Saturday, March 31, 2018

10 Things You Should Know about the Cross


10 Things You Should Know about the Cross – Important reminders on Easter weekend.

Easter 2018: Silent Saturday


Easter 2018: Silent Saturday – Scotty Smith reflects on the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Lee Strobel: 4 Compelling Reasons to Believe the Resurrection Actually Happened


Lee Strobel: 4 Compelling Reasons to Believe the Resurrection Actually Happened – “No miracle means more than the atoning death of Jesus on the cross – and his resurrection from the dead, by which he proved his identity as the unique Son of God.”

When Easter and April Fools’ Day Collide


When Easter and April Fools’ Day Collide – “First Corinthians 1:18 says: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Anxious for Nothing


Anxious for Nothing – Philip De Courcy reflects on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6, and shares five angles of attack in the battle with anxiety.

Self-Storage


Self-Storage – Maybe we love our stuff too much. “One in 11 Americans pays an average of $91.14 per month to use self-storage, finding a place for the material overflow of the American dream.”

The Final Week of Jesus: Saturday (April 4, AD 33)


The Final Week of Jesus: Saturday (April 4, AD 33) – Here’s the next video installment in the series.

Study: Atheists Find Meaning In Life By Inventing Fairy Tales


Study: Atheists Find Meaning In Life By Inventing Fairy Tales – “Atheists often snidely dismiss religion as a fairy tale. Yet a study finds the meaning atheists and non-religious people attribute to their lives is entirely self-invented.”

10 Reasons Why People Reject the Gospel


10 Reasons Why People Reject the Gospel “If the gospel is the ‘good news about Jesus,’ then why do so many people reject it? If Christians bear this ‘good news,’ how can they better share it using methods that are effective in today’s post-Christian world?”

Friday, March 30, 2018

We Are Barabbas


We Are Barabbas – “Jesus became a substitute for us in a colossal way.”

The Final Week of Jesus: Friday (April 3, AD 33)


The Final Week of Jesus: Friday (April 3, AD 33) – Here is the latest installment in the video series. The rest were posted earlier this week.

The Good Part — Preparing for Old Age and Death


The Good Part — Preparing for Old Age and Death – “Preparing for old age and death is something that hopefully, Christians begin doing when God saves us. Our battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil will rage against us until our last breath, and so we must continually fight against it whether we are 20 or 80.”

A Letter to “Raised-in-a-Good-Church” Kids About How to Become a Christian



It Was My Sin That Held Him There: Weeping at the Foot of the Cross


It Was My Sin That Held Him There: Weeping at the Foot of the Cross – “We should weep indeed at the foot of the cross, but not with pity. With faith. Those tears don’t dry up the Monday after Easter. Those tears mourn over the sin that nailed him there.” 

When Scripture Feels Dry and Lifeless


When Scripture Feels Dry and Lifeless – There could be many reasons for this feeling. Here are some suggestions.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

4 Things We Can Learn from Judas


4 Things We Can Learn from Judas – “Judas was a follower of Jesus and a preacher of the gospel, but there was a double-mindedness about him. In the end, he abandoned the faith he once professed. Here are four things that are easily overlooked in the story of Judas.”

The Final Week of Jesus: Thursday (April 2, AD 33)


The Final Week of Jesus: Thursday (April 2, AD 33) – Justin Taylor continues his video series.

Let’s Ditch the Guilt on Evangelism


Let’s Ditch the Guilt on Evangelism – “There seems to be a common idea that the process of evangelism brings guilt. It is something we don’t do as often as we should, but we can’t work out why, and the discomfort continues.”

Two Lessons from Two Radically Different Funerals


Two Lessons from Two Radically Different Funerals – I’ve had this experience many times. The author describes the difference between a funeral for a believer and for someone who is not.

The Hour Had Come: Maundy Thursday in the Garden of Agony


The Hour Had Come: Maundy Thursday in the Garden of Agony – “Now the hour has come. All history hinges on this hour. And it is utterly terrifying. Jesus must decide: Will he protect his own skin, and soul, or will he embrace his Father’s perfect and painful will?”

