Adam L. Feldman's Blog, page 16

Thematic Study of Scripture

The Bible is wonderfully consistent from cover to cover. Themes that emerge in the Old Testament find their fulfillment and consummation among the pages of the New Testament in the life, ministry, passion, death, resurrection, and eventual return of Jesus Christ. Studying a theme is a great way to discover for yourself how the Bible “fits together” and the way God progressively revealed His redemptive plan to us.

What is a thematic study of Scripture?

In the same way that a word study and achar...

VOV: Backsliding

During the winter where I live, we tend to get snow and ice storms from December through early March. One of the scariest experiences is when I hit a patch of ice and skid. Even more scary is when I am driving up a hill, lose control of my car, and slide back down the hill. Backsliding is scary in a car, and is often scary, frustrating, and momentum-thrwarting in the spiritual journey.

The following prayer is fromThe Valley of Vision (“VOV”), a collection of Puritan prayers. VOV is a prayer re...

4 Ways Being a Dad Impacts My Spiritual Quest: Part II

The Bible has a lot to say both about parenting and about being parented, and it is clear that God has ordained the parent-child relationship to be a redemptive one.

Last week, I shared with you two ways that being a dad has impacted my spiritual quest: stewarding and serving. This week, I share with you two more plus a bonus fifth way.

3. Saving

On Christmas Eve two years ago, my daughter, Abby, became my eternal sister when she accepted Jesus Christ’s free gift of salvation. My wife, Kim, vide...

4 Ways Being a Dad Impacts My Spiritual Quest: Part I

Being a dad is one of the best parts of my life. It can be equally frustrating—stomach bugs, late nights, messy house—and exhilarating—first steps, learning to read, surprise love notes in my sock drawer.

The Bible has a lot to say both about parenting and about being parented, and it is clear that God has ordained the parent-child relationship to be a redemptive one. The following are fourways that God has used my role as“dad” to impact my spiritual quest.I share the first two in this post, a...

Word Study

One of the most rewarding things about studying the Bible is deepening your knowledge of Godrelationally and theologically.

Relational knowledge of God. As you study the Bible, you discover it is the living, active, and authoritative Word of God. As God speaks to you through His Word and you obey Him–conforming your life to His–you hear His voice more clearly and grow in His likeness. This deepens your love of God and your relationship with Him. Here are some Bible study disciplines that help...

Ordinary Faith for Ordinary Time

We are currently in the midst of the season of time referred to as “Ordinary Time” in the church calendar. There are two segments or seasons of Ordinary Time every year. The first occurs roughly between the seasons of Advent and Ash Wednesday. The second is the longest segment, occurring between Pentecost and Advent.

Ordinary Time has fewer feasts and significant events in the church calendar. Ordinary Time is not graced by the relative “highs” of Christmas and Easter. Ordinary Time is, well,...

Resource: “Spiritual Theology”

“Spiritual theology” is the branch of theological studies focused on understanding human spirituality. I know—one for the obvious, right? We live in a highly spiritualized culture, and there are no shortage of books espousing teachings on spirituality. Simon Chan’s Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life is an indispensable read on the subject of Christian spirituality.What follows is a brief introduction to the book, and why you should read it.

Overview of Spiritual Theol...

A Penetrating Question

Every so often, my spiritual director begins our time of soul care with a simple but deeply penetrating question. It always causes me to pause and reflect. There is no simple answer, and there is no way to dodge it. You cannot beat around the bush, but must tackle it head on. Stock answers fall short. Authenticity, vulnerability, and transparency are absolutely essential.

That simple but deeply penetrating question is this: “How is it with your soul?”

An Exercise In Reflection

This question come...

Life Sucker: Entitlement

During my sermon this past Sunday, I mentioned that spiritual transformation cannot be microwaved. This comment got a few snickers and giggles—it is, admittedly, a funny image. However, the principle behind the metaphor is true: you cannot rush spiritual transformation.

Progressing in righteousness, vanquishing besetting sin, deepening love for the unloveable, cultivating an awareness of Christ’s presence… there just isn’t a fast forward button for these things.

[Photo by digi via freeimages.co...

Studying a Book of the Bible

Last month, I shared with you a Bible study method that involved looking very closely at a person—or, “character”—in Scripture. Today, I share with you another Bible study method that is super simple and very helpful: studying a book of the Bible.

Why study a book of the Bible?

Studying an entire book of the Bible has numerous benefits. For instance:

Plan. You have a ready-made Bible reading plan! You don’t have to figure out what you will do next. You simply keep reading the book every day unti...