Meet Me in the Word: Bible Study with Pastor Tim

Send Tim a note "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something". That, of course, is a quote from the Princess Bride when Westley responds to Princess Buttercup’s complaint, "You mock my pain.” And it’s true to an extent.  Life is hard and if we don’t acknowledge and process the hard stuff, we aren’t likely to live a healthy, full life. The other side is a...

Send Tim a note Have you ever wished there was a manual for how to do life?  If you just thought, “there is one!  It’s called the Bible!”  you’d have a pretty good point. But… if you’ve ever come to the Scripture and thought things like “this is overwhelming” or “this is too high of a standard to live by” or “I keep trying and I keep failing” you’ve come across a very important truth.  This isn’t...

Send Tim a note If you’ve ever lost someone close to you, you know that grief has a life of its own.  If you’ve ever been an executor of a will, you know that the logistics of someone’s life can add complication to that grief. That’s the situation we find Abraham in, here in Genesis 23 after his wife, Sarah, has passed away. We also get to look into the dynamics of Ancient Near East transactions a...

Send Tim a note Did you know that you don’t have to have it all together to get God’s attention?  Well, now you do.  It’s true, Jesus is worthy of our honor and respect and yet he constantly invites in people like you and me who are ill prepared, confused, but know that we need his restorative touch on our lives. We’re in Matthew 8:1-4, the part of the story when Jesus meets someone who probably m...

Send Tim a note The trouble with drinking out of a firehose is that most of the water makes mud. Of course, we use that phrase to compliment a teacher or book that is rich in content and sometimes we need that kind of learning experience.  If you’re anything like me, though, you do better with a teacher who understands your learning capacity and leads you accordingly.  We’ll reflect on that as wel...

Send Tim a note If I could sum up the book of Joshua in 3 phrases it might sound something like this: Don’t be afraid.  Do everything the LORD commands you to do. The LORD will fight for you.  Those themes echo throughout the book. We’re in Joshua 11, the part of the story where Israel faces the armies of the North and we see those 3 themes in action.  Also, what’s the deal with hamstringing horse...

Send Tim a note What if I told you that you don’t have to have it all together?  In fact, until we recognize our own angst and wrestle with living out our faith including our frustrations and shortcomings, we’re likely minimizing the power of the Spirit and of grace in our lives. We’re in Romans 7:7-25, the part of the letter where Paul shares his own struggles in the pursuit of Christlike spiritu...

Send Tim a note I’ve had the privilege of being present when people have committed their lives to Jesus, either for the first time or in renewal.  In some cases, they express something a lot like, “Jesus, everything I have and am is Yours.”  Honestly, it’s quite moving and in my experience, it’s been sincere.  A moment of surrender, though, gets tested through the course of life.  Sincerity meets...

Send Tim a note How are you using what you know? It is important for us to learn and take in knowledge but it’s more important that we act on the knowledge we already have. We’re in Matthew 7:13-29, the closing sections of the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus called his listeners to use discernment and put his teachings into practice.  How can you know if a teacher is pulling you the wrong direction...

Send Tim a note What do you hope people will say about you in future generations? I know, that’s a rather lofty idea to think any of us are THAT important but indulge me a moment. When enough time has passed that some of the details have slipped out of people’s consciousness and only the defining traits remain.  What are they?  We’re in Psalm 22, a psalm that gives us depth of emotion and several...

Send Tim a note Did you know that obedience gets easier with practice?  Well, now you do.  That first battle with temptation takes courage to win so we should celebrate it. There may be some mistakes along the way but if we don’t give up, if we keep coming back to Jesus with soft hearts and that desire to become more like Him, He will give us victory. Then we can trade in the rhythm of sin for the...

Send Tim a note Have you ever been in a situation where you knew it was time to move on but you were struggling with guilt because you have a strong dose of loyalty running through your veins? Don’t overhear that, I’m not advocating for the quick version of cutting people out of your life.  Some of you, though, are so loyal to old things that you need some firm permission to move on to God’s best...

Send Tim a note What does an answered prayer look like?  After the waiting is done and God said “yes” to your request, was it what you expected?  I believe the LORD keeps His promises and hears us when we pray.  I also believe that it rarely looks the same as how we imagined it when we asked. We’re in Genesis 21, the part of the story when God fulfills his promise to Abraham and Sarah and then ......

