission Trip Israel – The Hospital: Part 2
The Body of Christ came out! We hadn’t done any mission work, nor spent any of our vacation in the city where the hospital was, so we knew no one. However, word spread and one by one (or two, or three) they came to offer their help and prayers. We also had the advantage of […]
Mission Trip Israel – Day 12, Monday, May 28, 2007
I woke up early to pray on the roof of Beit Immanuel. It’s beautiful up there to look across the city from the top of this four-story building. I knew we would be praying for direction on which way to go that day and I just felt hungry to have more alone time with Him […]
Mission Trip Day 9: Friday, May 25, 2007
On this morning we gathered to worship with the discipleship group of Beit Immanuel. But instead of them praying for a country or people as they had every other day, they prayed for the arts. It’s an area that large sections of the Church have historically turned their backs on, which has left many whom […]
Mission Trip – Day 3, cont’d: May 19, 2007
So many amazing things happened on that third day in Israel, but one that is both funny and at the same time fills me with wonder, is one that involves my then girlfriend, now bride, Kara. Mike invited a whole group from the largest congregation in Tel Aviv to join so that everyone could pray […]
Mission Trip: Israel -Day 1: May 17, 2007
We stayed at Beit Immanuel in Tel Aviv, very near Joppa where Peter had the vision in which God told him that His Spirit was for all people, not just the Jews. (Acts 9:32-10:48) Beit Immanuel means “House of God with us,” and is a hostel that also hosts a Discipleship program for young people […]
Where to tithe?
One final word: you should pray diligently to God for where your tithe should go. I personally believe that for most everyone it should go to those who are responsible for your growth in the Kingdom. Those pouring into your life spiritually must be supported financially. For most people, that is your local church. They […]
What is life like in Heaven? (Mt 6:19-24)
Matthew 6:19-7:6 We’ve been looking into the Sermon on the Mount which started with Matthew 5 to 7 and we’re continuing from Matthew 6:11-15 where Jesus taught us how to pray. As we take on this prayerful lifestyle, we begin to enter new Heavenly realities and Jesus explains here what Life is like in the Kingdom […]
What are we supposed to pray for? (Mt 6:10)
The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6:10 Yesterday we started studying the Lord’s Prayer. While instructing us how to pray, Jesus teaches that we need to be in awe of our Holy God the Father. This is important when we go into an extended period of prayer, but the key to living the Kingdom life is that […]
Does God want us to have religion? (Mt 6:1-18)
Matthew 6:1-18 On Friday, Jesus was teaching us how we will interact in the world when we have been transformed by the Holy Spirit. Today, we’ll begin to discuss how He tells us to accomplish this with an overview of the religious life of His day (which is not so different from what is common […]