Wednesday, January 28, 2015

The Love That Is Neither Easy Nor Natural

The Love That Is Neither Easy Nor Natural - Life in community with sinners doesn’t fit on a Hallmark card. It’s messy and pride-exposing. It is anything but easy.

To the Church in America Today

To the Church in America Today – This seven minute video is worth the watch. It describes where evangelical Christians are today in relationship to the culture and how we need to adjust our thinking regarding our position.

The “Let Us” In Genesis 1:26

The “Let Us” In Genesis 1:26 – The author of this article talks about whether “let us” refers to the Trinity.

Monday, January 26, 2015

But God

But God - These two words are overflowing with gospel. 

11 Bible Verses for Your Secular Friends

11 Bible Verses for Your Secular Friends - To help you talk about religion with others, here are 11 Bible verses that your friends, whether secular, spiritual or religious, may find interesting.

What Does It Mean to Say a Bible Translation Is Faithful?

What Does It Mean to Say a Bible Translation Is Faithful? – Here’s a helpful article on the issues involved in Bible translation.

We Are Gomer

We Are Gomer - The story of Hosea and Gomer reminds us that God loves us not because of our faithfulness, but because of his. 

How to Combat the Demonic

How to Combat the Demonic – If Satan is real—prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour—what can Christians do about it?

All Paths Lead to God

All Paths Lead to God – Here’s a good response to a popular false teaching.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Thursday, January 22, 2015

5 Ways to Kill a Spiritual Conversation

5 Ways to Kill a Spiritual Conversation - A few mistakes that inevitably derail important theological debates.

Abortion and the Gospel

Abortion and the Gospel – “As today marks the forty-second anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, most Christians recognize, and rightly so, the loss of millions of unborn human lives. What we often forget is the second casualty of an abortion culture: the consciences of countless men and women.”

Not Caring About Diversity is Not an Option

Not Caring About Diversity is Not an OptionTrillia Newbell explores why many American churchgoers do not care about diversity. It’s an interesting perspective.

I’ve Sinned, Now What?

I’ve Sinned, Now What? – Here are eleven reminders about sin.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Prayer as a Relationship

Prayer as a RelationshipI am enjoying this series.

What is a Clever Way to Engage a Spiritual Conversation on Monday with a Stranger?

What is a Clever Way to Engage a Spiritual Conversation on Monday with a Stranger? – As we seek opportunities to share our faith, here is a possible conversation starter.

Developing Godly Qualities in Our Children

Developing Godly Qualities in Our Children - What qualities does God want us to develop in our children? No need to guess. Scripture tells us specifically: “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to have mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:9). These three requirements are a basis for evaluating our children’s character development.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Supreme Court to Hear Marriage Challenge: How Should Christians Respond?

The Supreme Court and Same-Sex Marriage

The Supreme Court and Same-Sex Marriage - Russell Moore shares why this matters for the church.

How Involved Is God in the Details of Your Life?

How Involved Is God in the Details of Your Life? - Why does God give us more details about Joseph’s life than any other individual in Genesis?

9 Things You Need to Know About Widows

9 Things You Need to Know About Widows - “Here are nine things you need to know about the ever-increasing member of society, the widow…”

Change For Struggling Marriages

Change For Struggling MarriagesWritten by a couple who were both Christians when they were married, but who had significant relationship struggles in the first few years. 

What is the No. 1 Threat to Marriage?

What is the No. 1 Threat to Marriage?The No. 1 threat to marriage is ourselves.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

A Caution for Believers in 2015

A Caution for Believers in 2015 – “The new year brings hope and opportunity. Many of us have made New Year’s resolutions we are firmly committed (at least for now . . .) to keep throughout the year. Every new year, though, also brings renewed temptations and fresh opportunities for failure. Consequently, this post is a caution based on the story of Noah’s drunkenness after the receding of the floodwaters (Gen. 9:20-27).”

The Inevitable Misery of Living for Yourself

The Inevitable Misery of Living for Yourself – Living for yourself is the default option for every person. This means that unless something happens to bring about a change. we end up living for ourselves. The Bible says this quite clearly: “All seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 2:21). 

