Author: David Ellis

Don: How do we know if our prayers are answered? The Book of Judges gives some guidance, where Gideon asks for authentication that god is indeed the entity communicating with him: Judges 6:12: The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” Gideon’s response…

Don: The Lord’s Prayer was given to the disciples in answer to their request to be taught how to pray. There are two versions, one in Matthew and one in Luke. Matthew provides more prefatory material. Different denominations use different versions: Catholics tend to use the Luke version; evangelicals tend to use the Matthew version….

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/jesus-effective-leader-insights-reza-aslans-zealot/ Was Jesus an Effective Leader? Insights from Reza Aslan’s ‘Zealot’ Oct 01, 2013 In his bestselling new book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, author Reza Aslan’s goal was to write a biography of one of history’s most influential people, drawing on historical sources instead of the traditional Gospels to help…

Don: Jesus says in Matthew 18:19: “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.” He says much the same thing in Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask, and it will be given to you;…

Don: If one were to place a finger on any inhabited spot on a globe of the Earth, one would be certain to find people who pray. Prayer is one of the most commonly held cultural similarities of humankind. It is as basic, human, and instinctual a trait as eating and sleeping. The notion that…

Matthew 18:19:  “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:7-12: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened…

This meeting was severely disrupted as a result of last week’s lightning strike on the church. I was connected via Skype to Don, who was visiting Saudi Arabia, and to Ada, who lives in Canada, and to the church classroom in Taylor, Michigan via someone’s cellphone with speakerphone capability. My iPhone was also on speakerphone…

Don: As we were concluding our discussion last week on the topic of conflict resolution, Jason asked what was the meaning of Matthew 18 verse 17: “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a…

Don: Jesus’s remarks in Matthew 18 about conflict resolution are confrontational and may leave those of us who prefer to avoid confrontation feeling uncomfortable. The principles he espoused were that the confrontation should be done without delay and that if it cannot be achieved one-to-one then others in the community should be brought in. M….