Friday, September 30, 2016

3 Signs Your Life Is Too Busy

3 Signs Your Life Is Too Busy - Have you fallen victim to your schedule?

What the Bible Really Says About How to Handle Your Money

What the Bible Really Says About How to Handle Your Money - Three biblical tests for financial maturity.

4 Principles for Political Witness in our American Babylon

4 Principles for Political Witness in our American Babylon – “As we’re marginalized in this uncertain day, the Old Testament offers important lessons for us. Especially prescient is the story in Daniel 3 about three Jewish men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who are Babylonian captives under King Nebuchadnezzar. From these mid-level government officials, we learn four significant lessons about being faithful witnesses in a pagan public square.”

Evangelical Views of the 2016 Election: Evangelicals, We Need to Start Looking Beyond the Candidates

Evangelical Views of the 2016 Election: Evangelicals, We Need to Start Looking Beyond the Candidates“Pastor and Immediate Past President of the Southern Baptist Convention prioritizes issues over candidates.”

Six Steps to Shield Yourself from Satan

Six Steps to Shield Yourself from Satan – “Every day we are attacked by Satan’s flaming darts. The good news is that God has given us a weapon that can extinguish all of them”

Two Surefire Ways to Avoid Persecution

Two Surefire Ways to Avoid Persecution“As Christians we know to expect some measure of suffering, yet we learn there are ways to avoid it. Here are two of them…” 

The OT Prophets and the Presidential Election

The OT Prophets and the Presidential ElectionWhat might the Old Testament prophets have to say about the presidential election? 

How Christianity Flourishes

How Christianity Flourishes – “I once heard Steve Brown relate this story on the radio: ‘A Muslim scholar once said to a Christian, I cannot find anywhere in the Quran that it teaches Muslims how to be a minority presence in the world. And I cannot find anywhere in the New Testament where it teaches Christians how to be a majority presence in the world.’”

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Three Sleep Aids from Psalm 3

Three Sleep Aids from Psalm 3“Here we find 3 unchangeable truths that act as spiritual sleep aids when we, by deliberate faith, focus our attention on the Lord.”

Five Benefits of Regular Family Worship

Five Benefits of Regular Family Worship “Regular family worship is valuable and brings many blessings to parents and children alike. Here are five benefits that I have observed.”

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Me . . . Pray With Others?

Me . . . Pray With Others? – “Part of the reason God placed us in a church family (and in a Christian family if you are fortunate enough to have one) is so we will have prayer support from others. But in order to reap the full benefits, we have to be willing to take off our masks of perfection and say, ‘I'm struggling. Will you pray for me?’”

4 Thoughts About Grace

4 Thoughts About Grace – “The longer I live as a disciple of Jesus, the more I am amazed at the incredible nature of God’s grace toward us.”

Evangelical Views of the 2016 Election: Ethics and Theology Professor on Why Trump is the Best Candidate for President

Evangelical Views of the 2016 Election: Ethics and Theology Professor on Why Trump is the Best Candidate for President – In this article, you will also find a link to an evangelical supporting Hillary Clinton for president. These articles may be helpful in discerning direction for your vote in Novemeber.

Lord, Help Me Know Right from Wrong

Lord, Help Me Know Right from Wrong – “Discernment is sorely needed today. It always is. But more of us are keenly aware of the need right now. Playing out on the biggest political stage in the world, the election of the American President, is an exercise in leadership and moral discernment for the American electorate unlike any in living memory.”

How an Affair Really Begins

How an Affair Really Begins“One of the great misconceptions about affairs is that they begin with sex. Affairs do not begin with sex. Falling into bed with a man who is not your husband or a woman who is not your wife is never a sudden, unplanned event.”

The Church Needs the Bible

The Church Needs the Bible“Note the words: equipping, building up, mature, maturity, unity, grow, and so on. The means by which the church does this is the Bible. If the church is not working together to see people grow in Christ, then they are leaving off a fundamental aspect of what it means to be a church. In other words, without the ministry of the Word the church is not being a church.”

The State of Theology

The State of Theology“What do Americans believe about God, salvation, ethics, and the Bible? Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research partnered to find out. These are the fundamental convictions that shape our society.”

