“This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available… Continue reading Are you qualified?
Author: Crossmap Blogs
Crossmap.com is a Christian living portal website serving the U.S. and global Christian communities. It is pan-denominational, viewing all Christian denominations as equal constituents of the body of Christ, and all Crossmap staff and contributors adhere to our statement of faith.
How do we read the Bible? Pretend to be in it!
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9 I remember sitting in our tiny little church in the middle of nowhere Indiana and our pastor asking us all to think about why… Continue reading How do we read the Bible? Pretend to be in it!
How do we read the Bible? Journal it!
Scripture: “Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.” Psalm 145:6 NIV Of all of these practices, this is probably the only one that I personally don’t need a lot of instruction on. I had to learn how to imagine myself in scripture, how to meditate on scripture, and… Continue reading How do we read the Bible? Journal it!
Can you see it?
“For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Matthew 13:17 One of my favorite characteristics of God is that He is a Redeemer. Last week, I wanted to speak into the “new”… Continue reading Can you see it?
“Why are you so afraid?”
Scripture: Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are… Continue reading “Why are you so afraid?”
Saying a Simple “Yes” to God
“Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his… Continue reading Saying a Simple “Yes” to God
Everything happens for a reason | Stuff the Bible doesn’t say
In small, daily life mishaps like your car breaking down, not getting the job after an interview, failing a test, or forgetting to renew your driver’s license (maybe that one is just a me thing…) you might share about an inconvenient circumstance and hear from a friend, “everything happens for a reason!” Later, when you… Continue reading Everything happens for a reason | Stuff the Bible doesn’t say
Making Space for Holy Moments
Scripture: “The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off… Continue reading Making Space for Holy Moments
Becoming Brighter
Scripture: “And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 This year I finally found a workout I like. It’s called “barre” and if you don’t know what it is, basically picture a dance studio… Continue reading Becoming Brighter
How do we read the Bible? Hand copy it!
“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests.” Deuteronomy 17:18 When I shuffled into a little church in the middle of nowhere Indiana, I became a part of a community of believers that pursued the heart of the… Continue reading How do we read the Bible? Hand copy it!