When I use the word ‘church,’ I use it how it was used in the Bible. In its simplest, it means those people who believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God he claimed to be, and accept His death and resurrection for all the true life He offers. (see I Corinthians 15:3-4) The most […]
Author Archive | Laura Blodgett
Understanding the Normal Christian Life – The Blood of Jesus Christ
The “Blood of Christ” is a term that may have grown dull to the ears of many long-time church-goers, but a true understanding of it will release the Christian of many legalistic burdens and despairing guilt. Because of its full capacity to deal with the brokeness of human nature, we can boast in what the […]
Don’t Be Like the Frog
I looked down at the frog clinging to the top rung of the ladder in my swimming pool. I was used to it periodically showing up, but it usually quickly disappeared over the side bar and into the styrofoam peanuts. You see, my little 9 by 17 foot vinyl swimming pool is not only heated, […]
Does a Christian Need to Study the Bible
There are many dire predictions for who Christians don’t study their Bibles enough. They will be weak. They will fall prey to heresy. They will backslide. These are things we are told over and over. Neglect a word study or a historical insight at your own risk. Only the most expert at Biblical dissection are […]
A Farewell When I Am Gone – A Lesson in How to Be Prepared to Die
Dear Ones, When it comes time for me to pass over into Glory, I pray any sorrow of my departure will rapidly be replaced with the joy of knowing I am at last Free and in the Presence of my Maker. I do not long to be gone from you, my dearest possessions on earth, […]
Jesus Presumed, Jesus Discovered – The Vocabulary of Conflict and Revelation
I can remember the moment I realized how much Jesus loved me as a unique and precious individual. What is curious is that this was not concurrent with my earlier understanding and acceptance of His amazing death and re-emergence to life. I knew, even then in my child’s mind, that in doing so, He had […]
What Does it Mean to be Salt and Light
The call for Christians to be salt and light is used like a war cry by many. It is often used to make Christians feel guilty for not doing enough or not speaking up enough or not giving enough, because if they did then surely “the world” would be changed. Surely “the world” would trust […]
What Did Jesus Mean About Violent Men Taking the Kingdom by Force
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think there is any need to get hung up on two of the main verses (Matthew 11:12, Luke 16:16) where Jesus speaks of people somehow using force “to take” the kingdom of heaven. Other passages make it clear that Jesus is not advocating the use of force to “convert” […]
Can Someone Give You A Word From the LORD
This is going to be short, because it really isn’t that complicated, from what I can see. A survey of the Old and New Testaments (use the search function in the blueletterbible.org) seems to show the use of the phrase “a word from the Lord” in two distinctly different categories. Not surprisingly, one category is […]
Is the Word Theology in the Bible
The word theology is not in any of the 8 most common English translations or paraphrases of the Bible. Still, one must ask, “Does the lack of a specific word nullify or diminish the concept, or the application of the concept?” To consider this, let’s begin by breaking down the word itself. The parts of […]