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

3 Things to Pray When Life Gets You Down

3 Things to Pray When Life Gets You Down“There are many things that can knock us off balance and shake our faith. Anything from a job loss to an illness to an unexpected life event. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to pray and even what to pray when life gets you down. In my own experience, I always pray for three things.”

God Will Not Be Used

God Will Not Be Used – “God’s ability to look on a person’s heart far surpasses our own. He can clearly discern that what we often want isn’t him, but what he gives us. The good news? The gospel is for users like you and me.”

Evangelicals Debate the Merits of Supporting or Opposing Trump

Evangelicals Debate the Merits of Supporting or Opposing Trump – “Most evangelicals fall into four categories. Some will vote Trump as a protest against Clinton. A few will do the reverse. A large number of evangelicals oppose both candidates. Still others enthusiastically support Trump for president.”

Why Parents’ Priorities Are Hurting Students

Why Parents’ Priorities Are Hurting Students – “We need to care less about whether our children are academically gifted and more about whether they sit with the lonely kid in the cafeteria.”

How to Ask Excellent Bible Study Discussion Questions

How to Ask Excellent Bible Study Discussion Questions – “Bible studies have a feature that few sermons or personal quiet times can match: interaction. Harnessing the power of interaction should be one of your highest priorities when leading a Bible study. To do so, you must master four types of Bible study discussion questions. ”

Starting a Family Devotion Time

Starting a Family Devotion Time – “So, as encouragement to those of you just starting out or maybe some affirmation for those of you already in the process, here are six things to help as you start having family devotions of your own.”

The Inconvenience of Loving Wisdom

The Inconvenience of Loving Wisdom – “Those who are afraid to test their convictions will lose the moral high ground in calling non-Christians to test their own beliefs.”

You Cannot Vote Your Conscience

You Cannot Vote Your Conscience“This understanding of the conscience more closely resembles the Hindu idea of a guru counselor than the Bible’s explanation of the conscience. Biblically speaking, the conscience is less like a guide and more like a reporter.”

Monday, September 26, 2016

Don’t Let Nostalgia Overcome Your Hope

Don’t Let Nostalgia Overcome Your Hope – “The pull of the past is a good yet dangerous thing. Its force can either serve as a slingshot, whereby we pull back into the past in order to gain the force necessary to be propelled forward on our mission. Or its force can serve as a black hole that sucks up all our energy and emotion, until our present and future are swallowed up in a void of hopelessness.”

Yes, You Should Say Something: Overcoming Awkwardness with Grieving People

Yes, You Should Say Something: Overcoming Awkwardness with Grieving People – “What they need more than someone with a lot of words is someone…entering into their hurting world for the long haul of grief.”

Faith and Hope and Love Endure Forever

Faith and Hope and Love Endure Forever – “Faith, hope, and love remain throughout, and they will escort us through the gates of glory when our time is up. Whether our body or time itself has given out, faith and hope and love will be as young and new as ever. Why?”

Only Our God Speaks

Only Our God Speaks – “Christian worship is unlike any other form of religious exercise because we worship the living God. Since our God is not like lifeless idols, we practice our faith differently than the rest of the world.”

The Less Than Romantic Realities of Village Life

The Less Than Romantic Realities of Village LifeThis is an insightful perspective on missions and missionaries and our distorted views of both.


What Is God Doing in My Pain?

What Is God Doing in My Pain?“Many of you have been in situations where you look at something in your life and wonder, “Is God even aware? What could he possibly be up to right now? ”Maybe your circumstances are so dismal that you aren’t even sure there is a God. You’re in pain, you can’t see the end of it, and you can’t see any purpose in it.”

Friday, September 23, 2016

The Attraction of Idolatry

The Attraction of Idolatry – “We know as Christians, on an intellectual level, that we have idols—be it family, food, football or whatever. But to see the allure of idolatry can be hard for those of us in the Western world.”

Resting in God’s Timing and Faithfulness

Resting in God’s Timing and Faithfulness – This was a “well-timed” word for me today.

Lay Aside the Weight of Thanklessness

Lay Aside the Weight of Thanklessness – “The spiritual cost to us of being thankless is much higher than we might think. Thanklessness is not merely the absence of verbalizing a “thank you.” It is a symptom of spiritual dullness, of spiritual poverty. Because it is taking for granted and not appreciating grace being shown to us.”