7 Ways Grief Becomes Sinful


7  Ways Grief Becomes Sinful – We grieve the losses of life and we should. However, there may come a point when we’ve moved past what is healthy and into what is sinful.

What Is the Mercy Seat?


What Is the Mercy Seat? – This is a powerful image in scripture and a wonderful truth.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

The Incredible Reality Of Who We Are Now Because Of Jesus


The Incredible Reality Of Who We Are Now Because Of Jesus“One of the incredible results of Jesus’ resurrection is that God makes believers into completely brand new creations. The Bible says we are completely new creations – we aren’t simply reformed or refurbished. We’re brand new. 


The Final Week of Jesus: Sunday–Monday (March 29–30, AD 33)


The Final Week of Jesus: Sunday–Monday (March 29–30, AD 33) – This video series from Justin Taylor walks us through the final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Here is the first video.

The Final Week of Jesus: Tuesday (March 31, AD 33)


The Final Week of Jesus: Tuesday (March 31, AD 33) – This video series from Justin Taylor walks us through the final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Here is the second video.

The Final Week of Jesus: Wednesday (April 1, AD 33)


The Final Week of Jesus: Wednesday (April 1, AD 33) – This video series from Justin Taylor walks us through the final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Here is the third video.

9 Bible Verses for Depression to Shine Light into Darkness


9 Bible Verses for Depression to Shine Light into Darkness – It’s not the only answer, but it’s usually part of it.

For God So Loved His Worth: The Temptation to Make Holy Week About Me


For God So Loved His Worth: The Temptation to Make Holy Week About Me – “If Jesus is merely a supporting actor in our story, his betrayal, death, burial, and resurrection will still be thrilling, but for the wrong reasons. Holy Week will be moving, but fleeting if we try to make ourselves the center of it.”

10 Ways Christians Should Respond to Opposition


10 Ways Christians Should Respond to Opposition – “Here are 10 things Peter says will help us deal more patiently with our opponents.”

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Let Us Never Grow Weary of the Cross


Let Us Never Grow Weary of the Cross – “Let us not wander far from sin, salvation, and judgement. Let’s not strain to make ourselves relevant to the politics, the pop culture, or the presidential controversy of the day. Christ’s death and resurrection will be relevant on its own.”

Spitting in God’s Face


Spitting in God’s Face“Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?” Stephen McAlpine reflects on the darkness of spitting in the face of God.

De-Conversion


De-ConversionThis is a sobering post that describes far too many people I have known who once walked with God at some level and then walked away.

Stormy Daniels: The Question No One is Asking


Stormy Daniels: The Question No One is Asking – Jim Denison addresses several key issues our culture is missing. He writes, “Here's the question no one seems to be asking: Should they have had an affair?”

Is Allah Just Another Name for God?


Is Allah Just Another Name for God?This topic comes up often in studies of comparative religion. This is a good 2 ½ minute video on the topic.

10 Things You Should Know about Open Theism


10 Things You Should Know about Open Theism – False teaching is always around us. This is not a critique of open theism but a description.

Monday, March 26, 2018

Laziness is Idolatry


Laziness is Idolatry – “Laziness is idolatry. It is closely related to its opposite—workaholism. Both the sins of laziness and workaholism are sins of self-worship.”

Let’s Stop Over-Interpreting the Greek Words For Love


Let’s Stop Over-Interpreting the Greek Words For LoveKenny Burchard writes about those Greek words for love and how we shouldn’t make too much of the distinctions between them.

The Foolishness in a Child’s Heart


The Foolishness in a Child’s Heart“The Word of God declares in Proverbs 22:15 that foolishness is bound up in a child’s heart, and it is the rod of discipline that removes it [the foolishness] far from him.  What kind of foolishness is bound up in our children’s hearts?”

