Ten (More) Questions for a New Year

Ten (More) Questions for a New Year – “Many find it an appropriate season for reviewing our walk with Jesus and reconsidering our priorities.” 

Build Spiritual Habits in Just a Few Minutes

Build Spiritual Habits in Just a Few Minutes – Spiritual growth is a daily and through the day adventure. Every moment is an opportunity with God. Here are some suggestions for the moments.

 

Backing into 2022: Longing for the World-That-Was

Backing into 2022: Longing for the World-That-Was – “Normal was the way things were before. We knew the parameters, and we were accustomed to them. No one judged others by their medical decisions. When we wanted to go somewhere, we went without consulting the latest guidelines. We were aware that most media was designed to shape public opinion, but we could ignore it without consequence. We just lived.”

Men: A Plan for Simple but Hard Discipleship

Men: A Plan for Simple but Hard Discipleship – “Here are three biblical non-negotiables for any man who desires to be a faithful disciple of Jesus and lead his family to do the same.”

 

Beware the Scarcity Gospel

Beware the Scarcity Gospel – “Is it possible that some of us, having rightly rejected the prosperity gospel, have subtly succumbed to another insidious belief? I call it the scarcity gospel—the assumption that we should expect God to do little through our churches or in our lifetime.”

The Cult You’ve All Fallen For

The Cult You’ve All Fallen For – “It’s commercialism. Capitalism. It’s every commercial we’ve ever seen, working together to promise us a better life and fill the holes inside of us.”

 

They Saw, But They Forgot

They Saw, But They Forgot – “Sometimes, no matter how many times we’ve read a Bible passage, it strikes us and sticks with us as a new revelation. It’s proof that ‘the word of God is living and active’.”

Hope Will Win in 2022

Hope Will Win in 2022 – “Here are four brief reminders of why we can be hopeful as we head into another year of the unknown.”

Are You Feeling In-Between?

Are You Feeling In-Between? – “The last week of December always feels a little like an in-between to me. It’s between holidays, months and years. Akin to adolescent years, somewhere between child and teenager, life has a lot of uncomfortable in-betweens…”

The Most Wonderful Books on Earth: Gospel Reading for a New Year

The Most Wonderful Books on Earth: Gospel Reading for a New Year – “I am not proposing that you read only the Gospels this year, but that you consider finding some special way to plant (and keep) your soul in them.”

What People are Saying about 2022

What People are Saying about 2022 – “I know next year will be a good year, on the whole, because God will continue to be our God. The drama of redemption rolls forward.”

 

Global Missions and the Treason of Conversion

Global Missions and the Treason of Conversion – “In our culture’s concern with acceptance and tolerance, pressure has been exerted both on the church and the foreign missionary to deemphasize the exclusivity of Christ and the arresting, confrontational nature of the gospel.”

Unlock the Power of Family Habits in 2022

Unlock the Power of Family Habits in 2022 – “The New Year could be a time when new habits become your pattern. Don’t waste the Holy Spirit’s prompting you toward change. Instead, look at your habits as a matter of discipleship; Jesus is using them to make you new.”

The Redemptive-Historical, Patriarchal Blessing

The Redemptive-Historical, Patriarchal Blessing – “Isaac and Jacob believed the promises of God regarding the coming Redeemer and His redemptive blessings when they pronounced their blessings on their children.” 

What Was Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh?

What Was Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh? – “That moment of life implosion, taken to Christ, is where we will finally get traction and power in our Christian lives. Our agony is where God himself lives.”

New Year Hope from the Exodus Desert

New Year Hope from the Exodus Desert – “How do we face a new year when hope feels so thin? Without the wind of optimism to fill our sails, how can we launch forward into the future with all of its unknowns? How can we continue to sing the Lord’s song in a land filled with grief and disappointment and perpetual struggle?”

Between a Hamster and a Hard Place

 Between a Hamster and a Hard Place – “This is life though, isn’t it? We have Christmas. We celebrate. We enjoy the moment. And then real life rushes at us without as much as a warning.”

Resolve to Grow in Godliness in 2022

Resolve to Grow in Godliness in 2022 – “So there is a sense in which we are growing in our character every day. The question is, In which direction are we growing? Are we growing toward godly character or ungodly character?”

3 Dangerous Characteristics of False Doctrine

3 Dangerous Characteristics of False Doctrine – “This is because the gospel requires faith and repentance. If we distort Jesus, then the object of our faith is not the Savior, and if we distort his commands, then God-honoring repentance is impossible.”

Biblical Archaeology’s Top 10 Discoveries of 2021

Biblical Archaeology’s Top 10 Discoveries of 2021 – “The past 12 months have seen regular announcements of developments and discoveries—some expected but some quite surprising—that deepen and broaden our understanding of the world of the Bible.”

9 Things You Should Know About Events and Discoveries in 2021

9 Things You Should Know About Events and Discoveries in 2021 – If you don’t know, I suppose you should.

4 Things Believers with Bipolar Disorder Want You to Know

4 Things Believers with Bipolar Disorder Want You to Know – “It’s difficult to know how to help or respond when you learn someone in your church family is suffering from bipolar, but a good place to start is striving to understand the struggle. Here are four things to know as you walk beside your brother or sister.”

 

4 Questions for Your Bible Reading in 2022

4 Questions for Your Bible Reading in 2022 – Asking good questions of your Bible readings adds great value.

 

More of Jesus: ‘Maximalist Christianity’ for a New Year

More of Jesus: ‘Maximalist Christianity’ for a New Year – “Mature, healthy Christianity is maximalist, not minimalist. Those who are born again long for more of Jesus, not less. They’re not occupied with meeting bare minimums but want to see more, know more, enjoy more of Jesus, and then believe more, hope more, and love more, to his honor.”