Practical Guidelines for Reading the Old Testament Laws

Practical Guidelines for Reading the Old Testament LawsThe laws of the Old Testament can prove difficult for Bible readers today. Here are some helps.

Leviticus Scroll Discovery Shows Scripture’s Inerrancy

Leviticus Scroll Discovery Shows Scripture’s Inerrancy – This was another affirmation of the reliability of our biblical text. (See also Joe Carter’s FAQ.)


Thursday, September 22, 2016

Parents, Follow This North Star

Parents, Follow This North Star – “Are we supposed to raise good kids who pursue the American Dream with some Christianity sprinkled in? What’s the best guide for the Christian parent’s journey?”

You Can Trust the Bible This I Know, for Jesus Told Us So

You Can Trust the Bible This I Know, for Jesus Told Us So – “So, what can we do to help our people know that the Bible is worth our attention and trust? I suggest that we turn to the central figure in the Biblical story, Jesus, to determine what he had to say about Scripture.” 

Five Questions to Ask Before You Start Dating

Five Questions to Ask Before You Start Dating – Jaquelle Crowe writes: “As I think about dating for the right reasons, in the right season, for the glory of God, I’ve considered five questions to ask myself before I start dating — five indicators that I’m ready (or not) to date.”

Your Testimony Isn’t About You

Your Testimony Isn’t About You – “Though some personal testimonies are on the mark, many boil down to this: “Look! God is great because me me me.” These are not road-to-Damascus stories, but spiritually tinted selfies.”

Dealing With Someone Else’s Sin

Dealing With Someone Else’s SinAs churches we are often left dealing with other people’s sins. Jared Olivetti says, “Consider this my cheat sheet – gathered through study of God’s Word and more-or-less successful conversations with others.”

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Tim Kaine, Genesis 1, and Same-Sex Marriage

Tim Kaine, Genesis 1, and Same-Sex MarriageTrevin Wax is not “getting political” with this article but when candidates use or misuse the Bible for their purposes, Bible-believing Christ-followers should speak into it.

Giving to the Church Is Not Paying Your Bills

Giving to the Church Is Not Paying Your Bills“How do you view giving in the local church? As I listen to what Christians say and read what they write I get the impression that many people think of giving simply as paying another bill. Giving is just like paying the utility or cable bill. Is this what you think?”

Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go

Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go “In my years of pastoral ministry and parenting, I have regularly encountered confusion regarding the meaning of a well-known verse, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Let me offer some reflections on it, considering its lasting significance for the church.”

The Beginner’s Guide to Conflict Resolution

The Beginner’s Guide to Conflict Resolution – “It all begins with two simple questions: What kind of conflict are we in? And what do we need to do to resolve that kind of conflict?”

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

6 Ways to Help a Grieving Friend

6 Ways to Help a Grieving Friend - What not to say in moments of healing.

Four Questions for Obeying the First Commandment

Four Questions for Obeying the First CommandmentThese are excellent diagnostic questions for determining whom you truly worship.

A Quick Guide to Dave Ramsey’s Key Words

A Quick Guide to Dave Ramsey’s Key Words – “I’ve listened a lot to Dave Ramsey over the past 4-5 years and our family has benefitted tremendously from his advice as we seek to steward our resources for God’s glory and the good of others. Here are the ten words (or concepts) that I hear again and again in his broadcasts and books.”

When God Feels Far Away

When God Feels Far Away – “We need God’s Word to speak to us about this reality, that we might know how to persevere and wait with hope when God feels far away.”

10 Ways to Practice Normal Evangelism

10 Ways to Practice Normal Evangelism – “Many of us find evangelism daunting, even frightening. However, evangelism should take place as we naturally converse with people. As we have normal conversations, we are to look for opportunities to speak to people about Christ. In a normal evangelism culture, we will pray together for the unbelieving, and we will celebrate gospel conversations, not just ‘deals closed.’”

Monday, September 19, 2016

Six Reasons Why Your Church Members May Not Be Friendly to Guests

Six Reasons Why Your Church Members May Not Be Friendly to Guests – Most churches describe themselves as “friendly”. Often guests would disagree. Here are some reasons why.

