God is love.
God is patient; God is kind; God is not envious, boastful, arrogant, or rude. He does not insist on His own way; He is not irritable or resentful; He does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. God never ends.
As we study the Bible and seek to understand the character of God, it is important to remember that our interpretations and understandings are always limited and fallible. We must be willing to question and challenge our assumptions, and to seek out new insights and perspectives that help us to better align with the character of Jesus.
This means approaching the Bible with humility and openness, and being willing to let go of our preconceived notions in order to more fully embrace the message of love, compassion, and redemption that Jesus embodies. It also means being willing to confront and dismantle harmful or misguided interpretations of the Bible that have been used to justify violence, hatred, or discrimination.
By seeking to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and embody His love and grace in the world, we can more fully reflect the character of God and bring hope and healing to a broken and hurting world.
Articles
-
The Neuroscience of the Gospel
As the gospel starts to penetrate our hearts, we can move from a spirit of fear to one of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). Lowering stress and anxiety shifts the body from a pro-inflammatory gene expression (CTRA) to a restorative state. The call to “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Ps 46:10) is a biological necessity.
-
The Architecture of the Unseen
The Architecture of the Unseen Your Worship is a Power Source We often talk about the spirit realm as if it’s a distant, shadowy dimension populated by entities that existed long before us and will exist long after. However, what if the truth is more personal and revealing of us? What if the “monsters” under…
-
The Neuroscience of Relational Restoration
We often think of “loving our enemies” or “denying ourselves” as heroic acts of willpower, as if we’re supposed to grit our teeth and force ourselves to be kind while our inner selves scream in protest.
-
Christ – The Great Undoing
By allowing the powers to do their absolute worst to Him—to persecute, torture, and kill Him—and then rising again, He exposed them as being powerless. “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Col 2:15)
-
Loving Our Creator
The truth is, opportunities to show love to the Creator of the universe are woven into every aspect of existence. We express it through our love for our fellow beings, our care for the animals and the planet, our deep-rooted gratitude, the daily practice of the fruits of the Spirit, and our gentle surrender to divine transformation.
-
Care for Creation
In the pristine garden of Eden, God placed humanity, not as conquerors or exploiters, but as stewards, entrusted with the responsibility to work it and take care of it (Gen 2:15). This mandate, issued at the dawn of creation, reminds us that our relationship with the Earth is not one of exploitation but of partnership. We are called to cultivate and nurture, to protect and preserve the delicate balance of life that God has woven into the fabric of the planet.
LOVE
God’s love for us is immeasurable, unconditional, and eternal. He loves us not because of what we do or don’t do, but simply because we are His children, created in His image. His love is demonstrated through the gift of His son, Jesus, who came to redeem us from our sins and reconcile us to God. No matter what we have done or where we have been, God’s love is always there, ready to embrace us and give us a new start. His love transforms us, filling our hearts with hope and joy, and giving us the strength to love and serve others in return.
RESTORE
God’s restoration of creation is a central theme in the Bible, from the story of creation in Genesis to the promise of a new heaven and a new earth in Revelation. God’s plan for the world is one of redemption and renewal, not destruction and despair. He desires to restore the brokenness and imperfection of the world, to bring healing and restoration to all of His creation. This restoration will be complete and final, when Jesus returns and all things are made new. Until then, we can trust that God is at work, bringing about his restoration in ways that we may not always see or understand, and that one day, all things will be made right in His presence.
GROW
Growing in the knowledge of God is a lifelong journey of discovery and growth. It means seeking to understand more about who God is and what he has done for us through the study of the Bible, prayer, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It also means learning to apply what we learn about God to our daily lives, allowing His truth and wisdom to shape our thoughts, actions, and decisions. As we grow in the knowledge of God, we not only gain a deeper understanding of His love and grace, but we also become more like Jesus, reflecting His character and compassion to those around us.