Chinese Christians Adapt Under New Restrictions

Chinese Christians Adapt Under New Restrictions – “Earlier this month, news broke about a Chinese government requirement that people in the Henan province register before attending worship services. They’re supposed to use a ‘Smart Religion’ app, which records each person’s name, address, date of birth, occupation, and government ID number. The app is the latest in an increasing pile of Chinese restrictions on believers.”

The Basics — God’s Providence

The Basics — God’s Providence – There is comfort, confidence, and hope in God.

A Prayer for Taking Your Kids to School After Tragedy

A Prayer for Taking Your Kids to School After Tragedy – “There are no easy answers, but prayer is a good place to start. As we take our children to school, we can take our anger, grief, and fear to our heavenly Father.” Here’s a prayer based on Psalm 139.

Overlooked Details of the Red Sea Crossing

Overlooked Details of the Red Sea Crossing – “The episode is so famous, and depictions of the event are so numerous, we will inevitably miss some details. The story is perhaps too familiar.”

17 Dates Along the Old Testament Storyline

17 Dates Along the Old Testament Storyline – “The Old Testament storyline is important for Bible readers to grasp, even though it consists of many books. Over the years, I have found that a series of dates can help position key characters and events for readers to learn (and re-learn).”

What Are Atheism and Secularism?

What Are Atheism and Secularism? – “Fallen men and women seek absolute autonomy, that is, complete independence from God. The greatest expression of autonomy is freedom from the constraints of divine authority and governance.”

3 Reasons I’m Glad That God is Sovereign Over Tragedy

3 Reasons I’m Glad That God is Sovereign Over Tragedy – “I know there are some who find this difficult, but I want to give three reasons why I’m glad that God is sovereign over tragedy.”

 

The Shriveling of the American Soul

The Shriveling of the American Soul – “The WSJ poll is depressing, but Christians can take heart. We have the solution in the power of the gospel and the witness of the church.”

14 Biblical Paradoxes Every Christian Should Know

14 Biblical Paradoxes Every Christian Should Know – “Understanding the many paradoxes of Scripture isn’t an easy task. It requires serious study and a familiarity with the grand narrative of Scripture.”

Does Alcohol Still Sober You? Five Warnings About Abuse

Does Alcohol Still Sober You? Five Warnings About Abuse – “Wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest. His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples” (Habakkuk 2:5).

Gospel Mourning

Gospel Mourning – “Jesus said, ‘Blessed are those that mourn.’ It is in this gospel mourning God comes to his people. The Spirit gives comfort as we mourn for sin and the effects of sin on a hurting world. We look to the Christ which came down in search of all those who would mourn by faith.”

How Do I Find My Identity?

How Do I Find My Identity? – If you want to settle the question of personal identity, don’t ask “Who am I?” Ask, “Whose am I?”

Entering Grief and Risking Hope

Entering Grief and Risking Hope – “We have never been more ready to celebrate Easter. Our hope is profoundly sure because Jesus’ tomb is completely empty.”

Stillness

Stillness – “Of the many needs of North American believers, silence and stillness are among the greatest. Silence is the page on which God writes his word.”

 

Help! I Can’t Find Time as a Mom to Read the Bible

Help! I Can’t Find Time as a Mom to Read the Bible – “Perhaps the most important step toward committed Bible study is throwing your idea of a ‘quiet time’ out the window.”

Want to Grow as a Christian? Go Back to the Start.

Want to Grow as a Christian? Go Back to the Start. – “The Christian life isn’t about moving onward and upward from the cross. Instead, we should go back to the start.”

 

God Cares for the Odd Sparrow

God Cares for the Odd Sparrow – “Our God is mighty, transcendent, and full of power, yet, He cares for us.”

The Gap Between Our Greatest Grief and Our Greatest Joy

The Gap Between Our Greatest Grief and Our Greatest Joy – “We have an eternity stretching out before us, endless ages in his perfect presence. With that in mind, how long is this stretch of time between our moment of grief and our moment of ultimate comfort?”

Meet the Resurrected You

Meet the Resurrected You – “To be with Christ in the present heaven is better by far than living on earth under the curse. But Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 15 that we will not be eternally complete until our resurrection.”