8 Lessons God Is Teaching Me through Cancer

8 Lessons God Is Teaching Me through Cancer – Dave Hall writes, “It has been an unexpected and at times frightening medical journey, but God is teaching me many heart lessons through this confrontation with cancer. These lessons are ongoing chapters in a much longer story God is writing with my life. Here are eight.”

5 Ways to Help Your Depressed Friend

5 Ways to Help Your Depressed Friend“Depression is a strange and often misunderstood beast. It affects people in different ways and causes varying degrees emotional and mental turmoil. Those who struggle with it can sometimes find it challenging to describe exactly what they’re experiencing to people around them. This can sometimes cause friends of people with depression to have a hard time understanding how to help. Here are 5 ways that you can help a friend struggling with depression.”

What Does TV Say About Sex?

What Does TV Say About Sex? – “Right or wrong, our culture teaches us about sex. The media conducts sex education all the time.”

Find a Friend to Wound You

Find a Friend to Wound You“After the initial assault on my pride, a wave of gratitude and relief washed over me. Finally, the truth I had been evading — the God I had been evading — caught me. God used a friend’s honesty to awaken me from spiritual slumber.”

The Biggest Temple in Town

The Biggest Temple in Town “Many Christians aren’t allured in the least by spectator sports. God bless you. But for those of us who claim Jesus as Lord and also get hyped about our favorite teams, we need a regular soul-check. And especially at the onset of football season.”

Saturday, September 17, 2016

4 Questions Parents Should Ask of Extracurricular Activities

4 Questions Parents Should Ask of Extracurricular ActivitiesThis won’t answer all the issues parents face but if you’ll honestly answer the questions, you may make different choices.

The State of The Church in America: When Numbers Point To A New Reality

The State of The Church in America: When Numbers Point To A New Reality“Before you dismiss research as unimportant, read this. If facts are our friends, then it's time we listen to them for the good of the Church in America.” Which of these categories do you fit in?

Friday, September 16, 2016

US Religion Worth $1.2 Trillion

US Religion Worth $1.2 Trillion - “While religion contributes $1.2 trillion each year,
religious tax-exemptions cost the
US $71 billion. In other words, religion contributes seventeen times more to
America than it costs.”

Seven Principles for Angry Parents Disciplining Angry Children

Seven Principles for Angry Parents Disciplining Angry Children – Martyn Lloyd-Jones offers seven principles to govern our disciplinary action as parents.

Lay Aside the Fear of Man

Lay Aside the Fear of Man – “Why do we fear others’ disapproval so much? We all experience this fear, and most of us don’t want to admit how serious its tyranny can be.”

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Five Reasons You Desperately Need Your Bible

Five Reasons You Desperately Need Your Bible – “Why is Bible reading important? Most Christians know they should read their Bibles. But often, our Bible reading can feel dry and insignificant. Why is it so important for us to read this book? What’s the urgency of it?”

Where Does My Help Come From?

Where Does My Help Come From? – Maybe you need help and hope today.

Decision Making & “I Have a Peace About It”

Decision Making & “I Have a Peace About It”We hear the phrase often. Here’s a good biblical discussion of it. My favorite outline point… “God does not tell us that an internal peace is His means of communicating His will.”

10 Things You Should Know About Persecution

10 Things You Should Know About Persecution – The author provides a helpful overview and perspective on persecution in its many forms.

Why You Should Read Through the Entire Bible as Fast as Possible

Why You Should Read Through the Entire Bible as Fast as Possible - There are great things to learn from God's word when reading quickly. The focus is on God more than on me.

Whatever Is False, Whatever Is Dishonorable, Whatever Is Unjust…

Whatever Is False, Whatever Is Dishonorable, Whatever Is Unjust… - This reflection on holy living really spoke to me. It provides three ways we may approach holiness. We’re all making a choice every day.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

We Need to Stop Romanticizing the Prodigal Son

We Need to Stop Romanticizing the Prodigal Son - The prodigal is
always welcome home but what does that rebellion actually cost?