Friday, March 23, 2018

Life Has Not Been Easy


Life Has Not Been Easy – “It does not take much to reveal the discontentment that lurks just beneath the surface of our lives.” Here are some suggestions for anchoring yourself in God’s truth in such times.

Pain Will Not Have the Final Word


Pain Will Not Have the Final Word“We can have hope that our suffering is “preparing us for something greater. Something eternal. Something unimaginable.”

Hard Truths for Modern Parents


Hard Truths for Modern Parents – “The Bible contains good news for parents, but it also confronts us with some hard truths. Here are three.”

Hope and Resources for Those Struggling with Depression


Hope and Resources for Those Struggling with Depression – “Depression can be symptomatic of the deep desolation of our hearts. We are capable of fearing we’ll never again know happiness, and many who love God have suffered from such dread.”

Three Reasons to Pray for Governing Authorities


Three Reasons to Pray for Governing Authorities – We are often more inclined to complain than to pray for them.

Crossing Cultural Lines to Promote the Gospel (Hudson Taylor)


Crossing Cultural Lines to Promote the Gospel (Hudson Taylor) – This is brief, inspiring story of a great man of God and pioneer missionary.

The Holy Spirit Is Not Pixie Dust


The Holy Spirit Is Not Pixie Dust – “The Holy Spirit can’t be pumped and scooped. He can’t be slung around, gathered up, or dispensed. He’s not pixie dust.” 

The Value of Commitment


The Value of Commitment – “The value of commitment is illustrated in Scripture. God is committed to his people, Jesus was committed to his ministry and mission, the disciples were committed to following Christ, and the apostles were committed to their mission of making disciples and sharing the good news.” 

Why Did God Answer My Half-Hearted Prayer?


Why Did God Answer My Half-Hearted Prayer?Kirsten McKinlay asks, “Have you ever uttered a half-hearted prayer? I know I have. Many times. And isn’t it all the more shocking when it’s these prayers that I see God answer? 

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Children Need a Crisis of Faith: Seven Lessons from Parenting Through Doubt


Children Need a Crisis of Faith: Seven Lessons from Parenting Through Doubt – “Our children may have to ride on a violent sea, one we fear will swallow them, before they really learn to fear and trust Christ. As parents, then, we must prayerfully prepare for when those sea billows roll, because it will be a scary ride for us too.”

Get a Global Vision of God’s Glory


Get a Global Vision of God’s Glory – “God is at work in every square inch of this planet. He is reigning and working and spreading and conquering and building.”


5 Ways We Get the Great Commission Wrong – Here are five ways we sometimes get the Great Commission wrong.

Empathy & Evangelism


Empathy & Evangelism – “Empathizing with others leads to greater effectiveness in evangelism.”

To Great Things That Never Came


To Great Things That Never Came – “Although we serve an all-powerful, all-good God, some great things never come.”

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

9 Bible Verses For Depression To Shine Light Into Darkness


9 Bible Verses For Depression To Shine Light Into Darkness – “As you read these, thank God that they’re true, regardless of what you feel…May these give you hope and strength as you wait for God to lead you out of the Valley of Darkness.”

Guilt Confusion


Guilt Confusion – “What is guilt confusion? Guilt confusion is when the lines of personal responsibility become blurred in a person's life.”

My Midlife Crisis — and Counsel for Yours


My Midlife Crisis — and Counsel for Yours – There’s a lot of excellent counsel in here on warning signs and what to do about it.

The Depth of Mercy in the Pits of Sin


The Depth of Mercy in the Pits of Sin – “Genesis 34 narrates the darkest hours of Jacob’s life. Not only in terms of things that happen to him, but also in terms of his own sin in response to those things.” 


Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Handling Pressure the Way Jesus Did


Handling Pressure the Way Jesus Did – There are days and sometimes seasons when pressure is all we feel. Here’s how Jesus dealt with it.