We Could Never Earn God’s Grace

We Could Never Earn God’s Grace – “Grace was enormously expensive for God. Yet there’s just nothing we can offer to pay for it.”

Fear After Grief

Fear After Grief – “Perhaps you’ve been walking through seasons of grief, as you mourn especially deep pain. The dark clouds have begun to shift, but you’re not sure if you can bear to greet the sun, lest you have to return to the dark.”

When Did Jesus Die? (Do We Know the Day and Time?)

When Did Jesus Die? (Do We Know the Day and Time?) – “The Bible and historical records suggest Jesus died at three o’clock in the afternoon on Friday of Passover week AD 29.” Getting to that answer is not as easy as you might think.

Do You Take Christ for Richer and Poorer?

Do You Take Christ for Richer and Poorer? – “Christians must ask ourselves if we’re willing to take Christ as our husband if he doesn’t promise everything we want in this life. Are we willing to trust our Bridegroom for richer and for poorer?”

Your Personality Test Doesn’t Give You a Pass on the Fruit of the Spirit

Your Personality Test Doesn’t Give You a Pass on the Fruit of the Spirit – “The problem with personality tests, though, is we can sometimes dismiss or diminish clear biblical standards that don’t align with our self-perception.”

 

Why I Love the Church That Talks About Sin

Why I Love the Church That Talks About Sin – “This is a place where sin is called what it is and the chosen of God are called what they are—free.”

 

What Is Lust?

What Is Lust? – “Lust, in all of its forms and expressions, is without exception sinful and, therefore, represents a sort of mutiny against God.”

Justification Triumphs over Slander

Justification Triumphs over Slander – “The Scriptures testify that evil words can be deadly, but the good news is that God’s gracious words are more powerful than slander.”

 

3 Things You See Clearly When You Survey the Wondrous Cross

3 Things You See Clearly When You Survey the Wondrous Cross – What will we see?

The Wisdom of Avoiding Strife

The Wisdom of Avoiding Strife – “Conflict is hard. By ‘conflict,’ I’m referring not to everyday disagreements, but to the sort of disagreements that look like knock-down, drag-em-out fights, that turn people into enemies of one another. The book of Proverbs refers to such situations as ‘strife.'”

The Father’s Way: When Good Parents Say Yes and No

The Father’s Way: When Good Parents Say Yes and No – “In considering God’s fatherhood, parents do well to reflect on the relationships and rules he established in the garden of Eden, and especially on how he uses yes and no.”

Could Jesus Come Back Tonight?

Could Jesus Come Back Tonight? – The short answer is “yes”.

3 Things Your Children Can Teach You About Faith Right Now

3 Things Your Children Can Teach You About Faith Right Now – “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 13:15).

Trusting Visible Giants to Our Invisible God

Trusting Visible Giants to Our Invisible God – “David was victorious over Goliath because he trusted the invisible God with very real and visible and impending problems.”

Midlife, Christ Is

Midlife, Christ Is – Rather than face a mid-life crisis, find Christ anew in mid-life.

Sex and Christ Crucified

Sex and Christ Crucified – “In our culture, sexual relationships are where Scripture seems most contrary to the majority opinion, and the majority opinion affects us more than we realize.”

He Comes Quickly: Are You Still Waiting?

He Comes Quickly: Are You Still Waiting? – “He wants us talking about his return, hoping in his return, praying for his return. He expects us to trim our lamps, prepare the house, and ready the Master’s favorite meal. He is coming back, soon.”

A Corporate Confession of Sin

A Corporate Confession of Sin – “It is good to confess our sins. It is good to corporately confess our sins. This corporate confession based on Psalm 38.”

 

The Joy of Reading Revelation: Seven Reasons to Study the Apocalypse

The Joy of Reading Revelation: Seven Reasons to Study the Apocalypse – “Since Revelation is full of sevens (seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls, and many more sevens), it seems appropriate to provide seven reasons Revelation is a joy to study.”

Yes, a Loved One Is Watching from Heaven

Yes, a Loved One Is Watching from Heaven – “Whether my parents see me now or not, I know I’ll see them again.”