How to Become a Citizen of Heaven

How to Become a Citizen of Heaven“A passport is a powerful document. It certifies a person’s citizenship and carries authority to travel to foreign countries. While visiting other countries as a guest, your citizenship remains, along with a certain amount of protection that your country’s government promises to its citizens. And when it’s time to come home your passport guarantees your safe re-entrance. But as wonderful as all of that is, there is something infinitely more valuable: a spiritual passport, the guarantee of safe entrance into heaven when we die.”

How to Tame Your Tongue

How to Tame Your Tongue“I regret the foolish things I’ve said more than the foolish things I’ve done. The longer I have lived and read my Bible, the more I realized how much damage thoughtless and malicious words can do to people.” 

Looking for Contentment? It’s Not What You Think

Looking for Contentment? It’s Not What You Think“Paul is not carefree, unburdened, and surrounded by trouble-free relationships.  In fact, considering the larger picture of Paul’s ministry gives me a fuller picture of what contentment is by gaining insight into what it is not.”

Looking for Satisfaction in All the Wrong Places

Looking for Satisfaction in All the Wrong Places “The world is full of desperate people thirsting for happiness. In their quest, they eagerly drink from contaminated sources of water, mistakenly believing it will satisfy their thirst.”

Monday, September 12, 2016

My 3 Biggest Fears as a Teenager

My 3 Biggest Fears as a Teenager – “How can I help a teenager overcome their fear? Here are four suggestions.”

4 Proofs That if God Is for Us, Nothing Can Be Against Us

4 Proofs That if God Is for Us, Nothing Can Be Against Us“Paul then supports what he asserts with four proofs.”

Six Reasons Why Adultery Is Very Serious

Six Reasons Why Adultery Is Very Serious – Just in case you had any doubts.

Lord, Help Me Feel My Need for You

Lord, Help Me Feel My Need for You – “One of the most merciful gifts God can give us is a deep, keen awareness of our dependence on him for everything.”

Should Christians Worry in These Times?

Should Christians Worry in These Times?Ligon Duncan writes about an appropriate response to troubling times.

What God Does With Your Sin

What God Does With Your Sin – Here’s what the Bible says about what God does with your sin. It’s good news.

All That Terror Teaches: Have We Learned Anything?

All That Terror Teaches: Have We Learned Anything? – “We are living in dangerous times, but far too many Americans seem to have forgotten this unforgiving fact. How can so many forget the unforgettable?”

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Do Some Christians Pray with More Power?

Do Some Christians Pray with More Power? – “Is it possible for God to hear the prays of various believers differently due to their godliness? Or, to put it a slightly different way, can our lack of godliness, or a specific sin in our life, hinder our prayers before God?” 

9 Things You Should Know About the 9/11 Aftermath

Why Sunday Should Be a Day of Rest

Why Sunday Should Be a Day of Rest – “According to the Law, we are to work first, and then we are granted rest. Jesus reversed this pattern for us when he perfectly obeyed all of the Ten Commandments and kept the law on our behalf. By living the perfect life, Jesus has met God’s perfect standard. According to the gospel, we are gifted with rest; and then out of gratitude, we actually want to work.”

Friday, September 9, 2016

It's Time to Reclaim the Idea of 'Fellowship'

It's Time to Reclaim the Idea of 'Fellowship' - It's more than a space for potluck.

Faithfully Praying for Our Friends

Faithfully Praying for Our Friends – Here are thoughts and words to encourage the practice.

Generosity: An Old Testament Perspective

Generosity: An Old Testament Perspective – “Everything you have is God’s. Everything you have is on loan from God.” This is Dr. Scott Jones basic assessment of the Old Testament teaching on generosity. 

They’ll Never Come After Churches… Until They Oo

They’ll never come after churches… until they do“The Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination issued a document last week titled “Gender Identity Guidance.” Among other things, it requires places of public accommodation to acknowledge and affirm transgender identities.” It specifically includes churches as places of “public accommodation”.

Survivor’s Guide

Survivor’s GuideHow, then, should Christian students prepare to be active but not belligerent in class discussions? Here are seven pieces of advice (the seventh alone makes the article worthwhile).

4 Practical Guidelines for Reading Old Testament Stories

4 Practical Guidelines for Reading Old Testament Stories “The Old Testament narrative material is great literature, and the people, events, power struggles, personal crises, and hope we find in these stories often are as relevant as this morning’s news. Thus, the Old Testament stories, read in the right way, form an indispensable resource for Christian living.” 