Full, Not Busy


Full, Not BusyLore Wilbert writes, “For a little over a year, I’ve been making an intentional attempt to call my life full instead of busy. The idol of busyness is one Christians are particularly bent toward worshipping and busyness can also become the shield we use to protect ourselves from adding unwanted appointments to our calendars.”

Everyone You Meet Will Live Forever: Evangelism in an Age of Unbelief


Everyone You Meet Will Live Forever: Evangelism in an Age of Unbelief – “How do we show hospitality today? It’s not complicated — though that doesn’t mean it’s easy.”

Does Church Membership Really Matter?


Does Church Membership Really Matter?Here are some things to consider.

10 Things You Should Know about Biblical Inerrancy


10 Things You Should Know about Biblical Inerrancy “What do we mean when we affirm the inerrancy of the Bible? The importance of that question has not diminished in the least. It is as crucial today as it was 100 years ago. So let’s look at ten things that will help us understand what we mean (and don’t mean) when we speak of an inerrant Bible.”

Monday, March 19, 2018

How Do We Encourage Our Children to See The Church as Valuable?


How Do We Encourage Our Children to See The Church as Valuable?“If we want our children to love the church, we must teach them the gospel and the importance of loving Christ. If they love the Lord, their love for the church will likely follow.”

Spiritual Help For People Who Lack Self-Awareness


Spiritual Help For People Who Lack Self-Awareness – “Here are four descriptions of a person with spiritually-healthy self-awareness.”

It Was Your Sin that Murdered Christ!


It Was Your Sin that Murdered Christ! – These words, from Isaac Ambrose, speak well to the cross of Christ. A part reads, “Oh, what is that cross on the back of Christ? My sins. Oh, what is that thorny crown on the head of Christ? My sins. Oh, what is the nail in the right hand and that other in the left hand of Christ? My sins.”

How Not to Read the Parables


How Not to Read the Parables – “The parables Jesus tells in the four Gospels are peculiar kinds of stories that too many readers read very wrongly. It's important, then, to clear up some common misconceptions about these important stories.”

How to Break Up With Your Phone


How to Break Up With Your Phone – “Here are some of the key things I learned on how to navigate a successful breakup and create a better relationship with your phone.”

It Takes a Church To Raise Your Child


It Takes a Church To Raise Your Child – This is a good word on parenting and partnering.

Did God Write the Story You Didn’t Want?


Did God Write the Story You Didn’t Want? – “Have you ever looked around at your life and assumed that nothing is ever going to get better? That the hard things will just get harder and the good things might disappear? That there’s no point in hoping anymore because it will only lead to disappointment?”

A Recipe for Self-Renewal


A Recipe for Self-Renewal – Energy-management is more important than time-management.

Sometimes the Starfish Story Doesn’t Work


Sometimes the Starfish Story Doesn’t Work“What if the starfish-saving girl had wonderful intentions, but she actually could have made a bigger difference if she had a better strategy?”

Nine Considerations for Church Members This Easter


Nine Considerations for Church Members This Easter – Thom Rainer has some great practical advice for our Easter practices.

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Why are There no Chairs inside the Tabernacle?


Why are There no Chairs inside the Tabernacle? – “The Bible indicates that, for the priests serving in the tabernacle, there was no sitting on the job either. Consider the furnishings in the tabernacle. There was an altar, a large basin for washing, curtains, a table, an ark, and a lamp stand. Interestingly, there is no chair in the tabernacle.” Why not?

Gray Hair Belongs on the Front Lines


Gray Hair Belongs on the Front Lines“We have a tremendous legacy. Yet my prayer for our church is that we might view this legacy not as a cozy fireplace to huddle around but a flaming torch to take into the darkness all around us.”

What is the Most Recent Manuscript Count for the New Testament?


What is the Most Recent Manuscript Count for the New Testament? – This is a further encouragement that we can trust the reliability of our Bible.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Father, Deliver Us from Autopilot Prayers


Father, Deliver Us from Autopilot Prayers – “All of us have, at one time or another, completely checked out in prayer. We’ve fallen into a rut, praying the same things in the same way.”