When I Get to the End of the Way

When I Get to the End of the Way – This is a beautiful poem.

10 Worship Guidelines from an Early Church Service

10 Worship Guidelines from an Early Church Service – “Worship cannot be reduced to a few songs, a Scripture reading, a sermon, and a closing prayer. It is a whole life of submission to the call of God that comes to us in the proclamation of good news.”

n the Darkest Night: Draw Near, Hold Fast, Consider Others

In the Darkest Night: Draw Near, Hold Fast, Consider Others – “In the darkest season of my life, I was lifted decisively out of the pit by a passage in the book of Hebrews. The three simple commands embedded in it made all the difference.”

The One Thing I Do at the End of Each Year

The One Thing I Do at the End of Each Year – Here are some good questions to ask as you begin the new year.

End-of-Life Medical Intervention — or Not?

End-of-Life Medical Intervention — or Not? – How we deal with death should be addressed through a biblical lens of truth.

 

What if I Don’t Want to Rejoice?

What if I Don’t Want to Rejoice? – “Though the Bible tells us to ‘rejoice in the Lord always,’ we find ourselves doing the exact opposite. How are we supposed to rejoice when life gets rough?”

The Most Stubborn Day of the Year: Why the World Stops for Christmas

The Most Stubborn Day of the Year: Why the World Stops for Christmas – “No birth in history has changed the world like that quiet, unsuspecting night in Bethlehem. Two thousand years later, no day marks as many calendars, determines as many schedules, pauses as many businesses, and draws together as many friends and families.”

What a Patron We Have in Jesus

What a Patron We Have in Jesus – “At least five things in John 15 support the idea that Jesus is using ‘friend’ in the sense of an obedient subordinate, just like the patrons of his day.”

The Good War Against Moods: How Stubborn Faith Overcomes Feelings

The Good War Against Moods: How Stubborn Faith Overcomes Feelings – “Roll up the sleeves of our mind, get clear and steady, and then set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you. You’ve been born again to a living hope, an imperishable inheritance (1 Peter 1:3–5).”

Advent Meditation: Born to Die

Advent Meditation: Born to Die – “Why did Jesus come to dwell among us? You know he didn’t need to make the effort. He could have left us to our sin, and he would have been just to condemn us.”

Finding a Church That Suits Our Every Need and Desire Is Not the Ultimate Purpose of Church

Finding a Church That Suits Our Every Need and Desire Is Not the Ultimate Purpose of Church – “I am convinced that it is permissible to both seek churches that adhere to the inerrancy of Scripture and provide opportunities for growth, while also satisfying some of our cultural and stylistic proclivities. BUT I have realized that even the search for the perfect church can become an idol.”

Let us Today Go Down to Bethlehem

Let us Today Go Down to Bethlehem – “Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendour.”

 

The Blessing of Believing

The Blessing of Believing – “Mary didn’t let all the unknowns prevent her from trust­ing the word the angel spoke to her that day. She didn’t have to understand to believe.”

On Christmas Eve 2021

On Christmas Eve 2021 – Here’s a prayer of praise for this day.

Never Forget Where You Came From

Never Forget Where You Came From – “As Christmas Eve gives way to Christmas Day, as we enjoy the sweet rituals of giving and receiving, gathering and feasting, let’s be sure we take time to remember and rejoice—to remember our poverty and to rejoice in our riches.”

He Is, He Was, He Will Be: Adoring the Alpha and Omega

He Is, He Was, He Will Be: Adoring the Alpha and Omega – “Who is this Son of Man?” It has become the great question of history regarding the One whose birth became the dividing point of all history.

Know the Ideal Church. Commit to a Real Church.

Know the Ideal Church. Commit to a Real Church. – “Once you have a biblical vision of the ideal Church, find a local Church that approximates that ideal. What do I mean by this? You will never find a local Church that perfectly exhibits all the desired traits given in the New Testament.”

A Real Christmas

A Real Christmas – “The Jesus who was born in the dirt and darkness is the Jesus who comes to us in our own sorrows, sins and stinging regrets. Not in spite of them, but because of them. Not to make us presentable, but to make us His.”

Why Is Christmas Precious to You?

Why Is Christmas Precious to You? – “The Creator of the universe sent his Son to this tiny speck called Earth to be condemned to death in my place.”

Why We Know So Little About Jesus’ Birth

Why We Know So Little About Jesus’ Birth – “God does not give us all the details we want, but he always gives us the details we need.”

 

Jesus, the God Who Became One of Us and Understands Our Suffering

Jesus, the God Who Became One of Us and Understands Our Suffering – “God is with you in your suffering. He is Immanuel, God with us. May these precious truths be a deep comfort and joy to you as you celebrate Christmas.”

Joy to the (Grieving) World

Joy to the (Grieving) World – “This year, let Christmas carols become your grace in grief.”

Can You Feel the Incarnation?

Can You Feel the Incarnation? – Here is an illuminating illustration.

 

Just Call Me Old-Fashioned

Just Call Me Old-Fashioned – “I am one of those old-fashioned ministers who believe the whole Bible and everything that it contains.”

 

The Lost Art of Humility

The Lost Art of Humility – “This is our great problem: we think too highly of ourselves, or too frequently about ourselves. We wonder what other people think of us, and in this era we are desperately aware of cultivating image.”

