But maybe a better understanding of the history of the early Christian movement would give new perspective to these discussions.
We all get angry about things from time to time — some of us more often than others. But what is really the root of our anger? How much energy do we spend on wishing things were how they used to be, thinking that our best days may be behind us? We all compare ourselves to others. Some of us even wish we were someone else. But why are we so concerned with what other people think, say, or look like? Does God answer prayer? Some, but not all? Sometimes, but not all the time?
Or does God always answer prayer and it's just that sometimes God says no. Could prayer be bigger than God listening and answering? Maybe we need a fresh perspective on how we approach the things in life that compel us to pray. Many of us are running from place to place, and it seems like life is just passing us by.
We often focus on the masculine character of God. But when we omit the feminine, are we missing a very fundamental part of his nature? Maybe understanding a bit more about the feminine would help us to have a more complete image of God.
Most of us grew up believing that our worth, our value, our acceptance comes from how good we are. How smart, how competent, how fast and better and skilled. But Jesus invites us to die to all of that so that we can really live. Can success separate us from those who could use our help?
Can it create a wall between those with and those without? Maybe we are only really successful when we can actually see who could use our help. And maybe when we give to those we see, we are reminded of what we have been given. Often the perspective of a friend can help, but when there is nothing more to say, where do we turn? Register to Watch or Login. Subscribe to Watch or Login. So where is God when bad things happen? How can God just stand by and watch us suffer?
We love our jobs, we love our kids, we love a good burrito. When love is defined so broadly, it loses its significance. We may confuse friendship, commitment, or lust with love, but God intended us to experience something far deeper.
Jesus lived with the awareness that God is doing something right now, and anybody can be a part of it. He encouraged his listeners to question, to wrestle with the implications of what he was teaching. Jesus started discussions about what matters most, because for Jesus, God is always inviting us to open our eyes and join in.
Do we honestly think that standing, sitting and singing in church for an hour a week makes God happy? God hates it when we call ourselves Christians but ignore all the things he really cares about.
He wants our hearts. Why is silence so hard to deal with? What will really make us happy? Can we learn to trust that God has something even better in mind? The freedom we long for comes through forgiveness, not revenge.
But God sees in each of us the potential to do the right thing, to live with love, peace, compassion, forgiveness and hope. Jesus said that the most important thing in life is to love God and love people. Some are small things, and some are devastating things. Nothing can ever change his unconditional love for us. Is how we live connected to something that has been in place since the beginning of time?
Losing someone we love can be the most difficult thing to go through in life. But what might help us is to know, that in facing this kind of loss, Jesus wept. But to most people in the world what we have would be more than enough. Maybe what we have is enough, and God has blessed us so that we can bless and give to others. But for thousands of years, people have understood that our physical breath is actually a picture of a deeper spiritual reality.
Many people often debate the central claims of the Christian faith. But maybe a better understanding of the history of the early Christian movement would give new perspective to these discussions.
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