The Growing Body of Research Says Yes, Your Smartphone Really Is Changing You and Your Family


The Growing Body of Research Says Yes, Your Smartphone Really Is Changing You and Your Family – “Your smartphone is making you stupid, antisocial and unhealthy. So why can't you put it down⁉️”

Stephen Hawking's Atheism: 3 Responses


Stephen Hawking's Atheism: 3 Responses – Jim Denison writes, “His story is both fascinating and tragic, with enormous implications for our faith and culture today.”

Cultivating Praise in Marriage


Cultivating Praise in Marriage“Praise and affirmation are essential to the health and vitality of a marriage.” 

5 facts about St. Patrick


5 facts about St. Patrick – “Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The holiday filled with a whole lot of green has a surprising history that’s rich with the grace of God.”

Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Jesus


Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Jesus“In all your Bible reading, focus on the centrality of God — especially Christ.”

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Trials, Our Blessed Chauffeurs


Trials, Our Blessed Chauffeurs – “We don’t often think of trials as our servants. But surprisingly, they drive us from our insufficiency to God’s all-sufficency. Like a spiritual uber driver, they chauffeur us to God’s blessings.”

Are You a Contender?


Are You a Contender?Rebecca Stark writes, “A few years ago I read a news story about a British Columbia woman who saved her son from a cougar. She saw a cougar mauling her seven year old son as he played outside, so she ran out and fought off the predator with the kitchen towel she carried in her hand. She courageously risked her own life to protect her boy.”

Gentleness – All About Communication


Gentleness – All About Communication“Are you gentle? How would you know? Gentleness, or meekness, is often defined by culture as softness, usually implying weakness. Christians sometimes define it as controlled strength.”

Meditating on Scripture


Meditating on Scripture – “God doesn't want you to hum in a monotone tone with your legs crossed in an effort to completely clear your mind so the universe can come rushing in. Instead, God's encouraging you to do the exact opposite: to fill your mind with Scripture and to turn it over and over in your head in an effort to understand it and apply it to your life.”

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

The Big Brother In Us


The Big Brother In Us – “Most Christians would say they know a legalist. You never think it’s you, but chances are it might be.”

Men, God’s Control, and Self-Control


Men, God’s Control, and Self-Control“Biblical self-control is exercised in the pursuit of a higher goal. Self-control is never purposeless or merely self-referential.”

The Power of Biblical Thinking


The Power of Biblical Thinking“Somewhat surprisingly, there has been a resurgence of interest in Norman Vincent Peale’s power of positive thinking in our day. … The idea that you have the ability to think and speak away everything undesirable seems to have made a renewed headway in our culture.”

Is Hospitality Your Mentality?


Is Hospitality Your Mentality? – “The church models its welcoming Lord by being hospitable. Hospitality is of such importance that church elders “must be hospitable” (Titus 1:8). God lays upon church leaders the need to live open-handedly with their homes and resources. We’re all called to do it, so why don’t we?”

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

When God Feels Distant, He May Want Us to Grow Up


When God Feels Distant, He May Want Us to Grow Up“I’m suggesting the Lord did not allow you to lose a close walk with him, but he rescued you from a phony walk.”

Parent’s Guide to Social Media Use for Kids


Parent’s Guide to Social Media Use for Kids – In the complex world of social media, an article like this is always worth exploring.

We Are Glory Hogs


We Are Glory Hogs – “We live in a world of great confusion. Though we were created to glorify God, sin continually tempts us to make more of ourselves than we should. It tempts us to take complete control of our lives, rather than surrender in humble faith before our Creator.”

Are You Pretending to Be Happy?


Are You Pretending to Be Happy? – “Your happiness is not about you — not if you want it to last for more than a few minutes. Happiness will always hide from us when we shrink our world down to what we want in the moment, rather than seeing ourselves as part of what God is doing around the world and throughout history.”

