Jesus is not a lion, but He is a lamb!

I believe that the lion and the lamb conversation is one of the most misunderstood concepts that is taught about Jesus. Many songs, sermons, and statements have been made about Jesus being the lion and the lamb, but do we really understand this concept and what the Bible has to say? “The Lion the Witch […]

Are We Unaware That We Are Disagreeing With Jesus?

I often hear, “It’s not about a head knowledge. It’s about a heart knowledge.” Is this true? Is Christianity primarily meant to be experiential? Are we not supposed to care about knowledge and growing in our understanding of God? The reality is that I think that there are three main reasons for this: 1. We […]

5 Reasons Why The Church Is Failing People With Mental Illness & Addictions

Most of my posts are very theologically focused, where I really dig into the Bible. This one will be slightly different. It will feel somewhat like I am taking a few jabs at some situations going on within modern Christianity. The reality is that I will, but I am hoping to not come from a […]

Growing in Our Relationship With God

What does it mean to grow in our relationship with God? This is a tough question. I believe that we have often defined this growth and maturity as something that it is not. It is a tough question to answer, because we have simplified formulas and measurements for growth. “If you do______ would you consider stepping up […]

We Have no King but Caesar

“We have no king but Caesar,” – John 19:15 These are the words that were spoken by Jewish religious leaders as they took Jesus from Pilate to be crucified. Jesus was the promised king. Their belief system taught of a king that would come and setup a kingdom that would last forever. Jesus was that […]

God’s Response to Our Suffering – Part 2

If you have not read part 1 yet, go back and read it first: https://davidruybalid.wordpress.com/2017/11/18/gods-response-to-our-suffering-part-1/ The God of Discipline Growing up as a Christian Fundamentalist, I was often taught that when we suffer, God may be disciplining us for something that we have done wrong. I read an article the other day that reminded me […]

God’s Response to Our Suffering – Part 1

Why does God allow bad things to happen? Do bad things happen by God’s hand? Does God bring suffering in our lives to punish us? I am hoping to start us down the road of a healthy perspective in a two part series on these questions and the topic of suffering. About a year ago, a close […]

The Wrath of God and Death of Jesus – Part 4

So What About the Afterlife? I am excited about a generation of young adults who have been raised in the church and are questioning things that they don’t see lining up with the heart of God. Because of this, questions about the afterlife and hell have come up a lot in the last few years. […]

The Wrath of God and Death of Jesus – Part 3

If you have not read Part 1 or 2, go back and catch up for the sake of context. Part 1: https://davidruybalid.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/the-wrath-of-god-and-death-of-jesus-part-1/ Part 2: https://davidruybalid.wordpress.com/2017/07/12/the-wrath-of-god-and-death-of-jesus-part-2/ As I have built a case so far, our view of God’s character effects our understanding of the wrath of God. If we view God as constantly angry, then His wrath and […]

The Wrath of God and Death of Jesus – Part 2

If you have not read “Part 1”, read it first. Click Here I grew up with a strong fear of God. The reality of hell was taught often. Hell was taught as a place of fire where people would be tortured forever. It was a place that was used to often scare people into making […]