Jesus performed a lot of miracles in the gospels. And every miracle recorded was included for the purpose of showing people who Jesus was, how he lived, and what he taught. Matthew’s gospel contains a story of the healing of a very sick woman that, while it seems simple on the surface, has a complex […]

Religious tradition is powerful. In addition to giving us a framework for navigating right and wrong, it shows us how to manage sin. But if that’s true, why are there so many different religious traditions, including some that even seem to contradict each other? Does our tradition of sin management work? And does it line […]

Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving? Why does the tooth fairy trade money for teeth? Why can’t we wear white after labor day? We all do things that are based on tradition we don’t necessarily understand. The power of tradition can be so strong that, even when it doesn’t make sense, we will still […]

What is the nature of forgiveness? We think of forgiveness from an emotional perspective. It’s a feeling. If someone does something to hurt me, it affects how I feel about them. So forgiveness is just changing that feeling from negative to positive. But if that’s true, what does it say about God? Is God’s forgiveness […]

How far would you go to help someone. You might give a homeless person five dollars, but would you give them fifty? You might donate a kidney to a family member, but would you donate it to a complete stranger? What if they were a problem person in your life? How far we are willing […]

When we need help with something, we go to the person who has authority in that area. When our car breaks down we go to a mechanic, not a carpenter. But authority is not something people blindly accept. Whether big or small, we want some evidence that we can trust someone – proof of authority. […]

Jesus said some difficult things. He said if you want to be his disciple you must hate everyone else by comparison, including your family. He said you have to hate your own life to follow him. He said you have to take up your cross, which was a reference to walking to your own execution. […]

There is an idea that some people call the Prosperity Gospel. It says that God wants us to be happy and prosperous. If we follow him the right way  have enough faith, good things will come to us. Because God wants only good things for us, we will have wealth, health, and all the comfort […]

Everything has a cost when it comes to living the life you want. We decide what is worth investing in by doing a cost-benefit analysis – weighing the pros and cons of every expense and deciding if it’s worth the price. But a cost-benefit analysis is not just about your finances. Because our spiritual life […]

There are some things that don’t translate across cultures. What might make a person cool and interesting in one culture could make her an outsider in another. Often we are unaware of how the dictates and demands of our cultures can separate us. Jesus shows us how to bridge the cultural divide and come together with […]