Monday, March 12, 2018

Faith in the Drought


Faith in the Drought – What do we do when we are experiencing a drought? Sara Beth Fentress helps us remember who God is and what He has promised in the midst of dry seasons. 

5 Tips for Engaging with Scripture


5 Tips for Engaging with Scripture – “Here are a few ideas on how to enrich your time in God’s Word.”

Opening Up Christmas Shoeboxes


Opening Up Christmas Shoeboxes – I’ve heard this from missionaries before. We mean well but...

Are You a Hoarding Church or a Healthy Church?


Are You a Hoarding Church or a Healthy Church?“The temptation is to hoard.  To focus on our needs.  But we are called to a bigger focus, a kingdom focus.  It is costly to train people up and send them out.”

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Evangelicalism After Billy Graham


Evangelicalism After Billy Graham“As soon as word broke about the death of Billy Graham, the most influential Christian evangelist of the twentieth century, scholars and admirers began asking: ‘Will there ever be another Billy Graham?’ 

Does God Hear the Prayers of an Unbeliever?


Does God Hear the Prayers of an Unbeliever? – Here is a brief video that answers this sensitive question well.

Do You Really Care about Evangelism? If So, You Need To Do More Than Pray


Do You Really Care about Evangelism? If So, You Need To Do More Than PrayPrayer is the starting point, not the endpoint, of our journey in helping people from darkness to light. 

Listen. It’s a Ministry


Listen. It’s a Ministry – “The central calling of the Christian life is to love. A neglected way we love is by listening. The grace of God in Jesus Christ takes us there.”

How Do We Avoid Over-Thinking (or Under-Thinking) the Christian Life?


How Do We Avoid Over-Thinking (or Under-Thinking) the Christian Life?“The head must do its supporting work so that the heart can do its main work and not be deceived.”

Friday, March 9, 2018

When I Am Afraid


When I Am Afraid – “Sometimes God feels far from us in trials because we have put ourselves out of earshot from his word.” This is a reflection on Psalm 56.

How Can Parents Encourage Kids to Own Their Faith as They Grow Up?


How Can Parents Encourage Kids to Own Their Faith as They Grow Up? – “Parents, don’t take the biblical proverb “train up a child” and treat it like a promise, assuming that if you do everything right in your parenting, your children will turn out right. Proverbs are general truths, not specific promises.”

Homeschool Will Not Save Them


Homeschool Will Not Save Them – A mom writes, “My daughter had never been reborn. My confidence had been misplaced. Months passed before I could fully accept that one of mine was not one of his — at least not yet. Crushing self-condemnation followed. I spent over ten years investing in her soul daily, and what was there to show for those efforts?”

University Kicks InterVarsity Off Campus for Requiring Its Leaders to Be Christian


University Kicks InterVarsity Off Campus for Requiring Its Leaders to Be Christian – “Wayne State—an arm of the Michigan State government—makes the remarkable claim that it violates university policies for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to choose only Christian leaders rather than Jewish, Muslim or atheist ones.”

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Doors and Broken Handles: Discerning Where God Wants Us to Go


Doors and Broken Handles: Discerning Where God Wants Us to Go – “How do we know when a door is really shut? How hard should we pull?”

Your Resolutions Flew out the Window


Your Resolutions Flew out the Window – Here are a few things I’m learning in the midst of faltering resolutions.

What God Says to Your Tears


What God Says to Your Tears – “To such mourners, the Bible’s message is not to dry up your tears. No, the Bible says weeping is typical of life in the valley, and its message to mourners is much more sympathetic — and much more steadying.”

Being a Control-Freak


Being a Control-Freak – “Why do we want control? I think there are many reasons.”

Surrogacy for Money


Surrogacy for MoneySurrogacy is becoming increasingly common. Here’s why Christians ought to think about it very carefully.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

You Are Loved by the Good Shepherd


You Are Loved by the Good Shepherd – “Feed your soul on four assurances.”