 

When Workplace Policies Contradict Your Christian Convictions

When Workplace Policies Contradict Your Christian Convictions – “Christians navigating workplace policies and procedures alongside their faith is not a new concept, but the question of what Christians ought to do when the beliefs of their workplace contradict their own has recently become an issue of increasing concern.”

How to Detect Deception

How to Detect Deception – Whether dealing with ancient texts or contemporary speech, when it comes to detecting lies, “the devil is in the details.”

If I Can Do It, Anyone Can

If I Can Do It, Anyone Can – “I know I am small, ordinary, and emphatically average. Just one more face among billions. But this face is smiling. When I look around at my ordinary little life I see a wealth of blessings.”

Wrath Is Not an Attribute of God

Wrath Is Not an Attribute of God – “We must understand that wrath is not an attribute of God. God is love. God is holy. God is just. God is not wrath. His wrath is the rightful expression of his holy love in the face of sin and evil.”

Does God Read Every Thought?

Does God Read Every Thought? – “God is the great heart-knower, the great mind-knower.”

I Just Need Something New!

I Just Need Something New! – “As much as we hate to end Nehemiah in seeming failure, we need Nehemiah 13 to remember what the Christian life is all about: constant dependence on our Savior. It has been true since the Israelites were stacking stone upon stone of the temple, and it is still true today while we’re doing laundry or sending an email.”

The Gift of Friends Who Know Their Bible

The Gift of Friends Who Know Their Bible – “What a gift it is to have friends who know their Bible—friends who can gently correct us when we err, remind us of great truths when we live lies, encourage us to greater depths when we plateau, and model life under the authority of God’s word.”

You Are Called to Be a Doer of the Word

You Are Called to Be a Doer of the Word – “The parable of the Wise Man and the Foolish Man is the conclusion to the most famous sermon that Jesus preached (Matt. 5-7). The men are alike in that they are both hearers of the Word, but only one is a doer.”

What We’re Asking for When We Pray for Wisdom

What We’re Asking for When We Pray for Wisdom – “Wisdom comes through prayer and practice.”

Still on the Throne: The Glories of a Seated Christ

Still on the Throne: The Glories of a Seated Christ – “Our trials and troubles are no evidence of his abdication or defeat, but of his astounding patience and mysterious timing. What it means that he’s still on the throne may remain vague and distant. Yet we might take some real solace in the general reminder of his reign.”

Struggling with the Struggle

Struggling with the Struggle – “Sanctification often hurts. We don’t have to hate ourselves for saying ouch. We do, after all, have a Savior who can identify with our weaknesses. He understands pain. He understands disappointment, heartache, and struggle. We can trust Him with this process, and we can trust Him with our feelings about this process.”

Unity, Apart from the Gospel, is Self-Exaltation

Unity, Apart from the Gospel, is Self-Exaltation – “In John 17, Jesus’ high priestly prayer just before His death, He could have prayed many things for His followers, and He did. But one of the recurring themes in that passage of Scripture is unity.”

The Distance Between Me and God? Not Far

The Distance Between Me and God? Not Far – “ It turns out that each day we live, we move, we take our steps, breath our breaths, we run our errands and do our jobs and live our lives–and all the while he is not far from any one of us.”

Dear Nursery Worker: Thank You For Loving Our Family Like Christ

Dear Nursery Worker: Thank You For Loving Our Family Like Christ – This is so true!

Five Mistakes People Make When Reading the Bible

Five Mistakes People Make When Reading the Bible – “There are a lot of things you can do to learn how to understand the Bible better, but first, here are a few common mistakes to avoid.”

Self-Glory and Selfish Talk

Self-Glory and Selfish Talk – “Self-glory never produces patient love, forgiving grace, humble respect, a willingness to listen, or a commitment to guard another’s reputation in your relationships. Self-glory never makes you kinder, gentler, or more tender.”

Baseball and the Meaning of Life

Baseball and the Meaning of Life – “The pace of baseball ought to be the pace of our lives.” No matter what you think about changes to baseball, there are good life lessons here.

Does Having a Savings Account Mean I Don’t Trust God?

Does Having a Savings Account Mean I Don’t Trust God? – “At the heart of this question is the matter of our hearts. Rich or poor, God wants our undivided worship and attention. We should immediately jettison anything that diverts our attention away from the Giver.”

