Forgotten Jobs: Dog Whipper And Sluggard Waker –
Each day I post a variety of articles to my blog that I’ve found interesting in
my reading. This one is just for fun. There are any number of ministries in the
church where believers can exercise their gifts. Here are a couple from church
history you might consider.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
What Does It Mean to Be a Hero? Who Are Our Heroes?
What
Does It Mean to Be a Hero? Who Are Our Heroes? –
“In our time, it seems that American society is far more impressed with
celebrity than with heroism. True heroism comes down to taking a risk in
order to do the right thing—to stand for virtue and truth at the very moment
those virtues are on the line.”
Discipleship Is Not Consumer-Friendly
Discipleship Is
Not Consumer-Friendly – “Christianity requires the submission of one’s
individual will to the lordship of Christ.”
Dealing with Death and Disease
Dealing
with Death and Disease – “Why do we fear death
so much? For non-Christians, the answer is easy. No matter how they suppress
the truth in unrighteousness, whether by atheism, agnosticism, or false
religion, they can’t escape their God-given awareness that they’ve broken His
law and deserve hell. Christians also fear death and disease.”
Stay at Home
Stay
at Home – “Without diminishing the
negative, there are also enormous benefits and possibilities to be seized at
this time. Here are a few...”
Monday, March 30, 2020
The Greatest Gospel Question of this Moment: “How Are You Doing?”
The
Greatest Gospel Question of this Moment: “How Are You Doing?” –
Two weeks ago, the question, “How are you doing?” was a passing gesture that
meant relatively little. Things have changed.
Even Ifs of April
Even Ifs
of April – Abigail Rehmert writes about the
difference between thinking in terms of “what ifs” and instead focusing on the “even
ifs” found in Scripture.
Dare to Feel Forgiven: Four Ways into the Heart of God
Dare to Feel Forgiven: Four Ways into the Heart of God –
“Many of us, if we are honest, do have trouble feeling forgiven. We are
sincere-hearted Christians. We want to follow Christ. We have enjoyed profound
experiences of God.”
Love in the Time of Coronavirus
Love in
the Time of Coronavirus – “All alone with our selves, being babysat by
our anxieties, we might see just how helpless and frail we really are. And we
might see just how loved. If we have the eyes to see.”
COVID-19: Living by Probabilities or Providence?
COVID-19: Living by Probabilities or Providence? –
“Let me say, dear brothers and sisters, we shouldn’t find either our safety—or
our doom—in numbers, statistics, and risk profiles. (I’m preaching to myself
here, too!) Scripture turns our gaze elsewhere…”
Don’t Just Make It Through Your Quarantine; Redeem Your Quarantine
Don’t
Just Make It Through Your Quarantine; Redeem Your Quarantine –
“During our broad shelter-in-place/stay-at-home efforts, we’ve entered a very
strange season. As we wait for society to return to something-like-normal, I
want to plead with you: Don’t just make it through this time. Redeem this time.
Don’t waste your quarantine.”
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Tears May Tarry for Now: Trusting God in Times to Weep
Tears May
Tarry for Now: Trusting God in Times to Weep – “Granted, in times of
grief, it’s hard to see beyond our tears, hard to imagine past the time of pain
to a time of mirth. But more is happening in seasons of sadness than we may
realize.”
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Come What May: Finding Patience and Joy in a Slow Calamity
Come What
May: Finding Patience and Joy in a Slow Calamity – “Will we do the same
in the lingering confusion and disorientation of the slow-moving uncertainty
we’re living in? Will our protests, however justly conceived, lead to bent
knees? And will our prayers lead us to sing?”
It Can’t Happen Again (But It Did)
It Can’t Happen Again (But It Did) –
“Times like these indeed reveal our human inadequacy and God’s sovereign power
over all.”
Save Lives First, Repair the Economy Second: A Matter of Christian Priorities
Save
Lives First, Repair the Economy Second: A Matter of Christian Priorities –
“We are looking at a massive moral trade-off and it is clear that there is no
consensus.”