The Fearlessness of Christmas Joy

The Fearlessness of Christmas Joy – “How does the Lordship of this newborn baby boy make possible the fearlessness and greatness of your joy this Christmas and in the coming year?”

Christmas with an Empty Chair

Christmas with an Empty Chair – When the Holiday Just Isn’t the Same.

When a Good God Seems Far From Good

When a Good God Seems Far From Good – “Have you ever stood before a spiritual fork in the road? One where you know the ‘godly answer’ to your painful circumstances, but there seems to be an impenetrable wall that stands between your head and your heart?”

New Creation: Safe From Men’s Prying Eyes

New Creation: Safe From Men’s Prying Eyes – “Throughout the entire life of the Lord Jesus, culminating in His atoning death on the cross, the Spirit was energizing Him and active in the participation of His work. This enables the Spirit to take the work that Jesus did and apply it to the lives of His people today.”

 

God in Skin and Time: Jesus as the Beloved Son

God in Skin and Time: Jesus as the Beloved Son – What does it mean for us that Jesus was called the “Son of God”?

U.S. Population Growth Falls to Record Low

U.S. Population Growth Falls to Record Low – “A new report by the Census Bureau finds that the population of the United States grew at the lowest rate since the nation’s founding. How will that affect the church in America?”

 

 

Ready to Try Scripture Writing?

Ready to Try Scripture Writing? – This practice can be wonderfully helpful in your devotional time and growth in Bible-engagement.

 

Will We Celebrate Christmas in Heaven?

Will We Celebrate Christmas in Heaven? – “The best part of Christmas now is not the presents we receive, but the presence of God with us. Christmas can be a hint, a foretaste of the celebration God’s family will enjoy together.”

 

Why Some Fall and Some Rise With Christmas

Why Some Fall and Some Rise With Christmas – “We will either fall or rise because of Jesus. Some reject Him; some rejoice over Him. We either trip over His message or trust His message.”

History Ended at Christmas

History Ended at Christmas – “The apostles do not treat Christmas as another bend in redemptive history. History ended at Christmas.”

Why Does God Make Us Wait?

Why Does God Make Us Wait? – “Doesn’t God know how torturous it is for us to wait? Besides the big-picture waiting, we often have to wait for a mate, financial provision, test results at the doctor’s office, and so one. How do we navigate waiting on a large or small scale?”

The Tree We Don’t Often Focus on at Christmastime

The Tree We Don’t Often Focus on at Christmastime – “That baby in the manger had a tree in his future, not beautifully decorated, no, this tree would be stained with his blood.”

The Foundation for the Joy of Christmas

The Foundation for the Joy of Christmas – “The reconciliation that was needed was between God and human beings. In His role as Mediator and the God-man, Jesus assumed the office of the second Adam, or what the Bible calls the last Adam.”

Therefore My Heart is Glad

Therefore My Heart is Glad – “Death may grieve us, but in Christ we can face it with hope. Our loved ones who trusted in Jesus are not abandoned or destroyed.”

 

 

Choose Faith at Christmastime

Choose Faith at Christmastime – “Disbelief in God’s goodness is more common to the human condition than many realize. Many of us Christians go our entire lives believing that God is there but struggle to accept that he is who he says he is.”

A Reason for the Weary World to Rejoice this Christmas

A Reason for the Weary World to Rejoice this Christmas – “Let’s remember to rejoice this Christmas season as we recognize the thrill of hope that we have in Christ. And invite others to join in the rejoicing too. It’s OK if they are also weary this Christmas.”

10 Leadership Lessons From Mary (the Mother of Jesus)

10 Leadership Lessons From Mary (the Mother of Jesus) – There is much to learn from the example of Mary.

 

Has Materialism Distracted Your Heart?

Has Materialism Distracted Your Heart? – “With his birth, we commemorate the coming of our Savior. However, if we aren’t careful that majesty can be overshadowed by materialism.”

Abandoning the Idea of Truth in the Name of Love

Abandoning the Idea of Truth in the Name of Love – “Truth is not something we create, it’s something that we discover. It’s not what we choose to believe as truth, nor determining a 51% majority vote to be truth, nor what ideologies embrace as truth. Truth is.”

Charles Spurgeon Loved Christmas and the Doctrine of the Incarnation

Charles Spurgeon Loved Christmas and the Doctrine of the Incarnation – Spurgeon insisted that “the doctrine of the incarnation of Christ is meat to your soul,” while the “great truth” of his “substitutionary sacrifice” was “the most nourishing cordial to your heart.” 

 

Jesus Is Mightier to Save Than We’re Awesome at Anything

Jesus Is Mightier to Save Than We’re Awesome at Anything – “The Magi came to you because you are the irresistible grace-magnet. It’s not that they were great seekers, Christmas is about you being a great Savior. You came into our world to seek, find, and save the lost. Hallelujah!”

The Wedding at the End of Marriage

The Wedding at the End of Marriage – “Marriage was the consummation, not a last-minute addition — the image of God in flesh and blood, male and female, intimacy and security and procreation.”

From Splendor to Squalor

From Splendor to Squalor – “Many religions acknowledge the value of humility. None has dared speak of a humble God. But that’s precisely what happened.” 

 

9 Things You Should Know About Christmas Carols

9 Things You Should Know About Christmas Carols – “Here are nine things you should know about this holiday tradition.”

The Resurrection of Jesus

The Resurrection of Jesus – “To think only about the birth of Jesus fails to do justice to the incarnation. It fails to consider the purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth.”

