Talia Biel is a member at Crossroads Church. She is a sincere Jesus follower with a gift for connecting her faith to real life, and for sharing that through her writing. Check out her blog “Holding On To Faith. I had a friend recently ask me to write on the issue of “gossiping” and as a…
Author: Norm
The strength of our anchor
SCRIPTURE: 2 Timothy 1:1-2:13 “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12) Paul urges Timothy to stay loyal – unlike Phygelus and Hermogenes, like Onesiphorus. It can’t have been easy for Paul, to have supporters turn from God and from…
That scheming devil
SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:16-24 “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (Acts 16:17) I am curious as to why this spirit of prediction would say this? Spirits also spoke truth to Jesus – “You are the holy one of God!” (Mark 1:24). He silenced the spirits from speaking…
Team players
SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:11-15 “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” (Acts 16:14) This line can be either a copout, or an encouragement. As a copout, I can blame no conversions in my witnessing on the Lord. He didn’t open anyone’s hearts to my message, so no one believed. As an encouragement, it’s good to…
Butterfly fly away
Talia Biel is a member at Crossroads Church. She is a sincere Jesus follower with a gift for connecting her faith to real life, and for sharing that through her writing. Check out her blog “Holding On To Faith. Please note: I have parental permission to use this child’s name and photo for this particular post* …
His plan behind my plans
SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:6-10 “Kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.” (Acts 16:6) “The Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.” (Acts 16:7) Why would the Holy Spirit hold us back from sharing the message of Jesus? It’s not that He silenced them, but He directed them elsewhere, other than Asia….
Reading the Bible with Jesus: Psalm 13
You can find more about my weekly Bible readings HERE. This week I am focusing on Psalm 13 (Monday, July 6 – Sunday July 12)
To win them to Jesus
SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:1-5 “Paul wanted to take him along… so he circumcised him because of the Jews…” (Acts 16:3) As Paul shares the decisions in Jerusalem (re. Gentiles not bound by the law), he has Timothy circumcised. In Galatians 2:11-16, Paul rebukes Peter for enforcing the Law on Gentiles, but what is he doing here? One possibility is…
Show me, Lord
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 139 “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.” (Psalm 139:1) How does this make you feel? He knows EVERYTHING about me, totally, completely, everywhere, always. This kind of exposure can be frightening… talk about a breach of privacy! We may try to hide, to cover up our badness with goodness, but God isn’t…
The pursuit of…???
SCRIPTURE: 1 Timothy 4-6 “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11) If life is the pursuit of… something, what is my life is the pursuit of? Comfort, riches, pleasure, power, reputation, good looks, success, revenge? Everyone will have their own variation on what their goal…