What Christians Can Learn About Ethics From COVID-19
What Christians Can Learn About Ethics From COVID-19 –
“Is it more important to preserve life or preserve economic vibrancy? Do we
sacrifice the economy to save human lives or do we sacrifice human lives to
save the economy?”
Friday, March 27, 2020
When Guilty Men Go Free: The Gospel According to Barabbas
When Guilty
Men Go Free: The Gospel According to Barabbas – All four Gospels mention
him. What lessons can we learn from his unique story.
Things We Definitely Know Are True
Things We Definitely Know Are True – “I don’t know
that I have ever prayed for the whole world before. We read that God
so loved the world and we know He did, but to pray for the whole world
previously would have felt so general as to be worthless. Until now.”
4 Ways Not to Redeem the Time
4 Ways
Not to Redeem the Time – “Let’s consider four things redeeming the time
does not mean, in order to bring clarity to what it does mean.”
Judgment on Pre-Judgment
Judgment on Pre-Judgment – “‘Prejudice’ is
making a (usually negative) judgment about something or someone that is not
based on evidence, experience, or reason.”
Biblical Principles for Ethnic Harmony
Biblical Principles
for Ethnic Harmony – “Here are seven biblical principles that promote
ethnic harmony.”
Obedience to God and Love of Neighbor in the Face of a Coronavirus: A Christian’s Mandate
Obedience
to God and Love of Neighbor in the Face of a Coronavirus: A Christian’s Mandate
–
“God made all humanity in his image—and as image bearers, there are certain
questions we cannot avoid.”
Christians in Isolation: A Word on Temptation
Christians in Isolation: A Word on Temptation –
“The isolation we face will likely increase our temptation to turn from the
living God and from each other.”
Thursday, March 26, 2020
God’s Excellent Greatness For You
God’s Excellent Greatness For You –
This was a great perspective on God. We project our busyness onto God. We think
He’s too busy to notice or take time for us. He owns time.
Fear of Dying
Fear of Dying – “What is it that
Christians fear most about the process and results of dying? Here are six
common fears and a very brief biblical remedy for each of them.”
6 Ways to Lead Your Family in Isolation
6 Ways to Lead Your Family in Isolation – “Here
are six opportunities that may help guide your family.”
Why Christians Say “You Were Never a True Christian”
Why Christians Say “You Were Never a True Christian” –
“Here are a couple of reasons why it is so important for Christians not to
grant the fact that our friends who walked away were ever true Christians.”
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Everything’s Canceled! Dealing with Disappointment in Pandemic
Everything’s Canceled! Dealing with Disappointment in
Pandemic – “Here are four places the Bible invites you to look as you
suffer disappointment.”
Five Thoughts From Quarantine
Five Thoughts From Quarantine – Paul Tripp: “I’ve
been thinking and praying about the coronavirus that has spread across the
globe, I am reminded how this pandemic preaches the gospel to us.”
The Humbling That Leads to Happiness
The Humbling That Leads to Happiness –
“All across the world, an invisible threat has brought mighty people to their
knees, but here—on our knees—we are best prepared to lift our eyes to the
heavens and wait for the goodness and grace of God.”
Nothing I Suffer Surprises God
Nothing I
Suffer Surprises God – “How will this turn out? How hard will it be?
How long is this trial going to last?”
Grace for Our Hardest Moments
Grace
for Our Hardest Moments – “Each of us has our own unique
struggles in life. And each of us knows what it’s like to meet times in life
when we find ourselves out of gas. So how do we keep pressing on when we feel
completely depleted?”
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
What Is God Up to with Corona?
What Is God Up to with Corona? – “God is always
doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.”
Don’t Forget the Goal
Don’t Forget the Goal – “My plans seem
so important, but in the last week I’ve seen how flexible, transient, and
ultimately how inconsequential they really are. My plans are changing, but
God’s plans for me to be like Jesus have not changed.”
