The Gospel and Race
Here is some reading material to help provoke thought. These articles are not meant persuade you. Each should examine his or her own conscience and lead you into prayer. https://9marks.org/article/race-grace-and-the-church/ https://9marks.org/article/how-do-we-respond-to-cultural-crises-over-race/– http://gracemosaic.org/2014/12/ferguson-fruitful-dialogue/ http://gracemosaic.org/2014/11/ferguson-a-way-forward/
Following Jesus into politics
Here is some reading material to help provoke thought. These articles are not meant persuade you. Each should examine his or her own conscience and lead you into prayer during this political season. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/march-web-only/should-christians-vote-for-lesser-of-two-evils.html?start=1 https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/thabitianyabwile/2016/06/07/on-abortion-and-racism-why-there-is-a-greater-evil-in-this-election/ http://townhall.com/columnists/waynegrudem/2016/07/28/why-voting-for-donald-trump-is-a-morally-good-choice-n2199564 https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/evangelical-history/2016/08/02/wayne-grudem-evangelicals-and-the-trump-option/
Courage for Cowards Like Me
1 Samuel 17:1-11 17:1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between…
What Do I Really Look Like?
1 Samuel 16:1-13 16:1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come…
God Wants Your Heart, Not Your Religion
1 Samuel 13-15 13:1 Saul was . . . years old when he began to reign, and he reigned . . . and two years over Israel. 2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. 3 Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it.…
A Method in Madness
2 Chronicles 20:1-23 20:1 After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). 3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.4 And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities…
The God of New Beginnings
1 Samuel 12 12:1 And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.3 Here I am; testify against me before theLord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose…
They Cried to the Lord, and He Delivered Them
1 Samuel 10:17-11:15 17 Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah. 18 And he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says theLord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’19 But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him,…
God Chooses a King
1 Samuel 9:1-10:16 9:1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. 3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost.…
Make Us Like the Nations
1 Samuel 8 8:1 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not…