I have been thinking, lately, about spiritual identity. This was inspired by looking at the attitudes Jesus confronted in His lifetime, as well as the multitude of denominations, sects and movements in existence today, each defending their viewpoints passionately. In my opinion, many are searching for a purer, truer expression of the faith, and many … Continue reading Identity Drift
Tag: identity
Idols and Rebels
"We are men also, with the same nature as you..." - from Acts 14:15 Paul and Barnabas shouted this at a crowd that was about to start worshiping them. I recently had a conversation with a friend about kids who rebel from really conservative families. How does that subject relate to this verse? The thought … Continue reading Idols and Rebels
The Seasonality of Revelation
In the Gospel of Mark, chapter two, is the following story: “Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. People came and asked Him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding guests cannot fast while the groom is with them, can they? … Continue reading The Seasonality of Revelation
Unfulfilled
If I feel alone and unworthy as a single person, it may be as much a product of my internal emotional realities as it is my external relationship status, which is a caution about the possibility of those same feelings persisting even after the relationship status has changed, which of course is a call to … Continue reading Unfulfilled
Holy Crumbs
Since early in my Christian walk, the ceremony involving little pieces of bread and micro-shots of grape juice never made sense to me. I’m speaking about communion. Yes, Jesus did say, “do this in remembrance of me,” but when He said that, the ceremony I’m familiar with didn’t exist yet. Different theological streams each do … Continue reading Holy Crumbs
Sex and the Spirit
I have a file where I draft blog post ideas. A couple of days ago I was digging deep into it, looking at things I had shelved or never finished, and against my better judgement, I decided to edit (only slightly) and revive this. For context, it may be helpful to read Sex Being single, … Continue reading Sex and the Spirit
The Flesh
In the context of the New Testament, I think of 'the flesh' as ‘that which is passing away or under the authority of that which is passing away.’ That's general vibe I get from Paul's usage of the word 'flesh' in his letters to the various churches. Because our flesh, the physical body, ages and … Continue reading The Flesh
Raise Your Standards
Tony Robbins' teachings on this shifted my thinking into my current perspective on this subject. He has commented that "you don't always get your shoulds, but you always get your musts"...applying this principle to everything from income level to fitness. Most people 'should' go to the gym, but the people who actually follow through are … Continue reading Raise Your Standards
What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
Jesus, speaking to Peter one on one: "I assure you: when you were young, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don't want to go." He said this to signify … Continue reading What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
Connection
The following is a from a lecture by psychology professor Jordan B Peterson. Here, he makes reference to King Arthur, the knights of the round table, and the quest for the Holy Grail: “Where do you look for the most valuable thing when you don’t know where it is? Well, each of the knights looks … Continue reading Connection
Andrew K. Banks 