Jesus Our Hope

Jesus Our Hope – “In his glory, he has all the time in the world for you. All the patience too, it seems. He aims to make his people not only able to bear with the world he left them in but to make them hopeful in the living.”

The Wonder and Joy of Advent

The Wonder and Joy of Advent – “Amid all the tumult and strife of our weary world, we long for peace. Bombarded by cynicism and sarcasm we seek for simple, childlike wonder. Drowning in heartache and pain, we hope, however faintly, for joy.”

Rejoicing in Suffering

Rejoicing in Suffering – “Surely we all find this statement to be a little overwhelming. Some of us may even be intimidated by it. How can Paul say this? How can suffering be something that anyone rejoices in, ever?”

9 Ways God Speaks Through Christmas Events

9 Ways God Speaks Through Christmas Events – “The Christmas story provides a tutorial on how God speaks to his people.”

Pray It Till You Feel It

Pray It Till You Feel It – “If I only prayed for things I care about, my prayers would indeed be poor.”

Baby Jesus: Our High Priest and Sympathizer

Baby Jesus: Our High Priest and Sympathizer – “The Christmas season becomes more profound when we grasp this gift of Christ’s birth. We have a God who wanted to identify with our suffering to comfort us and give us strength in time of need.”

Is It Normal to Have a Divided Heart?

Is It Normal to Have a Divided Heart? – “The embattled heart is typical of the Christian life. None of us has a consistently united heart in longing for God.”

‘Tis the Season for Regret?

‘Tis the Season for Regret? – “Christmas is often filled with regret, especially when we compare the Hallmark ideal with the realities of life in a broken world.” 

Two Main Principles for Getting the Bible Right

Two Main Principles for Getting the Bible Right – “Whenever you are reading the Bible, remember these two big ideas.”

In Search of Christian America: Founding Myths and the Second Great Awakening

In Search of Christian America: Founding Myths and the Second Great Awakening – “Evangelicals did not have anything like the dominant religious and cultural position in 1776 that they would enjoy by the 1850s. Among the major Founders, evangelicals were rare.” 

 

How Are We to Live in What Feel Like Unprecedented Times?

How Are We to Live in What Feel Like Unprecedented Times? – “We and our children may well live out our lives before the world ends in judgment. We should live faithfully, and peacefully as we trust Him. That is universal biblical advice for each and every age.”

Can You Stand for Truth without Being Offensive?

Can You Stand for Truth without Being Offensive? – “We can expect to be hated and persecuted by virtue of following Jesus. In the meantime, do your best to be a winsome ambassador for Jesus. “

Bethlehem: Little Town, Big Significance

Bethlehem: Little Town, Big Significance – “From the little town of Bethlehem to wherever we find ourselves this Christmas, he has done great things for us.”

Our Tongues (and Fingers) of Fire: What Words Reveal About Us

Our Tongues (and Fingers) of Fire: What Words Reveal About Us – “What we say is so connected to our hearts that even our careless words are telling. And what often makes careless words revealing is that we speak them when our guard is down.”

 

I Was Almost Aborted (But That’s Not the Biggest Reason Why I’m Pro-Life)

I Was Almost Aborted (But That’s Not the Biggest Reason Why I’m Pro-Life) – “Every life was created by Jesus and for Jesus. Every life is a precious gift from God and for God.”

 

We Should Trust God—But For What?

We Should Trust God—But For What? – “I cannot trust God to answer every prayer exactly how I want them answered. I cannot trust him to orchestrate my life so there is no suffering, toil, or disappointment. I cannot trust him to give me everything I want. I cannot trust him to stick to the timeline I had planned for my life.”

 

The Perfect Gift: Prayer

The Perfect Gift: Prayer – It’s the gift the persecuted church needs the most.

Poll: America Growing More Secular by the Year

Poll: America Growing More Secular by the Year – “Christmas is just 10 days away, and most Americans will celebrate the birth of Jesus. But a new poll from Pew shows the share of U.S. adults who consider themselves Christian is falling.”

 

Please Be Gentle

Please Be Gentle – “Gentleness is underrated and undervalued in the world and in the church. We prize power and authority and charisma.”

The Lord Is Always Looking After You

The Lord Is Always Looking After You – “God hears and sees you amid your pain and will always look after you. No matter what your grief, loss, or even fear, he knows every part of it. He loves you with an everlasting love!”

Getting Started with Gospel Conversations

Getting Started with Gospel Conversations – “The gospel message is good, and faithful Christians long for those around them to hear it and believe, but moving from surface-level topics to the gospel often seems like a daunting task.”

Teach Children How to Tell the Christmas Story

Teach Children How to Tell the Christmas Story – “A survey finds that while two in three Americans say they want more Christ in Christmas, most cannot give all the details of Jesus’s birth story.”

The Apostle Paul’s Account of Jesus’ Birth

The Apostle Paul’s Account of Jesus’ Birth – “Living as our law-fulfiller, dying as our guilt-taker, raised as our justifier, ascended as our mediator, reigning as our King, coming again as our Bridegroom… of all people, we are most blessed.”

Wise Men Still Seek Jesus & How to Be Like Them

Wise Men Still Seek Jesus & How to Be Like Them – “However, if you’re not sure that the little baby in the manger is truly the King of the World, I invite you to do as the wise men did, go out and search for him. He is not hiding, and he is not lost.”

Sin, Sorrow, and Joy of Christmas

Sin, Sorrow, and Joy of Christmas – “The lights glow softly, the Christmas music plays, and wondrous thoughts of the birth of our Savior fill our minds. What a blessing it is for the believer who still finds childlike joy at this time of year. 