Life Together for a Church Apart
Life Together
for a Church Apart – Two weeks ago, I had never even heard of the term
“social distancing.”
Like Lovers, Parted by War
Like Lovers, Parted by War –
“Some have raised concerns that cancelling embodied gatherings of the local
church in the present crisis will lead to more and more people streaming
services long-term. I want to suggest the opposite: that we Christians will no
more find we prefer streaming services online than lovers parted by war and
forced only to write letters would say, when peacetime comes.”
Will Everything Be OK in Italy?
Will Everything Be OK in Italy? – “Italy’s
casualties from the coronavirus have recently overtaken China’s. Things don’t
feel even close to being ok in Italy.”
9 Things You Should Know About the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
9 Things You Should Know About the 1918 Influenza
Pandemic – “Here is what you should know about the 1918 pandemic that
became one of the largest public health crises in modern history.”
Monday, March 23, 2020
Seeing the People in Front of You
Seeing
the People in Front of You – “There are many days
when I am distracted and don’t notice the people around me. My eyes are open,
but my brain is elsewhere. There are other days when I choose to
look past the people around me and toward something I deem more essential or
enchanting.”
Never a Better Time for Family Prayer
Never a Better Time for Family Prayer – “As
families are stuck at home, we have an opportunity to together take up the
largely invisible, outwardly unremarkable tool of prayer. We can’t see the
danger, but we know the One who sees everything.”
‘Church Life Goes On’: Italian Pastor Reflects on COVID-19
‘Church Life Goes On’: Italian Pastor Reflects on
COVID-19 – “Until the Lord returns, church life must go on, whatever
the circumstances. This promise comes from the Lord Jesus himself, according to
whom ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail’ against the church (Matt. 16:18).”
Reexamining Idolatry: The Golden Calf and False Worship
Reexamining Idolatry: The Golden Calf and False Worship
– “Worship of false gods, and false worship of the true God, are both false
worship.”
What Is Successful Evangelism?
What Is Successful Evangelism? –
“Rightly understanding our job in evangelism is crucial because we easily get
discouraged in evangelism for the wrong reasons.”
8 Ways God Works Suffering for Our Good
8
Ways God Works Suffering for Our Good – God never wastes
any experience and particularly our most difficult.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
When Loneliness Meets Self-Isolation
When
Loneliness Meets Self-Isolation – “This current health
crisis meets us in the midst of a mental and emotional health
crisis—loneliness.”
F.A.M.I.L.Y Worship during COVID-19
F.A.M.I.L.Y
Worship during COVID-19 – “We all want to lead our children
well during this unprecedented time.”
The Fear-Driven Life
The Fear-Driven Life – “There is a good kind
of cautiousness, the sort of wisdom that doesn’t jump into every situation or
make rash decisions. And then there’s the kind of cautiousness that has more to
do with managing our own disobedience.”
How a “You do You” Culture Has Made Us Vulnerable to the Coronavirus
How a “You do You” Culture Has Made Us Vulnerable to the Coronavirus –
“The virus will be curbed when people embody a spirit of self-sacrifice.
A posture of self-denial.”
Friday, March 20, 2020
Don’t Waste Your Family Quarantine
Don’t Waste Your Family Quarantine – “Everyone
in your home is facing unexpected challenges. So how does your family cope with
all of this uncertainty?”
9 Ways to Love Your Neighbor in This Pandemic
9 Ways to Love Your Neighbor in This Pandemic – “One
of the primary postures of a Christian is outward. Our salvation means that the
curse of the inward curve of sin is broken, and we’re now free to turn
outward—to love God and neighbor.”
8 Things the Coronavirus Should Teach Us
8 Things the Coronavirus Should Teach Us – “Here
are eight things we’d all do well to learn, or relearn, from this coronavirus
scare.”
10 Ways in which this Coronavirus Pandemic Can Be for Our Good
10 Ways in which this Coronavirus Pandemic Can Be for Our Good –
Here are some Romans 8:28 ways the pandemic can be used by God for our good.
