My last couple of posts were about living in the spirit as well as the gifts that the Holy Spirit provides. Today we’ll investigate the natural, beneficial consequences of doing so, often referred to as the Fruits of the Spirit. If one accepts the premise of a loving, active God, then it must follow that positive spiritual blessings will flow out to those choosing to connect themselves with Him. When...
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the meaning of living in the spirit, and the opposing natures of flesh vs. spirit. I felt that it would be a good time to discuss the gifts that the Holy Spirit provides. These are granted to those who choose to live by the spirit and strive for a relationship with God. As this relationship grows, we become more attuned to how God...
“For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love.” Galatians 5:13 One reoccurring theme in the New Testament is that of living a spiritual life vs. “living in the flesh”. Christian theology is very specific about what living a spiritual life means. It also portrays the opposing way of life in which...
These days, it seems that division is everywhere. Political divisions seem to have morphed into divisions of every kind. With this has come the dehumanizing of the “other side”. Acts of violence are broadcast almost hourly on social media, with seemingly no end in sight. I still believe that the majority of people are still shocked and saddened by these events, but are unsure how to respond. Now more than...
One of the foundational beliefs of Christianity is that God, specifically the Father, has a plan for our lives. God’s plan is individualized for each one of us, and can change as we grow and progress, or even as we mess things up. God has known you since you were “formed in the womb”, and has directed your journey from the start, even in the midst of trouble, sin and...
The events over the past few weeks have been troubling to say the least, with far-reaching consequences. In the aftermath, there has been anger, confusion, mistrust and division. It seems that the one thing that we can all agree on is that things are falling apart, but for a variety of different reasons. Forces of Evil are dividing this nation, leaving most people with a helpless feeling, wondering what can...
by Michael Paul · Published February 14, 2020 · Last modified August 4, 2021
God did not create evil. Evil is the unfortunate result of God creating beings with free will… free to love or free to pursue their own interests, outside of, or against, his will. Some have said that love and evil are 2 sides of the same paper… it is not possible to create only one side of a sheet of paper. God knew that creating out of love involved risk,...
by Michael Paul · Published February 14, 2020 · Last modified August 4, 2021
It is true, but the focus needs to be on the word “repent”. Repenting means not only being sorry, but sincerely declaring that you will do all in your power to not commit that sin again. Repenting means that you will live your life differently from that point forward. It is not fun, in fact it is usually painful in that you are so sorry for the hurt that your...
by Michael Paul · Published February 14, 2020 · Last modified August 4, 2021
A sane or mentally healthy person would not die for something that they believed to be a lie. Therefore, either they were correct in their beliefs about Jesus and in spreading Christianity, or they were insane / mentally ill. As others have mentioned, there have been many who have died for their beliefs, even if obviously false or crazy sounding. Typically these people were not of sound mind. Of course,...
by Michael Paul · Published February 14, 2020 · Last modified August 4, 2021
It is hard to say from your question without specific examples. Often in the bible, readers focus on single particulars without proper context or consideration of literary style, which varies greatly throughout. There are common themes and threads across all the books that are often missed. So, I would infer that the opposite is true, and the God is good and Satan is evil. Using some of what was mentioned...