My Cup Overflows

My Cup Overflows – “David was a recipient of personal, ongoing, and abundant blessings. This is the testimony of all who trust in the Lord. Pessimists see the cup half-empty. Optimists see the cup half-full. Christians see the cup running over.”

The Healer of Bruised Reeds: How Jesus Changes the World

The Healer of Bruised Reeds: How Jesus Changes the World – “Advent is a good time for all of us, whatever our politics, to slow down and stare at Jesus for a while. Doing so can only make life better for us and for everyone.”

When the Soul Feels its Worth

When the Soul Feels its Worth – “Under snow-frosted trees, with visible breath I ask it. Perhaps you’ve asked it too. Rinsing the dish I’ve rinsed a thousand times before, I wonder. Maybe you’ve wondered too. Do I matter? Am I seen?”

Why We’re Still Confronting the Same Christmas Heresy as St. Nick

Why We’re Still Confronting the Same Christmas Heresy as St. Nick – “Saint Nicholas, a historical precursor figure for Santa Claus, is said to have attended the First Council of Nicea, where he allegedly slapped Arius for arguing that Jesus was not equal to God the Father.”

Somebody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen

Somebody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen – “For the author of Hebrews the incarnation was profoundly comforting for all believers.”

Sharing Christ at Christmas: What the Stats Say

Sharing Christ at Christmas: What the Stats Say – “Christmas marketing campaigns and advertising are good support, but the most effective approach remains a personal relationship. Let’s not miss it by being distracted by Christmas trappings ourselves.”

The Real Christmas Story Is a Subversive Tale About a New Start for a Corrupt World

The Real Christmas Story Is a Subversive Tale About a New Start for a Corrupt World – “As much as sorrow seems out of place in our sanitized, sentimental holiday, it is not at odds with the original Christmas story. In the biblical narrative, we hear the anguished cries of a suffering people, the longing for God to intervene and make all things new.”

Faith, Hope, and Heaven on Earth: What Makes Love the Greatest

Faith, Hope, and Heaven on Earth: What Makes Love the Greatest – “If you could travel back in time and ask New Testament believers how they live the Christian life, I expect that you would hear the same answer again and again: we aim to abound in faith, hope, and love.”

Why Do We Say “Noel” at Christmas?

Why Do We Say “Noel” at Christmas? – “Like many other words in European languages, the French word nöel traces back to Latin and the word natalis, which means ‘birthday” or “relating to birth.’ It’s also the root of English words like neonatal and postnatal.”

The Tree We Don’t Often Focus on at Christmastime

The Tree We Don’t Often Focus on at Christmastime – “That baby in the manger had a tree in his future, not beautifully decorated, no, this tree would be stained with his blood.”

 

Jesus: The Destroyer of All Darkness

Jesus: The Destroyer of All Darkness – “Jesus came into this dark and fallen world as the new creation and to bring about a re-creation of all those for whom He died.”

The Great Challenge of Every Marriage

The Great Challenge of Every Marriage – “Marriage makes us holy not just in compelling us to identify and confront sin in the other, but also in calling us to bear patiently with another person’s sin, preferences, and bad habits.”

2021 Continued to Drive More Readers to Scripture

2021 Continued to Drive More Readers to Scripture – “We’re encouraged to see high levels of Bible engagement again this year because it means people are turning to God and the Bible for answers to their questions.”

Worthless Conversation: How God Weighs Our Words

Worthless Conversation: How God Weighs Our Words – “Isaiah does not sigh with relief, or whistle for his long-lost dog. Eyes from the throne pierce him like sword thrusts.”

Can We Really Give God More or Less Glory?

Can We Really Give God More or Less Glory? – “As more or less of our hearts are engaged, we show, more or less clearly, the worthiness of God to be loved.”

A Threat to Ministry in Canada

A Threat to Ministry in Canada – “For Christians in Canada, affirming a biblical sexual ethic just grew more difficult. The Canadian Senate passed Bill C-4 unanimously on December 7.”

When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

When Life Doesn’t Make Sense – “We may know that God is in control of all things at all times in all places, yet we often feel frustrated because we don’t understand what he is up to. So what do we do when life doesn’t make sense?”

Lifeway Research: Christmas Celebrates a Historical Event, Americans Say

Lifeway Research: Christmas Celebrates a Historical Event, Americans Say – “Christmas is a celebration of a real event, according to most Americans. Just don’t expect them to know exactly why Jesus was born and came to earth.”

Consider the Birds

Consider the Birds – “Being a birdwatcher is actually a lot like being a Christian. You get the same reactions from people: ‘Oh okay, well, whatever makes you happy …’ and they think you just hang out with old people all the time.”

Can the Devil Really Make You Do It?

Can the Devil Really Make You Do It? – “How can we talk seriously about something that has been commercialized and comically popularized within our logic-driven and scientific culture? The topic of Satan is bizarre yet relevant, uncomfortable but necessary.”

 

The Unwelcome Gift of Suffering

The Unwelcome Gift of Suffering – “In a season that focuses on gifts, I often overlook one of the most priceless ones. It’s a gift I’ve dreaded, refused, and longed to give back, but it has been invaluable in shaping me and drawing me to Jesus. It’s the unwelcome gift of suffering.”

  

Eyes to the Sky

Eyes to the Sky – “It’s been so long, and times are so frightening—what is he waiting for?”

How ‘Progressive’ Can a Christian Get?