C. S. Lewis on the Coronavirus
C. S. Lewis on the Coronavirus – “C. S. Lewis’s
words—written 72 years ago—ring with some relevance for us. Just replace ‘atomic
bomb’ with ‘coronavirus.’”
Responding to Pandemics: 4 Lessons from Church History
Responding to Pandemics: 4 Lessons from Church History
– “If you want to know how Christianity went from an obscure and marginal movement
to representing around 6 million believers by AD 300, Rodney Stark will tell
you: plagues were a huge factor.”
Love Your Wife Like Jesus Loves Her
Love Your
Wife Like Jesus Loves Her – “As a husband, God calls you to love your
wife like Jesus loves her, so meditate on his deep, complex, and unparalleled
love.”
4 Burning Questions from the Ending of Job
4 Burning Questions from the Ending of Job – “May
Job point us to Christ, and so encourage us to endure in faith to the end.”
How to Talk to Your Family About Social Distancing
How to Talk to Your Family About Social Distancing
– “Here’s how to talk to various family members about how they can stop being
part of the problem and start being part of the solution.” This includes extended
family.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
What Hasn’t Changed During a Global Pandemic
What Hasn’t Changed During a Global Pandemic –
“Here Christians need to lean in, not only to remember but also to respond in
this season of change.”
No Meat or Potatoes, But the Candy Aisle is Full
No Meat or Potatoes, But the Candy Aisle is Full –
“The contrast between the meat section and the candy aisle reminded me of an
important truth: In a time of suffering or crisis, people go for what
they need most, not what they like most.”
Worth A Lot of Sparrows
Worth A Lot
of Sparrows – “Your value: many sparrows. His love
and care: more than you could possibly deserve.”
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Here Are a Few Ways to Love Your Neighbor Well in Coronavirus Season
Here Are a Few Ways to Love Your Neighbor Well in
Coronavirus Season – These are good reminders as we keep on being the
church...everywhere and everyday.
Fighting Fear and Anxiety
Fighting
Fear and Anxiety – “The world is fearful and anxious,
but it is fearful and anxious about the wrong things.”
A Fisherman in Ireland: The Enduring Relevance of Patrick
A Fisherman
in Ireland: The Enduring Relevance of Patrick – “The enduring relevance
of Patrick of Ireland (c. 390–460) lies in a sacrificial heart motivated by the
Great Commission and burdened for the lost.”
Why Should You Pray Before Eating a Meal?
Why Should You Pray Before Eating a Meal? –
“Prayer before eating a meal is speedbump in our hectic lives slowing us down
and reminding us that we’re not God and how good that is.”
Evangelism Formation: Effective Evangelism in a Changing Culture
Evangelism Formation: Effective Evangelism in a
Changing Culture – “More and more evangelism will be happening in the
world rather than on the campus of a church. This means all followers of Jesus
need to be equipped to share their faith and see themselves as God’s missionary
people at school, in their neighborhood, at work, in social settings, and in
the flow of an ordinary day.”
The Humbling of Civilization: Praying for the Mercy of God
The
Humbling of Civilization: Praying for the Mercy of God –
“This virus has reshaped the social, moral, political, and economic landscape
not just of one or two nations, but the entire planet.”
Lacking Assurance of Salvation? Join a Church
Lacking
Assurance of Salvation? Join a Church – “Membership in
a local church is not an antiquated, outdated, unnecessary add-on to true
membership in the universal body of Christ.”
Monday, March 16, 2020
25 Hymns to Sing in Troubled Times
25 Hymns to Sing in Troubled Times –
Christians have found songs to “sing in the rain” for a long time.
5 Ways to Live the Gospel During the #Coronavirus
5 Ways to Live the Gospel During the #Coronavirus
– “As a church, how can we live the gospel in practice in these days?”
Not Every Celebrity Gets Religion Right. Be Forewarned.
Not Every Celebrity Gets Religion Right. Be Forewarned.