Thursday, September 8, 2016

3 Reasons Your Small Group Is Not the Church

3 Reasons Your Small Group Is Not the Church – Small groups, Sunday Schools, etc. should are vital but they are not “the church”. Here are three reasons why you can’t substitute small groups for the church.

Remembering to Be Thankful

Remembering to Be Thankful – “Heavenly Father, I want to begin (and continue) this day with a spirit of gratitude—for the glory of your name and the health of my heart.” 

Marriage Tweets

Marriage Tweets – There are some good things here to consider.

God Fills Our Lives with Trials

God Fills Our Lives with Trials – “Trials will surely come, and we should not be caught off guard. In fact, they’re the very thing God uses to test our faith.”

What Does the Bible Say About Transgenderism?

What Does the Bible Say About Transgenderism?This isn’t the beginning and end of all the issues and ministry needs involved, but it does establish a baseline of truth.  “In short, the Bible teaches that God made us male or female, and no matter our own feelings or confusion, we should act in accordance with the biological reality of God’s good design. Transgenderism falls short of the glory of God and is not the way to walk in obedience to Christ.” 

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Now More Than Ever

Now More Than Ever – “Confusion, conflict, and controversy surround us and information and opinions about it are pervasive. You might be caught up in it all, weighed down by it all, infuriated by it all, or so turned off you're apathetic. What is the right response for a follower of Christ?”

What Happens to Those Who Never Hear the Gospel?

What Happens to Those Who Never Hear the Gospel? – “When it comes to this emotionally vexing issue, there are two dominant positions among professing Christians: inclusivism and exclusivism. While both views maintain that Jesus is the only way to God, only one insists on the necessity of conscious faith in him.”

How to Talk to Your Children About Election 2016

How to Talk to Your Children About Election 2016 – “For families with children, this election year brings unique challenges, since the campaign this year feels often like a reality show that breaks only for the Olympics. How do we talk to our children about what they are seeing all around them?”

Beauty Out of Ashes

Beauty Out of Ashes – “God’s infinite wisdom then is displayed in bringing good out of evil, beauty out of ashes.”

Treat Yourself to the Voice of God

Treat Yourself to the Voice of God “One of the biggest scams Satan has running is the lie that reading the Bible is a chore.”

What We Mean by the Phrase “Word of God”

What We Mean by the Phrase “Word of God” - The Word of God actually refers to several different things in the Bible.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Pure for You, But Not for Me

Pure for You, But Not for Me – In an entertainment-driven culture, this is a good word to hear. 

5 Ways to Live the God-Centered Life

5 Ways to Live the God-Centered Life – “They strike me as the most critical for today’s 18 to 30 year olds.”

Saved People Love to Sing

Saved People Love to Sing – “There are many ways Christians are a peculiar people. One of them is that we almost always sing when we’re together.”

Kids, Broccoli, and Jesus: Teaching the Gospel with Passion

Kids, Broccoli, and Jesus: Teaching the Gospel with Passion – “Jesus is not just important. He is important and satisfying. Don't present Jesus just as someone kids should need. Present him as someone they should want.” 

Dealing Hope in the Darkest of Nights

Dealing Hope in the Darkest of Nights – “Your ministry of hope could be just the lift God uses to pull your discouraged and suffering friend out of the mire and onto the Rock of sure and lasting hope in Jesus.”

When Eating Is Sinful

When Eating Is Sinful “I assumed I just had bad habits that needed to be reformed, but God made it clear that I was an idolater who needed forgiveness, a slave to sin who needed a Liberator.”

Christianity Falling Down

Christianity Falling Down“The Christian faith is not a house of cards.”

10 Things You Should Know About Submission

10 Things You Should Know About Submission – When the Bible says, “Wives submit to your husbands as unto the Lord”, there are things it means and things it doesn’t mean.

Praying Through the Scriptures: Genesis 1

Praying Through the Scriptures: Genesis 1Here is a model of how to pray through a passage of Scripture. The author begins right at the beginning.

Monday, September 5, 2016

10 Ways Not to Help a Hurting Friend

10 Ways Not to Help a Hurting Friend“It's a touchy thing to help someone who is struggling through hard circumstances and more often than not, we don't really know how to help. Dave Furman provides us with 10 practical ways to be mindful of the "help" you are providing your friends.” 