How ‘Progressive’ Can a Christian Get? – “Now, of course, lots of non-essential things need change from age to age and culture to culture. That’s not at issue here. But lots of essential things do not need to change and must not change if we are to be faithful Christians.”

 

Insecurities, the Fear of People, Regrets, and Failure

Insecurities, the Fear of People, Regrets, and Failure – “We all have voices that tell us we are never enough. If we measure up in school, we don’t in sports or attractiveness or anything else. We always have voices, around us and in us, that assure us we are, indeed, substandard—or average, which feels just as bad.”

Merry Christmas Now and Forever: Irenaeus on the Incarnation of Christ

Merry Christmas Now and Forever: Irenaeus on the Incarnation of Christ – “The Word-become-flesh (John 1:14) was the rock upon which Irenaeus built his theology. The incarnation served as his Christ-centered theological starting point for understanding all things.”

Nine Things Everyone Should Do When Reading the Bible

Nine Things Everyone Should Do When Reading the Bible – Here are some good, practical reminders as you engage with God’s word.

A Great Way To Make Friends

A Great Way To Make Friends – “We are made for community, and when it isn’t there, it leaves an awful gap in our lives. But how do we bridge that gap? Where do we start?”

Better Than I Deserve

Better Than I Deserve – “True grace undercuts not only self-righteousness, but also self-sufficiency. God often brings us to a point where we have no place to turn but to Him.”

Why We Need to Help One Another Grow

Why We Need to Help One Another Grow – “Biblical ministry is all about helping people live out the truth of Jesus Christ for the glory of God.” 

 

How Much Does the Holy Spirit Have You?

How Much Does the Holy Spirit Have You? – “But the work of the Holy Spirit is not just direction and guidance, promptings and convictions. The Holy Spirit provides the raw power, the raw experience of God that we need to follow through.”

5 Awesome “I”s and Real Hope

5 Awesome “I”s and Real Hope – “It’s actually good to be out of bootstraps to pull up—for it makes the Gospel necessary, not just nice.”

 

God’s Plan When Our Plans Fail

God’s Plan When Our Plans Fail – “Grace does not prevent pain, but orders it, arranges it, measures it out, and then, in the darkness of it, sustains us.”

A Pillar of Salt

A Pillar of Salt – “Advent tells me that my idea of Christmas is manufactured nostalgia, a good portion of which is created by people who want to sell me things.”

 

Your Online Life Is Real Life

Your Online Life Is Real Life – “We need to talk about a very real, very frightening phenomenon: a lot of people truly see their online activity and their offline activity as totally separate existences.”

 

A Christmas Promise: The Word of God Will Never Fail

A Christmas Promise: The Word of God Will Never Fail – This is one thing you can count on.

Christmas Object Lesson

Christmas Object Lesson – Explore 5 Colors of the Season

Finding a Church That Suits Our Every Need and Desire Is Not the Ultimate Purpose of Church

Finding a Church That Suits Our Every Need and Desire Is Not the Ultimate Purpose of Church – “Finding a church that suits my every need and desire is NOT the ultimate purpose of attending church. The primary purpose of church is gathering together in song, prayer, proclamation, and admonition to worship the Lord. Church is about Him, not me.”

How Mary’s Song Bridges The Old and New Testament

How Mary’s Song Bridges The Old and New Testament – Once you start seeing it, you can’t stop: the writers of the New Testament, especially in the Gospels, have a worldview shaped by the Old Testament.”

Jesus’s Favorite Title for Jesus

Jesus’s Favorite Title for Jesus – “It shows up seemingly everywhere in the Gospels (over eighty times across all four), as a distinct way Jesus refers to himself in the third person.” 

Deconstructing the “Perfect” Christmas to Make it REAL

Deconstructing the “Perfect” Christmas to Make it REAL – “We can strive to be perfect, and to make things perfect; but only God can create perfection. So, as you make your Christmas preparations, do what is reasonable, let go of the excess, and strive to enjoy the celebration.”

 

Bethlehem’s Supernatural Star

Bethlehem’s Supernatural Star – “I risk a generalization to warn you: people who are exercised and preoccupied with such things, as how the star worked and how the Red Sea split and how the manna fell and how Jonah survived the fish and how the moon turns to blood, are generally people who have what I call a mentality for the marginal.”

The Most Miserable Time of the Year

The Most Miserable Time of the Year – It’s a tough time of year for many. Let’s point them to the real joy of knowing Christ.

Let’s Talk about TikTok

Let’s Talk about TikTok – “Let me suggest to you two skills we should be building in our students if we want to set them up to make better decisions on TikTok and other social media platforms.”

Giving Thanks to the Father

Giving Thanks to the Father – “Just as my children cannot understand how stitches will help a cut, so we often cannot see the effects of our circumstances.”

When You’re Weary of Doing Good Work

When You’re Weary of Doing Good Work – “God’s people aren’t allowed to be quitters. If we are in Christ, we are in it for the long-haul.

Who Wrote Hebrews? Exploring a New Testament Mystery

Who Wrote Hebrews? Exploring a New Testament Mystery – “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.”

What Is Grace?

What Is Grace? – “Only someone else—Christ—can pay our debt. That’s grace. It’s not our good works that secure our rescue but only the works of Christ. It’s His merit, not ours. We don’t merit anything. He grants us His merit by grace, and we receive it only by faith.”

 

We Don’t Waste Our Trials When We Pray to God

We Don’t Waste Our Trials When We Pray to God – “Being in the Word and persevering in fervent in prayer are necessary to prepare us for the next trial, the next temptation we´ll face, and the next deliverance we’ll see.”