What Is Anger?

What Is Anger? – “Sinful human anger does not seek God, it cares more about being right than it does about love, and it forgets the mercy that we have been shown.”

When “All Things” Don’t Feel So Good

When “All Things” Don’t Feel So Good – “We love God’s providence when it is perfectly aligned with our desires, but struggle with it when it opposes them. We find it easy to believe ‘all things work for good’ when we experience times of joy and brightness, but difficult in times of trouble and confusion.”

It All Holds True

It All Holds True – “What I’m saying is that I was surprised to see the Lord take years and years of unremarkable discipleship and teaching and church-going and praying—and He showed us that it all proves true.”

Simple Changes To Shift From Good to Godly Parenting

Simple Changes To Shift From Good to Godly Parenting – “Most Christian parents want to be the godly parent their child deserves, but they find it hard to get from good to godly parenting.”

What Jesus Saw When He Looked at Peter after the Rooster Crowed

What Jesus Saw When He Looked at Peter after the Rooster Crowed – “How do you think Jesus looked at Peter? Was Jesus surprised? Frustrated? Ashamed? If you are a Christian, then your understanding of how Jesus looked at Peter is foundational to your perception of how he looks at you when you sin.”

What God Can Make from a Shattered Life

What God Can Make from a Shattered Life – “Some pain fills the whole frame of this life. Some wounds never heal fully in this world. Some hopes follow us, still deferred, into the grave. But glory is coming.”

3 Ways to Trust God More

3 Ways to Trust God More – Here are at least three ways to learn to trust God more.

Say What, Paul? Six Things 1 Timothy 2:8–15 Does Not Mean

Say What, Paul? Six Things 1 Timothy 2:8–15 Does Not Mean – “As important as knowing what it says is knowing what it doesn’t say.”

There is Something Better than Never Suffering

There is Something Better than Never Suffering – “To suffer, with Christ, is a vastly superior to a life of comfort without him.”

The American Church Needs a Missionary Perspective

The American Church Needs a Missionary Perspective – “If the church is to be a missionary body, we must live a more compelling story than the world. This will mean pledging our unbending allegiance to King Jesus.” 

Love Letters of Scripture

Love Letters of Scripture – “I want to have that kind of joy in my life. I want to rejoice in all that the Lord has given me with a humble spirit and a grateful heart. Paul’s letters are loving reminders of the gift of our salvation through belief in Jesus Christ.”

What does it mean to rejoice always, even with all the evil in the world?

What does it mean to rejoice always, even with all the evil in the world? – “To rejoice always doesn’t mean that we rejoice in the evil. It doesn’t mean that we like suffering, although we rejoice even in suffering. The basic explanation is that we rejoice in all circumstances because we have a reason to rejoice—and that reason is our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Your Callings Are Too Big for You: Where to Find Strength for Today

Your Callings Are Too Big for You: Where to Find Strength for Today – “In all our efforts to serve Christ dutifully, we may not truly enjoy our all-generous, giving God, but instead run on the fumes of our own devotion and spiritual energy.”

Decisions About Faithfulness Might Be the Key Moments of Your Life

Decisions About Faithfulness Might Be the Key Moments of Your Life – “Much of our lives might be a little mundane. We work, we spend time with family, and we get involved with many things. Yet there will be certain times, certain decisions, that change the direction of our lives and matter more.” 

Who Needs Missionaries? (It’s Not Just the ‘Unreached’)

Who Needs Missionaries? (It’s Not Just the ‘Unreached’) – “We can’t view the Great Commission as a linear task to be fulfilled or finished. It’s a command to be perpetually obeyed.”

Faithfulness Is Improvised: Wisdom for Ever-Changing Challenges

Faithfulness Is Improvised: Wisdom for Ever-Changing Challenges – “The Christian life is a lot like improv night at the local coffee shop. Let me explain.”

Do Not Fear, Only Believe

Do Not Fear, Only Believe – “Why should we trust Jesus? How can we be certain that he has our best in mind, or that he is working for our good?”

Proper Reliance

Proper Reliance – “Jesus, we bring our poverty to your riches, our confusion to your wisdom, our anxieties to the throne of grace from which you reign.”