We Don’t Need To Go Back To The Early Church


We Don’t Need To Go Back To The Early Church “When we talk about the New Testament church we can fall prey to the chronological snobbery C.S. Lewis cautions us against. Oldness doesn’t constitute betterness. Nor does newness.”

Jesus Is More Than Your Savior


Jesus Is More Than Your Savior – “We don’t stop at identifying Jesus as ‘Lord and Savior.’ We’re finding it’s all the more helpful to add a third title to this well-worn evangelical phrase — to help clarify what kind of Lord, and what kind of Savior, we embrace Jesus to be.”

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

4 Things to Tell Yourself When Anxiety is Overwhelming


4 Things to Tell Yourself When Anxiety is Overwhelming – When those times come, here is what your soul needs to hear.

Turn My Eyes from Looking at Worthless Things


Turn My Eyes from Looking at Worthless Things – “Lured by desire and the passions of the flesh, the eyes look upon secret loves too dark for anyone but their Creator to fully see and know. Prone to wander, how they feel it—the pull to gaze upon worthless things…”

2 Things to Remember When Struggling With Grief


2 Things to Remember When Struggling With Grief – If you forget everything else, at least keep these things in mind.

The Stings of Death: An Article Not Just for Old People


The Stings of Death: An Article Not Just for Old People“What can be done to help take the sting from death? Following are three areas–three stings–where you can reduce the sting from your family and church community.”

Did Old Testament Law Force a Woman to Marry Her Rapist?


Did Old Testament Law Force a Woman to Marry Her Rapist? – “Far from exploiting or oppressing women, this passage shows that biblical law held men accountable for their sexual behavior.”

Guilt Evangelism: A Better Reason to Share Your Faith


Guilt Evangelism: A Better Reason to Share Your Faith – “So, get off the fence, ask your neighbor to coffee, listen carefully as they share about themselves, and look for opportunities to tell them about the hope you have in Jesus.”

Do Whatever Makes You Holy


Do Whatever Makes You Holy“We will only begin to make holiness a habit when we acknowledge the fact that our habits, no matter how minor they might seem, have consequences.”

Your Church is in Danger


Your Church is in Danger – We are not promised “happily ever after” in this life, but rest assured, our “happily ever after” is coming. 

Monday, March 5, 2018

Modern Parenting And the Winter Olympics


Modern Parenting And the Winter Olympics “We used to call it Helicopter parenting, but after watching a few curling videos I’m convinced it’s more like the Olympic sport than ever.”

The Slow Burn of Bitterness


The Slow Burn of Bitterness – “There are embers of unforgiveness smoldering inside us that threaten to burn forever if they are not doused for good. But how will that ever happen?

The Beautiful Monotony of the Gospel


The Beautiful Monotony of the Gospel – “But the gospel is resilient. It is miraculously versatile. It proves itself every day for those awake to it. Because it is the antidote for all sin of all people, power effectual for every type of person no matter their background or circumstance, it is God’s might to save every millisecond and therefore every Sunday.” 

What Your Kids Need from You


What Your Kids Need from You – “85 percent of Christian parents admitted that while they acknowledged they were responsible for their child’s spiritual development . . . the vast majority were not personally engaging in any activities that might guide their children to spiritual maturity except taking them to church.”

What do You Mean by Asking Me to Meditate on Scripture!?


What do You Mean by Asking Me to Meditate on Scripture!? – Biblical counselors often ask people to meditate on Scripture. What do they mean by that?

Eight Myths about Hell


Eight Myths about Hell“The reality of hell and eternal punishment is not a popular topic, even among Christians. Part of the problem is that the nature of hell has been horribly distorted in our culture and portrayed as an experience that is far from what we read in the NT.”

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Five Reminders for the Stressed, Weary, Busy, and Burdened Soul


Five Reminders for the Stressed, Weary, Busy, and Burdened Soul – “Do you ever feel like there isn’t enough of you to go around—and no matter how hard you try, you seem to always come up short?”

How Can Parents Encourage Kids to Own Their Faith as They Grow Up?