How Can I Resist a Critical Spirit?

How Can I Resist a Critical Spirit? – “We treat people better than they deserve because God treats us better than we deserve.”

Covid-Related Confusion Sparks Bible Searches for “Sorcery”

Covid-Related Confusion Sparks Bible Searches for “Sorcery” – “Covid-19 vaccines and confusion over a Greek word led an unlikely word to jump in Bible searches this year.”

The Letter and the Spirit

The Letter and the Spirit – Are “the spirit” and “the letter” two competing ways of understanding the Bible? Is there a deeper meaning to Scripture that’s easier to follow than what the words themselves actually say?

Unfiltered Christmas

Unfiltered Christmas – “Each seasonal disappointment, shattered ornament, or sickness gives another reason to joyfully worship a perfect God who meets all our true needs.”

Do You Ever Feel Rushed by the Beauty of Forgiveness?

Do You Ever Feel Rushed by the Beauty of Forgiveness? – “It’s worth asking, what part of forgiveness is beautiful? The answer is, the last part. The early and middle parts of forgiveness are heinous. They are the parts of the movie or novel that cause us to cringe.”

A Great Marriage-Wrecking Lie

A Great Marriage-Wrecking Lie – “The old attitude was that one must work for the marriage. The new attitude is that the marriage had better work for me”

 

Nine Postures of Worship

Nine Postures of Worship – The Psalms have given us nine different postures of worship: heart expressions, not actual postures. These expressions stem from David’s desire to worship the Lord wholeheartedly and without reservation.”

 

Trusting God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

Trusting God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense – “I don’t have to be afraid of God testing my heart; rather, I can welcome the chance to be intimately known by Him.”

Reign with Christ, Hold the Suffering

Reign with Christ, Hold the Suffering – “There is no reigning with Christ without suffering marking the life of a believer. It is not possible to order off the Christians menu, requesting to ‘hold the suffering’.”

Advent Meditation: Sigh No More

Advent Meditation: Sigh No More – “The essence of hope is not the downplaying, justifying, or avoidance of present pain and sorrow. Rather, hope is the ex­pectation that as real as the pain is now, it will one day feel as foreign as our faintest memories.”

Jesus, the God Who Comes Near

Jesus, the God Who Comes Near – “The baby born in that Bethlehem barn was God, and He was born to die. His death delivers us from our fear of death. His suffering on the cross atoned for our sins, allowing Him to understand and help us.”

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year? – “Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I think we can all agree that this time of year can bring out the best and the worst, not just in our culture around us, but even within ourselves and our families.”

Someone Is Listening to Your Suffering

Someone Is Listening to Your Suffering – “Everyone in the world knows something of sorrow. And oh how desperately they need to hear how God can fill our sorrows with song.”

Must You Remain Silent on Abortion Unless You Adopt a Baby?

Must You Remain Silent on Abortion Unless You Adopt a Baby? – “Although this is a common challenge raised by abortion-choice advocates, there are (at least) five problems with this thinking.”

Gentleness Is A Christian Virtue

Gentleness Is A Christian Virtue – “My greatest concern is not that our culture is angry. My greatest concern is that this sense of meanness has even invaded many corners of the church.”

How to Leave a Legacy of Discipleship

How to Leave a Legacy of Discipleship – “The familiar passage in Deuteronomy 6 tells us to teach our children biblical truth when we are at home, on the road, lying down, and rising up—basically, all the time.”

 

As Advent Begins, Here are Ten Vital Truths About the Incarnation of Jesus

As Advent Begins, Here are Ten Vital Truths About the Incarnation of Jesus – “Here are 10 things we must know about the Incarnation…” 

Making Disciples Engages You in Spiritual Warfare

Making Disciples Engages You in Spiritual Warfare – “Do not be surprised by spiritual opposition when you get involved in helping others apply God’s Word to their life, since the work of making obedient disciples of Christ is a frontal attack against the kingdom of the devil.”

Don’t Settle for a Knockoff

Don’t Settle for a Knockoff – “Idolatry is expecting a counterfeit to deliver what can only be wrought by the real thing.”

 

5 Major Concerns About the State of the Bible in the U.S.

5 Major Concerns About the State of the Bible in the U.S. – “The research also reveals some troubling and concerning trends, trends which ministry leaders should be burdened over and pray for wisdom in how to address.”

22 Questions That Reveal Character

22 Questions That Reveal Character – “Here are 22 questions that can serve as practical lenses for discerning character no matter what culture you’re in. They’re not exhaustive, but I hope you will find them helpful.”

 

The One-Man Revelation of God: Why We Worship ‘the Word’

The One-Man Revelation of God: Why We Worship ‘the Word’ – “The personification of God’s words to humanity are principally and majestically summed up in Jesus Christ, the Word who became flesh (John 1:14).”

Losses of a Prayerless Christian

Losses of a Prayerless Christian – “If you do not ask…”

The God Who Turns Hearts to God

The God Who Turns Hearts to God – “You are God. You’re not an idea, you’re not a memory, you’re not a tradition, you’re not a religion.”

The FAQs: How Dobbs Could Change Abortion in America

The FAQs: How Dobbs Could Change Abortion in America – “The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, one of the most important pro-life case in decades. Here is what you should know about how the case could change the legality of abortion in America.”

 

You Can’t Channel Him Because He’s Not Dead

You Can’t Channel Him Because He’s Not Dead – “I’ve noticed that the willingness to believe anything and everything usually is a mask for being unwilling to believe one thing—that Jesus is a real person who rose from the dead.”

