Picturepocket's Blog

Tag: christianity

  • Genesis 2: Begin Again

    In the second chapter of Genesis, God rests on the seventh day. God declares the seventh day holy, which means set apart, because it is the day he rested from his labor. Taking a break from work is part of the rhythm of life from the beginning. Then the story rewinds. The writer describes an…

  • Genesis 1: 1-13: Beginnings

    The book of Genesis, meaning beginning, starts with God creating our world. It says the Earth was formless and empty and the spirit hovered over the face of the waters. God said, let there be light, and there was light.  While Genesis starts our modern Bible, chronologically the oldest book, Job, references the foundation of…

  • 2 Corinthians 8: The Joy of Giving

    Paul continues by addressing his audience as brothers and sisters. When I was a kid, the old pentecostal churches used to refer to each other in this manner. “And now Sister Sarah is going to play us a special on the piano.” It’s a warm way to greet our church friends.  Paul reminds the Corinthians…

  • Personal-Pan Prayer

    There are several versions of a meme going around saying how great it is to find God alone in the woods or fishing, and even how preferable it is to hanging out in a stuffy, religious church.  People also are fond of saying “Only God can judge me” as if they aren’t accountable to their…

  • 1 Corinthians 14: Words & Women

    Paul returns from his celebration of love to the gift of prophecy, speaking truths, and tongues, utterances in other languages or unknown words. Paul says that prophecy instructs and consoles the Church while praying in tongues encourages the spirit. There are groups within Christianity today that either over-emphasize or deny the use of tongues in…

  • 1 Corinthians 9: Free for All

    In this chapter, Paul talks about his freedoms and responsibilities as a believer. He reiterates that he is free in Christ. He says that the evidence of his apostleship is the believing community that helped found. The work defines the position, not the other way around. He goes into his rights and privileges; he may…

  • I Corinthians 6: Take Care

    In this chapter, Paul calls out the Corinthians’ litigious ways and to kick their unhealthy habits. Apparently, they were often running to the secular courts to sort out their conflicts rather than dealing with in the community of faith. He is telling them they’re going about it wrong, because the saints will judge the angels.…

  • I Corinthians 5: Bad Yeast

    Paul is digging down into specifics with what has been going wrong at church. He mentions sexual immorality that even the pagans don’t do, a man openly sleeping with his father’s wife. Two points of contrast to the interaction with Jesus and the woman caught in adultery (John 8), this is a man with agency…

  • I Corinthians 3: Subcontractors of the Spirit

    Paul continues to address the divisions within the Corinthian Church. He tells them to grow up, they can’t just be sustained on milk, meaning they have to start acting more mature. Paul is going to give them something to chew on. Currently, they are acting out in jealousy and strife, which are not the ways…

  • Light in Darkness

    Every year, during the holiday season, as we approach Christmas, the events increase and things get crazier. This last week was nuts. In the midst of an atmospheric river of rainfall, we had to procure outfits for the kids for a middle school dance and choir performance. There was also a birthday gift to shop…