– “Jesus Christ is the Authority for what I believe. He has my complete
loyalty, my eternal devotion.”
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Suffering Will Always Change You
Suffering Will
Always Change You – “Suffering is a catalyst that forces us to move in
one direction or another. No one comes through suffering unchanged.”
A Different Kind of Calling: Spiritual Disciplines in Uncertain Times
A
Different Kind of Calling: Spiritual Disciplines in Uncertain Times –
“Spiritual disciplines matter all the time, but we need to be reminded of that
in tumultuous times.”
Friday, March 13, 2020
Eight Things the Coronavirus Should Teach Us
Eight
Things the Coronavirus Should Teach Us – "As a pastor who
lives in Naples, Italy, Mark Oden has had a lot of direct experience with the
coronavirus and its effects."
Not a Spirit of Fear
Not a Spirit of Fear – “We need the power of
the Spirit today, Father. We need power to keep our minds and hearts set on
things above. If we knew what you know about this crisis, we would worship more
than we worry.”
Do Not Silence Your Mess: Meeting God in Everyday Chaos
Do Not
Silence Your Mess: Meeting God in Everyday Chaos – “The life of faith
for a follower of Jesus Christ is messy.”
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Gripping Fear (and the Corona Virus)
Gripping
Fear (and the Corona Virus) – “What we fear and how
strongly we fear it has not diminished in this information
age, but has grown steadily.”
Our Father Who Art Forgotten
Our Father
Who Art Forgotten – “Whatever you may suspect about the heart of God
toward you — because of bad experiences with your father, because of lingering
shame about your past sins, because of your own failures as a father, because
of your fears about the future — the God of heaven is an affectionate Father.”
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
People are Addicted to Outrage: Four Ways to Walk a Better Path
People
are Addicted to Outrage: Four Ways to Walk a Better Path –
“Rather than seeing our world through the lens of everything that’s broken I
argue we should use a lens with four main features.”
Big Brains And Diseased Hearts
Big Brains And Diseased Hearts – Paul Tripp
notes, “My study of the Word of God had been a massive intellectual exercise
but almost utterly devoid of spiritual, heart-transforming power.”
Where’s Your Treasure? Three Questions to Ask Yourself
Where’s Your Treasure? Three Questions to Ask Yourself –
“The truth is we’re all completely obsessed with treasure. We’re actually wired
that way. God designed us to be active worshipers, and treasure is
simply shorthand for the object of our worship.”
A United Family in a Divided Society
A United
Family in a Divided Society – “Multi-ethnic unity on
the weekends comes from multi-ethnic friendship throughout the week.”
More Than Marriage: What’s Behind Polyamory In the Church
More Than
Marriage: What’s Behind Polyamory In the Church – “Whether we’re
talking about polyamory or monogamy, homosexual or heterosexual marriage, you
can boil down every perspective of marriage and human sexuality to the same
foundational issues: Authority, Belief, and Worship.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
How to ‘Disciple’ Your Kids into Church Dropout Status
How to ‘Disciple’ Your Kids into Church Dropout Status
– “What are some ways religious families may be reinforcing the dropout trend,
despite their own hopes? Here are six.”
Holiness Is Never Far from Home: Fighting Sin and Satan with a Family
Holiness Is
Never Far from Home: Fighting Sin and Satan with a Family – “The Lord
Jesus died for more than public holiness. He died for a holiness that extends
to the backyard and the den, to the basement and our children’s bedsides. He
died for a holiness that follows us home.”
How to Disciple Long-Distance Grandchildren
How to Disciple Long-Distance Grandchildren –
“How can I, as a grandma, stay connected with my grandchildren, who live six to
seven hours away, and show them how much they need God and His Word and how
important He is?”
Praying for Patience
Praying for Patience – “More than ever before
I saw that patience and waiting are inextricably linked, and that waiting means
trusting God’s plan, God’s timing, and not my own. And I could trust God’s plan
because of who God is.”