Are You Filled With the Spirit?

Are You Filled With the Spirit? – “How does this work out in real life?”

 

As Long as it is Called Today

As Long as it is Called Today – “The Bible does more than simply warn us against procrastinating. It also warns us about the destructive consequences that flow from it.”

 

The Monday After

The Monday After – “Sometimes, giving thanks is an act of courage. It is a stake driven into the ground of our suffering. It is a declaration that darkness will not win the day; that it will not win in us.”

What We Pray in the Dark

What We Pray in the Dark – “What we pray in the dark, He often answers in the light. Maybe not in the way we want, but in the way we need.”

3 Reasons to Stand by Your Faith

3 Reasons to Stand by Your Faith – “There are any number of reasons why you might choose to compromise your faith. In the book of Revelation, Jesus writes a letter to the church in Smyrna that gives us three reasons to refuse to do so.”

Holiness Means More Than Killing Sin

Holiness Means More Than Killing Sin – “The grammar lesson? There is no growth in holiness unless both the negative and the positive elements are present.”

 

Did the Early Church Oppose Abortion?

Did the Early Church Oppose Abortion? – “Abortion was rampant, especially in ancient Rome, and the early Christians, like the Jews, consistently opposed it.”

 

Satan Will Be Crushed

Satan Will Be Crushed – “The end of the story is that God of peace will crush Satan under our feet. And if we are in Christ, we will live in victory and joy with Him, eternally.”

Crucial Questions with Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Crucial Questions with Kristin Kobes Du Mez – “Evangelicals who deconstruct the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality often adopt a new definition of marriage. I have noticed a pretty consistent progression among those who eventually embrace gay marriage. It goes like this…”

I Knew It!

I Knew It! – “I have a theory that we enter heaven with a cry of victory, that our first thought and first exclamation is one of joy, relief, vindication.”

 

Disassociating Paul From Jesus: Breaking Down the False Dichotomy

Disassociating Paul From Jesus: Breaking Down the False Dichotomy – A growing false teaching has been to minimize or discredit what the apostles wrote. It’s sometimes called “red-letter” Christianity.

Why We Desperately Need the Message of Revelation

Why We Desperately Need the Message of Revelation – “Revelation teaches us that a new world is coming, that a new creation is coming, and that all will be well.”

 

Take This First Simple Step before You Respond

Take This First Simple Step before You Respond – “If someone said to me, ‘Evolution is a well-proven fact,’ I wouldn’t necessarily disagree. Their statement could be true. It could also be false. Why? Because I don’t yet know what they mean by ‘evolution.'”

 

How to Avoid Being Sexually Immoral

How to Avoid Being Sexually Immoral – 7 Lessons We Must Learn

The Not-So-Insignificant Danger of Ingratitude

The Not-So-Insignificant Danger of Ingratitude –  “There is a deadly gas that contaminates the air we breathe. The toxic gas appears unthreatening because everyone appears to breathe it in and breathe it out as harmlessly as oxygen. The poison is ingratitude. And it is everywhere.”

The Supreme Court Case that Could Overturn Roe v. Wade

The Supreme Court Case that Could Overturn Roe v. Wade – “It’s much more than a political concern—the topic of abortion prompts deep moral and theological questions.” The article includes a helpful prayer guide as well.

Your Soul Needs Food Even When It Doesn’t Want It

Your Soul Needs Food Even When It Doesn’t Want It – “The very Word we don’t have an appetite for not only nourishes us, but helps us heal. It will strengthen us and help us fight spiritual infection.”

Healing a Pandemic of Disunity

Healing a Pandemic of Disunity – The Love of Christians Is the Gospel’s Greatest Defense

Giving Thanks for Prosperity and Adversity

Giving Thanks for Prosperity and Adversity – “There’s been a lot of suffering and fear in the world the past two years, but it hasn’t shaken the faith of most Christians in the United States.”

Tear Your Hearts

Tear Your Hearts - “Judgment approaches. The Day of the Lord is coming. And God extends the invitation to return to Him. Even now. In this season. Advent. As we wait and watch. Anticipating the coming of the Savior.”

Advent Meditation: A Hopeful Company

Advent Meditation: A Hopeful Company – “Week after week, our fellow believers testify that this world is not all there is, and they remind us that the people of God have always lived for another world entirely. In the company of the church, we focus on Christ.”

Indescribable: The Many and Marvelous Names of Jesus

Indescribable: The Many and Marvelous Names of Jesus – “The Spirit inspires so many names because the reality of Christ towers above each descriptor individually (and as I am hinting, collectively as well). Though Jesus is known truly through human language, he transcends human language.”

Hopes, Fears, and Jesus

Hopes, Fears, and Jesus – “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee…” Phillips Brooks

What Keeps Couples Apart?

What Keeps Couples Apart? – “Despite the beauty and blessedness of true intimacy, I’ve encountered numerous obstacles to it — both in my own marriage, and in years of counseling married couples. One of the most common is busyness.”

The fundamental mark of the Christian

The fundamental mark of the Christian – “There is a distinction between a Christian and a non-Christian.”

Teach Your Children at Christmas: 5 Lessons From the Season

Teach Your Children at Christmas: 5 Lessons From the Season – “Here are 5 important truths to teach your children at Christmas.”

Forgiven Altogether and Forever

Forgiven Altogether and Forever – Charles Spurgeon writing about forgiveness.

Arise, My love, My Beautiful One, and Come Away

Arise, My love, My Beautiful One, and Come Away – Here’s an interesting way to read and interpret a Bible passage.