-
Sinful Heart Object Lessons- Lesson One: The Image of God
Bring out the clean mirror and talk about how when God looked into the heart of Adam and Eve, He could see Himself. This ability to shine forth God’s image was very special.
-
Disabled Persons Bring Insights for Healthy Relationships
This summer I had the privilege of being a counselor at a camp for disabled persons. The counselors and campers enjoyed a week of swimming, horseback riding, fishing, bowling, paddle boats, crafts, Bible lessons, and worship. In the midst of the earthly activities, heavenly insights for healthy relationships with God and others emerged. I was blessed to be 24/7 with a blind person for the week. During the week, I noticed aspects of a healthy relationship with God. I learned quickly to go at the speed that she could walk at. Adjusting my speed to her reminded me of how God meets us where we are at. He knows our…
-
Women and the Workplace: A Critical Crossroads
All of us have experienced change and transition recently. But whether yours has been a season of loss, new beginnings, or both, one constant remains: you have been created for, and called to, purposeful work in your everyday workplace.
-
How Would You Draw God?
One of my favorite Bible lessons I did with our church teens a few years ago involved Pictionary. I gave them random Biblical stories to draw, which became quite comical. Most of them were pretty easy; but, it was all part of getting them to the final image. For the finale’ we had a draw-off and told them to draw, “God.” As I suspected, the two draw-ers stood with marker in hand but no action. The audience began shouting out Bible words hoping for a lucky guess. They eventually abandoned even trying to draw and turned instead to waiting and encouraging better guesses. So, how would you draw God?…
-
Work in Heaven?
As Labor Day approaches, most Americans anticipate a well-deserved day off work. For many of us, the daily grind has become just that––a complete grind––and we regularly count down the days to weekends, holidays, vacations, and even retirement (5,406 days for me). But what if work isn’t supposed to be a grind? And what if our work doesn’t end with our time on earth? Have you ever considered what the Bible reveals about work in heaven? We know that the Bible represents one continuous story from Genesis through Revelation, and God’s story starts in a Garden (Gen 1–2) and ends in a City (Rev 21–22). This Garden to the City…
-
How Mothers Reveal the Image of God
Motherhood reveals the image of God in a profound way. I witnessed my friend, Melissa, mother her kids. She peacefully prepared three plates of food for her young boys. Yogurt. Chicken. Ketchup. Noodles. They sat around and ate while trying to teach the baby to say “Bible” and instead he shouts, “Jack, Jack.” The room laughs. Later that night she held her toddler on her lap for sweet face-to-face time before bed. He curled into Melissa like her lap belongs to him. It does. Her arms, her face, her knees that bend low to listen. Her hands that hold the book at bedtime. In some ways her body belongs to her…
-
Teaching Children to Respect Another’s Religion
What is the difference between teaching children that they need to respect others’ religion and teaching children to respect other religions? Grammatically the only difference is, the first is possessive meaning it belongs to another and the second could easily become possessive. As in, you might respect it so much that you would want to embrace it yourself. Can we teach our children to respect another’s religion without implying that it is a valid choice? I believe that we not only can do this but that we must. One of the fundamental aspects of being a human is that we above all other created beings have been given the gift…
-
Shaping Abstract Truths To Form A Firm Foundation – #2- God’s Image In Mankind Became Distorted at the Fall
God has complete unity in HImself, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He made humans to live in unity and community with Him. God planned from the beginning for Adam and Eve and all their descendants to walk and talk with Him daily. “ . . . the man and hiswife heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day. . .” Gen 3:8 The Net Bible Imagine that for a moment, as you are going about your daily business when suddenly you hear the sound of Creator God moving about. He is with you, there to visit with you in person,…
-
Do Males “Image” God More Than Females?
Do male humans “image” God more than female humans image God? Both male and female were created in the image of God. Recall Genesis 1: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make adam in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule . . . God created adam in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (vv. 26–27). The image of God is male and female. One sex does not “image” God more than the other. And, in fact, male and female are interdependent. I once had a student who wept with joy when she learned this. She was…