How Can Parents Encourage Kids to Own Their Faith as They Grow Up? – “A new LifeWay Research study commissioned by LifeWay Kids surveyed 2,000 Protestant and non-denominational churchgoers who attend church at least once a month and have adult children ages 18 to 30. The goal of the project was to discover what parenting practices were common in the families where young adults remained in the faith.”

Do You Suffer from ‘Bible Anorexia’?


Do You Suffer from ‘Bible Anorexia’? – “Our souls can starve, just like our bodies.”

Three Types of Evangelistic Contexts: Contact, Context, and Friendship


Three Types of Evangelistic Contexts: Contact, Context, and FriendshipFew things are more enjoyable than being in partnership with the God of the universe.

When Bible Study Goes Wrong


When Bible Study Goes Wrong – “The Bible is not primarily about the Bible. It is not primarily about morality. And the Bible is not merely an encyclopedia of religious knowledge. The Bible is the word of God, and the entirety of the Bible points to Christ, the living Word.” 

Grace Displacing All Disgrace


Grace Displacing All Disgrace – “O, Beloved Father, this Scripture is astonishing, freeing, and transforming. Thank you for giving life to the languishing, balm to the broken, and grace to the disgraced.”

What is the History of Crucifixion?


What is the History of Crucifixion? – We need to be reminded. “What is the history of crucifixion? What was crucifixion like?” 

Friday, March 2, 2018

Loneliness


Loneliness – “Loneliness is painful, and all of us will experience it at some point in our lives. Thankfully, the Lord speaks into our loneliness, and ministers to us in a deeply meaningful way.”

The Best Way to Find God’s Will for Your Gifts


The Best Way to Find God’s Will for Your Gifts – “We aren’t designed to be billions of independent, autonomous bodies primarily doing our own thing. God designed us to be interdependent body parts that contribute to the healthy functioning of a larger social body.”

How Do I Know If I Really Love Jesus?


How Do I Know If I Really Love Jesus? – The Bible’s answer might surprise you.

9 Bible Verses for Depression


9 Bible Verses for DepressionHere are some helpful verses to meditate on in times of darkness or difficulty.

The Many Faces of Legalism


The Many Faces of Legalism – Legalism as, “an attempt to win God’s favor apart from the finished and sufficient work of Christ on behalf of sinners.” Here are some common places where it shows up.

God’s Glory, Our Good


God’s Glory, Our Good – “Satan has conned many people into a twisted view of the Christian life. We imagine that God calls us to do things that won’t be good for us, while the unbelievers are out there having all the fun. In fact, anything done for God’s glory also works for our good.”

If God Loves You, He Will Prune You


If God Loves You, He Will Prune You – “He will prune us differently, but this is a process we entrust to him, knowing that he is good and at work in our lives.”

The Most Important Time to Go to Church


The Most Important Time to Go to Church – “The most important time to be at church is when you don’t feel like it.”

It's Not Conversion Therapy; It's Just Conversion


It's Not Conversion Therapy; It's Just Conversion – Denny Burk writes on Jackie-Hill Perry's experience at Harvard University. He shares that we need to be ready to love our enemies and be bold to share the truth of the gospel. 

The Cycle of Temptation


The Cycle of Temptation – “When Eve succumbed to the craftiness of the serpent, she gave in to all three major categories of temptation, as described in 1 John 2:16.”

3 Ways to Disciple Our Children in an Age of Confusion


3 Ways to Disciple Our Children in an Age of Confusion – “The culture is speaking loud and clear. We must be louder and clearer. Three ways we can do this well is to tell, tune in, and talk:”

Three Lessons From the Extraordinary Life of Billy Graham


Three Lessons From the Extraordinary Life of Billy Graham – These are key points to Billy Graham’s life and worth visting.

9 Things You Should Know About Billy Graham (1918–2018)


9 Things You Should Know About Billy Graham (1918–2018) – “Here are nine things you should know about the man who was considered one of the most influential evangelists in modern history.”