Send Tim a note Do you ever find yourself hesitating to ask God for what you truly need?  Of course, things that disagree with the Bible aren’t what we should request.  Our hearts should align with His. Beyond that, sometimes we can talk ourselves out of seeking God’s best for us for a variety of reasons.  We think we’re not worthy.  We believe God has bigger priorities than us. We anticipate that...

Send Tim a note Take a moment and think about your best day.  What role did God have in your life that day?  Some of you have had several best days, if that’s you, then thank God for that kind of fullness in your life. It can be easy for us to sort of forget about God when life is going well.  We look at our success and credit our work ethic, talent, or intelligence and minimize the role God playe...

Send Tim a note How should we understand the violence and conquest we find in the Bible? Is this all just about one group of people deciding that they’re fulfilling God’s destiny for them?  What about the cities and people they destroy… are they innocent casualties that got in Israel’s way? And was God okay with all that? We’ll look at Joshua 10:16-27 today, the part of the story where Joshua puts...

Send Tim a note We’re in Romans 6:15-23, the part of Paul’s letter where he talks about how we use our freedom and the results of who we serve. He quickly debunks the myth that we can do whatever we’d like just because we have righteousness through grace instead of the Law.  If we want to grow spiritually, we need to recognize that the gospel is not an excuse to indulge.    Support the show For a...

Send Tim a note The more I read the Scriptures, the clearer it becomes that God is the real hero of the story. The people, even the ones we might consider to be heroes of the faith, show themselves to have questionable character. I appreciate them because amidst their poor choices along the way, they have a real relationship with God.  Our faith was never about trying to achieve perfection in orde...

Send Tim a note Why is hypocrisy easier to see in other people? Have you ever met a marriage counselor who doesn’t value their spouse?  A preacher who doesn’t believe?  A judge who takes bribes? It doesn’t matter how hypocrisy dresses up, it is always destructive for everyone involved. We’re in Matthew 7:1-6, the part of the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus challenged his listeners to take a deep lo...

Send Tim a note Psalm 20 is a royal or kingly psalm.  In this case, a blessing likely read to Israel’s soldiers shortly before going into battle. It’s a powerful and encouraging expression of God’s goodness and kindness toward his people.  How has blessing played a role in your own life? This psalm also challenges us to think about where we put our hope and trust.  You’re invited to take some enco...

Send Tim a note Did you know that God took all your shortcomings, quirks, and flaws into account when He called you into His purpose? Now you do.  While we don’t see that stated directly in the Scriptures, we do see it in the context of so many stories and the people in them .  Joshua and Israel are no exception.  It’s safe to say that they have been far from perfect in implementing God’s instruct...

Send Tim a note If you are a person of the resurrection, in other words you believe in Jesus, how does that change your life today? Our faith isn’t just about the afterlife, it’s about the power of God working in us moment by moment.  I believe the Spirit of God can truly move the pieces of our lives around until we are fully new.   I also believe that one of the main ways that happens is when we...

Send Tim a note This passage is WILD!  We'll take time to discuss what the sin of Sodom was but much more importantly, learn from Lot's experience.  While the moral of this story is often misunderstood, we can benefit in our relationship with God by paying attention to what's happening. Other scriptural references to Sodom: Ezekiel 16:49 Isaiah 1:10-17 Isaiah 3:9 Jeremiah 23:14 Lame...

Send Tim a note Have you thought about calming down?  Just don’t worry about it!  Giving that kind of advice will get you in trouble around my house.  Most of us don’t need to be told what we already want to do, we need the tools to be able to do it.  We’re in Matthew 6:25-34, the part of the sermon on the mount when Jesus talks to his listeners about their anxious hearts.  It turns out that “don’...

Send Tim a note If you were to take 3 minutes and write down words that you associate with Scripture, what would pop onto your page? We all have thoughts and feelings when it comes to Scripture, probably both positive and negative based on past experiences with it.  Even the way people talk about it or use it in our lives can shape our view of God's word. David offers us a beautiful way of un...