Allow Parenting to Push You Toward Humility
Allow Parenting to Push You Toward Humility –
“Being large and in charge has its place in Christian parenthood I suppose, but
more often than not the path to our kids’ hearts is paved with humility,
gentleness, and spiritual eyesight, especially as they grow older.”
Monday, March 9, 2020
3 Dimensions of Forgiveness: Towards a Definition
3 Dimensions of
Forgiveness: Towards a Definition – “You can cancel a debt
while being aware of someone’s financial habits, declining to lend more money,
and refusing a joint business venture.”
A Different Harvest
A
Different Harvest – “Harvesting requires intentional
investment with those who, often on the surface, have no interest in the good
news of Jesus, or at least in the cultural assumptions they have about Him and
His church.”
Where Is the Trinity in the Old Testament?
Where Is the Trinity in the Old Testament? – “Christian
readers do not have to strain their eyes to see glimpses of the Trinity here.”
Sunday, March 8, 2020
The Most Important Instrument on Sunday Morning
The Most Important Instrument on Sunday Morning
– “But one instrument is common to every church, big or small. And happily,
it’s the instrument God is most concerned about on Sunday mornings: the voice
of the congregation.”
Saturday, March 7, 2020
God’s Promise to Make Up for the Heartbreaks of This Earth
God’s Promise to Make Up for the Heartbreaks of This Earth –
“God’s original plan was that human beings would live happy and fulfilling lives
on Earth. If our current lives are our only chances at that, God’s plan has
been thwarted.”
What Will Life in Heaven Be Like?
What
Will Life in Heaven Be Like? – “Here, we go through
seasons of feeling distant from God, and we want to have a new and fresh
experience of God. But in heaven, you will be before His throne. You will be
with Him, and you will enjoy Him forever!”
Evangelism Formation: The Power of Age 60+ in the Work of Evangelism
Evangelism Formation: The Power of Age 60+ in the Work of
Evangelism – “The truth is that Christians never
retire. Until our last breath, God has work for us to do.”
Why We Give in to Temptation
Why
We Give in to Temptation – “There are several
helpful things to notice here as we apply this perspective on perseverance to
our own temptations.”
Intersectionality and the Church
Intersectionality and the Church –
“Intersectionality confuses justice, a command of God to defend the poor and
the needy, with a conception of justice not defined by Scripture.”
Friday, March 6, 2020
Would You Pay $149 for Hand Sanitizer?
Would
You Pay $149 for Hand Sanitizer? – “Surprising effects of
the coronavirus epidemic and the power of ‘intrinsic religiosity’”.
Come Away and Rest Awhile
Come Away
and Rest Awhile – “The apostles retreated from the crowd to a quiet
place with Jesus. I would recommend that you take a vacation
whenever you can. But do not take a vacation from Jesus.”
How to Lead Your Heart with Your Knees
How to Lead Your Heart with Your Knees – “We
should use prayer to lead the heart. Without prayer, we can’t trust where it
goes.”
God Made Sex, and His Rules Are Good
God Made Sex, and His Rules Are Good – “God
cares who we sleep with because he cares deeply about the people who are doing
the sleeping. He cares because sex was his idea, not ours.”
When Parents Feel Like We Are Mostly Failing Most of the Time
When Parents Feel Like We Are Mostly Failing Most of
the Time – “As parents in this digital world, it’s like we have planted
ourselves and our families on a beach. Though the water is rising, we have
convinced ourselves that we can somehow hold back the tide.”
Anxious for Nothing: Addressing the Worry I Can’t Explain
Anxious for Nothing: Addressing the Worry I Can’t Explain –
“Here are three things I’m reminding myself in this new season of being anxious
for nothing.”
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Moving from a Country Club to a Commissioned Church
Moving
from a Country Club to a Commissioned Church –
“Paul knew that if people became the central focus of the church, the church
would be conformed into the image of people not the image of Christ.”
