Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Monday, February 23, 2015

Christian Persecution Has Never Been Worse

Christian Persecution Has Never Been WorseOpen Doors USA Advocacy Director Kristin Wright on the Church's unprecedented challenge.

When Your Faith for Fishing Is Small

When Your Faith for Fishing Is Small - How is your faith for evangelism? 

God is Big Enough for Modern Times

Here is the quote used in yesterday's sermon from J.B. Phillips, "“The trouble with many people today is they have not found a God big enough for modern needs. While their experience of life has grown in a score of directions, and their mental horizons have been expanded to the point of bewilderment by world events and by scientific discoveries, their ideas of God have remained largely static.”

4 Ways Jesus’s Second Coming Changes Us Now

4 Ways Jesus’s Second Coming Changes Us Now – Regardless of your views on end times, these things should impact us today.

3 Reasons We Must Not Forget the Psalms

3 Reasons We Must Not Forget the Psalms - The Psalms are filled with blessings.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

When God Calls You Out

When God Calls You Out - If we don’t sometimes feel like we’re “in over our heads,” it may be that we’re not following Jesus where he calls us.

Florist Rejects AG’s Offer

Florist Rejects AG’s Offer - If you haven’t been following Barronelle Stutzman’s case in Washington State, you need to be. She is the florist being sued by the state attorney general for refusing to participate in a gay wedding. The attorney general is trying to compel her to ignore her Christian faith and to participate in gay weddings.


Friday, February 20, 2015

The Most Ignored Commandment

The Most Ignored Commandment - It's one of the Bible's most well-known commandments. So why aren't we following it?

Jonah and the Art of Being Broken

Jonah and the Art of Being Broken“We teach our children many things. We teach them to be strong, brave, and swift, yet patient, kind, and gentle. Rarely do we teach them how to be broken. Yet, brokenness before the Lord is the fount of these very blessings.”

15 Martin Luther Quotes That Still Ring True

15 Martin Luther Quotes That Still Ring TrueOn the anniversary of his death, a few of the reformer's most influential quotes. I love the quotes about prayer.

Sin in the Believer

Sin in the Believer – This is a helpful article on sin in the life of a believer.

Three Keys to a Better Prayer Life

Three Keys to a Better Prayer Life - Here are three foundational ideas (of course a good one is to pray).

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Why Can’t We Stop Rejoicing?

Why Can’t We Stop Rejoicing? - Heidi Stevens, from the Chicago Tribune, wrote a
great and funny piece on the downfalls of “praising our kids too much.”

America’s Most Tolerated Sin

America’s Most Tolerated Sin – Gluttony is perhaps the most tolerated sin in American Christianity.

What Do We Say to Grieving People?

What Do We Say to Grieving People? - What do I say to someone who has just lost someone, or what do I do?

When Bible Reading Feels Like a Chore

When Bible Reading Feels Like a Chore - Here are 3 reasons your Bible reading may feel like a chore.

How to Think about Persecution When You’re Not Very Persecuted

How to Think about Persecution When You’re Not Very Persecuted - How do we apply the passages on persecution when we in the West don’t have much of it?


Sin: Can't Live With It, Won't Live Without It

Sin: Can't Live With It, Won't Live Without It - It may not reign as sovereign, but it continues to exist as a trial and a steady temptation.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Devotionals

Devotionals – If you’re not following Ashleigh Range’s blog, you should. This post today is a challenging, encouraging word on spending time with the Lord.

How To Pray Even When You Don't Feel Like it

How To Pray Even When You Don't Feel Like itA few ways to connect with God when you're feeling overwhelmed, stressed or just burned out.

What Is Your Doing Saying?

What Is Your Doing Saying? - Your actions speak. Your works are words. The question is what are they saying?

Communing with Christ on a Crazy Day

Communing with Christ on a Crazy Day - We’ve all been there. Maybe even today is one of those days for you.

6 Truths about Waiting on the Lord

6 Truths about Waiting on the Lord - Do you like to wait? If we are honest, every one of us would answer, “No.” We were born with an innate tendency to do what we want to do when we want to do it. Contrary to what we may think, waiting on the Lord is not passive. It demands a great deal of effort.

Why is God Ignoring My Prayer?

Why is God Ignoring My Prayer?Here are some things that may be involved.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Friday, February 13, 2015

What Is Your Doing Saying?

What Is Your Doing Saying? – “Faith, by its very nature, produces action. It’s intrinsic. Each of us is wired to feel and act in accordance to what we believe to be true. We cannot help it.”

Fifty Shades of Shame — The Evolution of Pornography

Fifty Shades of Shame — The Evolution of Pornography – “This next stage in the evolution of pornography combines, in an unprecedented way, male-oriented visual pornography with female-oriented narrative pornography.”