9 Things You Should Know about Boko Haram

9 Things You Should Know about Boko Haram - “While the world’s attention has been focused on terrorist attacks by radical Islamist groups in Europe, Iraq, and Syria, another series of attacks in Africa has largely gone unnoticed. Here are nine things you should know about Boko Haram…”

Why Christians Don’t Seek to Avenge Insults against God

Why Christians Don’t Seek to Avenge Insults against God – You may want to read through the comments below the article as well. 

Can A Christian Drink Alcohol?

Can A Christian Drink Alcohol? - This is worth a read.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Monday, January 12, 2015

Praying the Scriptures

Praying the Scriptures – Here are some resources to enhance your prayer life.

Loving the Lost

Loving the LostYou will be known by your Christ-like love for the broken. 

Which Promises Are for Me?

Which Promises Are for Me? – This article will help you better understand and interpret the promises of the Bible.

When the Sin of Sloth Sneaks Up on You

When the Sin of Sloth Sneaks Up on You - “One day I woke up and realized that I was stressed out about the chaotic state of my life.  There was no relaxation, EVER.  But, it wasn’t because I never sat around.  It was because I was sitting around too much.  I was avoiding what I didn’t want to do, and it was making me miserable.”

Religious Liberty vs. Erotic Liberty — Religious Liberty is Losing

Religious Liberty vs. Erotic Liberty — Religious Liberty is Losing – Religious liberty seems to no longer be a right in our country.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

The Most Important Things to Do to Start Paying Off Your Debt

The Most Important Things to Do to Start Paying Off Your Debt - 5 steps toward beginning to get debt-free this year.

The Most Important Neglected Prayer

The Most Important Neglected Prayer - “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" (Matt. 6:9). This first line of the Lord’s Prayer is one of the most familiar in the Bible. It is one of the most commonly prayed prayers in history. Yet among believers it is often underappreciated and misunderstood.

The Power and Privilege of God’s Children

The Power and Privilege of God’s Children - Here are a few practical flashpoints on private prayer.

Faithful With Fifteen Minutes

Faithful With Fifteen Minutes - We’ve all heard that small investments add up to big gains. Well, just 15 minutes a day spent in the Word will add up to these staggering figures.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Common Confusions About Arabs and Muslims

Common Confusions About Arabs and MuslimsThis would be helpful for many Americans, and especially American Christians, to read.

5 Reasons to Pray for Other Churches

5 Reasons to Pray for Other ChurchesEach week I send out my Pastor’s Prayer Partners email. At the end of a list of requests for our church, I include a list of other pastor’s and churches ask my prayer partners to pray for them as well. This article shares some good reasons why.

7 Verses of Hope for the Coming Year

7 Verses of Hope for the Coming Year

·       “And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5).
·       “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
·       “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
·       “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
·       “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13).
·       “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).
·       “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).


Thursday, January 1, 2015

Here’s a Great Place to Find a Daily Devotional

Here’s a Great Place to Find a Daily DevotionalI receive several daily devotionals in my inbox each day. They are brief and encourage my walk with the Lord. Crosswalk has several available here. I signed up for two new ones today.


10 Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year or On Your Birthday

10 Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year or On Your BirthdayPlan out your Christ-honoring New Year!

Ten Practical Ways to Control Spending and Wisely Manage God’s Money

Ten Practical Ways to Control Spending and Wisely Manage God’s MoneyRandy Alcorn provides simple steps to your financial stewardship in the new year.


Read Your Bible in 2015

Read Your Bible in 2015 – In addition to the options for Bible reading on our church website, you might explore one of these plans. Having a plan is a key to following through on reading the Bible daily and especially on reading the whole Bible in a year. It has been shown that Bible reading is a key to spiritual growth at every stage of spiritual development. 

Newsweek on the Bible — So Misrepresented It’s a Sin

Newsweek on the Bible— So Misrepresented It’s a Sin Al Mohler takes on the absurd article in Newsweek. Here is a sample of his response, “But Eichenwald demonstrates absolutely no attempt to understand traditional Christian understandings of the Bible, nor ever to have spoken with the people he asserts “claim to revere [the Bible] but don’t read it.” What follows is a reckless rant against the Bible and Christians who claim to base their faith upon its teachings.”