—Thoughts from varied sources around the ‘Net. No agreement nor endorsement implied… Tim—
The problem with both the Christian Right and the Christian Left is that they reduce “Christian” to the diminished role of religious adjective in service to the all-important political noun. But as Karl Barth taught us, God cannot serve some other interest, God can only rule. …
God Has Already Revealed His Plan for Your Life
After my quick self inventory, I realized that my issue was not not hearing from God; my issue was relying on God to make me obedient to what He had clearly spoken, for all these commands were part of me fulfilling God’s will for my life. Paul encouraged us to “only let us live up to what we have already attained” (Philippians 3:16). God has spoken through His Word, and He continues to do so.
Is Sports Gambling Moral? You Bet, Americans Say
On the question of morality, however, even religious Americans take a softer stance. Only 36 percent of Christians believe betting on sports is morally wrong, the survey shows. Those with evangelical beliefs and those who frequently attend religious services are the most likely to have qualms, but fewer than half (47 percent) of those groups say sports wagers are morally wrong.
The Best Answer to Bad Guys With Qur’ans Is Good Guys With Qur’ans
In the end, the geopolitical and theological stakes are too high to be distracted by caricatures and reductionism. To move forward, we must embrace our shared and complex humanity, and honor one another’s virtues.
Freedom in Grief, Not Freedom From Grief
One thing that has been so valuable in this season is people giving me freedom to create my own path of grief. I imagine that some in my close community have struggled with this. Giving freedom means letting go of expectations and allowing new norms to form and take root. It is common and helpful for people to watch for unhealthy paths of grief. But make sure in your watching, you are first loving. I appreciate my friends who have helped me evaluate these paths, but I also appreciate the freedom I have been given.
Americans may be getting less religious, but feelings of spirituality are on the rise
Americans have become less religious in recent years by standard measures such as how important they say religion is to them and their frequency of religious service attendance and prayer. But, at the same time, the share of people across a wide variety of religious identities who say they often feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being as well as a deep sense of wonder about the universe has risen.
Colton Dixon on Saving Sex for Marriage: ‘It Was Not Easy’ – But It Was ‘More Meaningful to Wait’
Adds Annie, “It wasn’t because someone was telling me this is what you should do. Deep down in my heart it felt like it was the right thing. And we’re really glad we did. We know God’s hand is on our marriage.”
Flock of sheep helps police end 90-minute car chase in New Zealand
Police began the pursuit of a Honda Integra after it had been spotted speeding without number plates on Friday morning.
A subsequent chase ranged far and wide over the Central Otago region, and eventually led police to the back roads of the district.
But a 150-plus flock of sheep, being herded along a road by a local farm worker, entirely blocked the runaway car’s escape route, forcing it to make an abrupt stop.