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Fifty Shades of Nay: Sin Is a Needle, Not a Toy

Fifty Shades of Nay: Sin Is a Needle, Not a ToyThe author writes, “Before you buy a ticket and some popcorn — or before you talk to a friend who wants to read the books or see the movie — I want to put ten of God’s promises before you. My hope and prayer is that the clarity and power of God’s words will convince many of you to save your money and your heart, and help you do the same for others.”


23 Things That Love Is

23 Things That Love Is - There are are plenty of inferior definitions for love. Here are some good biblical descriptions.

How to Discuss Same-Sex Marriage

How to Discuss Same-Sex Marriage - The number of states that allow same-sex marriage has nearly doubled since October, from 19 to 37.  After the Supreme Court denied Alabama's request to block same-sex marriages last Monday, USA Today headlined: "Handwriting on the wall for gay marriage."

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

“Fifty Shades of Grey” Dispels an Old Myth

“Fifty Shades of Grey” Dispels an Old Myth - The best-selling book Fifty Shades of Grey dispels the old myth that women do not use pornography, that it’s a “man’s problem.” 

The President at the Prayer Breakfast

The President at the Prayer BreakfastAl Mohler writes, “The real problem with President Obama’s remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast was not his reference to Christian history, but his refusal to acknowledge the reality of our current challenge.”

Has Parenting Become a Religion?

Has Parenting Become a Religion?Tim Elmore writes, “Children have actually become the new “scorecard” for our success as adults, and now, parenthood is acting like a religion.”

Monday, February 9, 2015

Five Tips for Bible Memory

Five Tips for Bible Memory - Here are five simple tips for Scripture memorization.

A Lifelong Student in the Lord’s School

A Lifelong Student in the Lord’s SchoolHaving a teachable spirit is at the heart of progress in the Christian life.

Phlegons Among Us

Phlegons Among Us - Here's a good word for us all.

Getting Medieval

Getting MedievalAs a student of the crusades, I found this article interesting. It follows President Obama’s remarks last week on modern Islam and the medieval crusades. The author begins,Let’s leave the Middle Ages out of discussions of modern Islam.”


Saturday, February 7, 2015

Focus on Where You Are, Not Where You Wish You Were

Focus on Where You Are, Not Where You Wish You WereSometimes, contentment is as simple as a change in focus.



Evangelism Never Changes, But the Methods Do

Evangelism Never Changes, But the Methods DoThe message of the gospel is unchanging, but we may change the ways in which we present it.

Fifty Shades of Genesis 3:16

Fifty Shades of Genesis 3:16 “Fifty Shades of Grey is coming out on Valentine's Day.  Oh, what a warped view of love we have” (from the Practical Theology for Women Blog)

Russell Moore on What Will Matter to Evangelicals In 2016

Russell Moore on What Will Matter to Evangelicals In 2016Russell Moore writes, “the most important test of 2016 may be the Thomas Jefferson Primary —the race to see which candidates offer a clear, coherent vision of religious liberty when the very idea is contested in American politics.”


Friday, February 6, 2015

When You're Too Busy to Connect With God

When You're Too Busy to Connect With GodSome beginning steps for carving out time to spend with God even when you don't feel like you have any

A Prayer for Keeping Our Sufferings in Perspective

A Prayer for Keeping Our Sufferings in Perspective – This is a good word for those going through hard times.

When Reading the Bible Through Just Wouldn’t Do

When Reading the Bible Through Just Wouldn’t Do – This is a good perspective as we work through the seasons of life and a moving testimony.

Praying for Adult Children

Praying for Adult Children - Parents have a sense of urgency about praying for their children when they are young. We need that same urgency when they are adults. The prayers we offer at these stage may not be that different.

The “Plus One” Approach to Church

The “Plus One” Approach to Church – Here’s some good advice on getting involved in a local church.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

The Rules

The Rules – Here are some thoughts from a father on giving some social media rules to his daughter as she turns 13. Parents need to have a plan when it comes to social media.

More Highly Than You Ought

More Highly Than You Ought - Why do we talk too much about ourselves? Why do we get so
defensive when someone challenges us? A very helpful diagnosis comes from the
Apostle Paul. He writes, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.” (Romans 12:3, NIV)

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

When God Says Go

When God Says Go – “Humans want a place to call home. From the time Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s provision and presence in the Garden, we’ve been endlessly wandering, trying to find our way back.”

Christianity Is More Than Just Being a Good Person

Christianity Is More Than Just Being a Good Person – Why living out the Gospel must be paired with speaking about it.


7 Lessons from 50 Shades of Grey

7 Lessons from 50 Shades of Grey - In just a few short days 50 Shades of Grey will hit the big screen, just in time for Valentine’s Day. What is the story behind the story?

Some Thoughts for Those Who Are Considering Divorce

Some Thoughts for Those Who Are Considering Divorce – This is godly counsel for you to receive and to share.

Rules for Biblical Dating

Rules for Biblical Dating – These are good rules at whatever stage of life dating occurs.