When the Saints Go Marching In

When the Saints Go Marching In “In light of the news about the Roman Catholic canonization of two Popes and the canonization of Mother Teresa, it is vital for Christians to understand what the Scriptures teach about sainthood. There are certain topics that I am reticent to write about—sainthood is not one of them.”

Kindness Changes Everything

Kindness Changes Everything – “Kindness is underrated. We equate it with being nice or pleasant, as though it’s mainly about smiling, getting along, and not ruffling feathers. It seems a rather mundane virtue. But the Bible presents a very different, and compelling, portrait of kindness.”

Spiritual Disciplines and the Sinkhole Syndrome

Spiritual Disciplines and the Sinkhole SyndromeThe words of 1 Corinthians 10:12 are an apt admonition here: “Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”

Five Reasons Why I Choose to Stand at Attention During the National Anthem

Five Reasons Why I Choose to Stand at Attention During the National Anthem – Bob Russell shares a good measured word and application on the Colin Kaepernick controversy.

Saturday, September 3, 2016

6 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Handing My Teens Personal Screens

6 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Handing My Teens Personal Screens – “Over the years I have learned a lot about monitoring my children’s screen use. If I had set up the necessary parameters early on, we could have avoided some frustrations and problems.”

9 Things You Should Know About Mother Teresa

9 Things You Should Know About Mother Teresa“On Sunday, at a Roman Catholic canonization service in Vatican City, Pope Francis will declare Mother Teresa a saint. Joe Carter offers 9 interesting facts about her.”

You Can’t Claim a Promise

You Can’t Claim a Promise“When God uttered promises in scripture He wasn’t giving us a buffet of blankies, Band-Aids, and silver bullets. He was showing us His character. A promise tells a little of who God is and what He will do. It is anchored in His holiness, goodness, power, and sovereignty. It is based on his omnipotence and omniscience. And it will come to pass in a way only God knows and ordains.”

Why Marriage Is Better Than Cohabitation

Why Marriage Is Better Than Cohabitation – When the discussion arises, this article will be both biblical and practical.

Friday, September 2, 2016

5 Steps to Meditating on Your Bible

5 Steps to Meditating on Your Bible – “The Psalms give at least five steps for meditating on God’s Word. We meditate to focus, understand, remember, worship, and apply.”

Seeing All Things from God’s Perspective

Seeing All Things from God’s Perspective – “Heal my shortsightedness, farsightedness, and the astigmatism of my soul.”

Be Careful How You Read Your Bible

Be Careful How You Read Your Bible – “Is it possible to read a chapter of the Old Testament or the entirety of the New Testament or even the whole Bible cover to cover, and miss the point altogether? The Pharisees did.”

Lord, Keep Me Desperate

Lord, Keep Me Desperate – “When are we most prayerful and faithful? When we keenly feel our desperation for God, like we can’t live without him. And we are most vulnerable to sin when we don’t feel that way.”

23 Reasons for Joy (from Philippians)

23 Reasons for Joy (from Philippians) – “Toward the goal of re-training our hearts, consider the following reasons to be joyful.”

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Seven Surprising Facts About College Students

Seven Surprising Facts About College StudentsHere are some fascinating facts about today’s college students. 

3 Reasons My Idols Are Better Than Jesus

3 Reasons My Idols Are Better Than Jesus“Here are a few reasons we convince ourselves that these idols are better than Jesus.”

Why Should We Work to Learn Contentment?

Why Should We Work to Learn Contentment?“Learning contentment is not an easy process. Since we naturally gravitate towards discontentment, it takes work and we are to be committed to putting in that work.”

The Sin of Talking Too Much

The Sin of Talking Too Much“The hard road is the application of wisdom in the restraint of the most powerful muscle in our body. That got me thinking about the dangers of talking too much.”

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Give Us This Day Our Daily BreadR.C. Sproul explains what we pray for when we say, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Sex Negative

Sex NegativeCarl Trueman makes some excellent points in this article. “Sex is no longer the consummation of an exclusive bond. Now it is just a form of recreation. A bit like golf, but usually cheaper and generally without the plaid pants.”