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Hope for Busted Up Sinners Like Me
Hope for
Busted Up Sinners Like Me – “Ironically, the more like Jesus we
actually become, the more unlike Jesus we realize that we are.”
The Most Important Words to Say to Your Kids
The Most Important Words to Say to Your Kids – “No
matter what you do, I will never love you any less.”
No God but One: Baal, Yahweh, Amazon, and Me
No God
but One: Baal, Yahweh, Amazon, and Me – “The oneness of God is under
relentless assault today — though not in the way we might expect.”
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
This Little Church of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine
This Little Church of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine
– “Consider three effects of a church that shines.”
Your List of Questions About Heaven, Answered
Your
List of Questions About Heaven, Answered – “The Bible is
filled with clues on what we should expect in Heaven.”
Which Comes First: Repentance or Faith?
Which
Comes First: Repentance or Faith? – “We cannot
separate turning from sin in repentance and coming to Christ in faith. They describe
the same person in the same action, but from different perspectives.”
Men Too Easily Forgotten: Why Nice Is Not Enough
Men Too
Easily Forgotten: Why Nice Is Not Enough – “We are called to live as
citizens of heaven, men of God, soldiers for Christ, who are zealous for good
works and for the glory of Jesus Christ. We need men who are unashamed and
unapologetic about being a force for good in our world.”
Rightly Dividing the Red Sea
Rightly Dividing the Red Sea – “If Israel was
called to remember and return to the Lord’s grace manifested to them in the
deliverance at the Red Sea, Christians are called to remember and daily return
to the divine grace declared to them in their baptisms.”
Should Christians Be Anxious About the Coronavirus?
Should Christians Be Anxious About the Coronavirus?
– “What would God have us do in the face of a growing international health
crisis? Should our churches close their doors for fear of spreading illness?
Should I take my kids out of school? Cancel travel plans? How should we help a
panicked world?”
Monday, March 2, 2020
Signs of Christian Maturity
Signs
of Christian Maturity – “Am I growing? How am I growing?
Is “maturity” evident in my life? Have I been consistently (even if slowly)
become more like Jesus?”
When Nobody Else Listens, God Listens
When Nobody Else Listens, God Listens –
“Most of us know what it’s like to feel alone and invisible and weak. Demi
Lovato is not the only one.”
The Mission Field in Our Backyard
The Mission Field in Our Backyard – “As of
2017, more than a quarter of a billion people worldwide lived outside their
country of birth.”
5 Things Forgiveness Is Not
5 Things Forgiveness
Is Not – “It can be helpful to set our
mind at ease about a few things related to forgiveness. This reflection is all
about, ‘We need to talk about forgiveness, but don’t worry, forgiveness doesn’t
mean [blank].’ We are going to talk about five common fears associated with
forgiveness that can go in that blank.”
Teaching Christ to Kids raised to Worship the Ancestors
Teaching
Christ to Kids raised to Worship the Ancestors –
Here’s a reflection on missions in Africa and idols we worship at home. “The
Bible refers to ancestral worship as another form of idolatry, the worship of
other gods rather than the God of the Bible.”
Leave the Dead to Bury Their Own Dead
Leave the Dead to Bury Their Own Dead –
“Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and we don’t just
take a guess at the meaning on our own—we’ll find that the clues are right
there in the passage waiting to be found.”
I Gave My Life to Jesus (Spoken Word)
I Gave My Life to Jesus (Spoken Word) – “Folks,
look at the Book and unhook from this wearisome, will-driven view. Stop giving
your life to Jesus; he’s the Giver delivered for you.”
Five Steps to Help You Find Your Role in the Mission of God
Five
Steps to Help You Find Your Role in the Mission of God –
“Whatever spiritual gifts and abilities you have, you are supposed to interpret
them in light of the bigger picture of God’s purposes stated in his Word—to get
the gospel to the ends of the earth.”
Polyamory and the Overton Window
Polyamory
and the Overton Window – “False teachers often aim at the
edges before aiming at the center.”
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