The Peculiar Glory of Unexpected Discoveries

The Peculiar Glory of Unexpected Discoveries – “Treasure, found in a clay jar, is all the more brilliant for the fact of where it was hidden. Again, there is a peculiar glory found in unexpected discoveries.”

To Love Life and See Good Days

To Love Life and See Good Days – “How many of us desire to love life and see good days? My guess is it is all of us. Only the jaded have abandoned this hope. This desire for the good life may seem like something from the self-help section, but it is directly from scripture.” 

Got Reverence? Try Minor-Key Songs on Sunday

Got Reverence? Try Minor-Key Songs on Sunday. – “The sound of a major key chord gives a sense of comfort and rest; it’s what we expect to hear. But because of the melodic dissonance that make up minor keys, they evoke gravity, tension or sadness.”

Should We Get Married? How to Find Clarity in Dating

Should We Get Married? How to Find Clarity in Dating – “As you pray and pursue marriage, trust God, in his all-knowing and unfailing love for you, to make his will for you clear in all three ways — desire, community, and opportunity.”

Where to Find Heaven on Earth

Where to Find Heaven on Earth – “Beginning with the tabernacle in Exodus 26, we read about special places where God comes down to meet with his people. Tiny patches of heaven on earth.”

True Worship: Sacrifice Your Self-Serving Agenda

True Worship: Sacrifice Your Self-Serving Agenda – “Sacrificing your self-serving agenda often requires us to adjust generationally and relationally.”

All Things New: When Our Long Night Will End

All Things New: When Our Long Night Will End – “Consider several aspects of this coming new creation to strengthen your resolve to endure this world’s troubles as we long for “a better country — a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16).”

How the Holy Spirit Helps Us Read Scripture

How the Holy Spirit Helps Us Read Scripture – “The Holy Spirit’s role does not stop with the writing of the texts. Good interpretation is also dependent on the ongoing work of the Spirit to in-spire us to understand, receive, and apply what God has spoken.”

Where Should Teens Look for Answers?

Where Should Teens Look for Answers? – “We must teach our teenagers to look to the Bible for answers to the biggest questions in life. Here are three reasons why.”

Negative Effects of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Negative Effects of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: An Overview – “An estimated 2.7 million grandparents in America are raising their grandchildren.”

Are You Faking On Social Media?

Are You Faking On Social Media? – “Social media can be dangerous because it allows us to create a false identity of who we are.”

Locusts and Wild Honey

Locusts and Wild Honey – “The intake of locusts and wild honey was not a throwaway detail. The food going into John’s mouth represented the message coming out of John’s mouth.”

Your Past Does Not Have To Be Your Future

Your Past Does Not Have To Be Your Future – “Stop living in the past and get busy living for the future God has for you.”

Why Read If You Forget Most Everything Anyway?

Why Read If You Forget Most Everything Anyway? – “It is sentences that change your life, not books…What changes a life is a new glimpse into reality or truth, or some powerful challenge that comes to us, or some resolution of a long-standing dilemma that we’ve had.” 

There Is One Thing Worse Than Being Lost

There Is One Thing Worse Than Being Lost – “All of us will agree that being lost is a terribly distressing thing. But there is one thing that is actually worse. Being lost and knowing that nobody is looking for you.”

Names Nobody Remembers

Names Nobody Remembers – “Though the world’s idea of success might see our small days lacking, our good God operates very differently. He has a knack for using people lost in the credit roll. We can see this beautifully in the story of the Israelites in Ezra and Nehemiah.”

One Day It Will Be “Tomorrow”

One Day It Will Be “Tomorrow” – We can never lose our sense of Gospel-urgency.

We Are Thirsty for News of Heaven

We Are Thirsty for News of Heaven – “Their human heart longs for freshness and newness and adventure, yet also longs for the familiar, the sense of being home. Heaven will fulfill not one longing, but both.”

Why Does God Restore Job?

Why Does God Restore Job? – “The real issue Job, his friends, and we today must face is that humans cannot control—or even influence—God.”

The Basics — Creation

The Basics — Creation – “The Christian doctrine of creation (things visible and invisible) reminds us that the Creator is to be distinguished from all things created, and that any proposed dualism between spirit and matter is fatally flawed.”

My Son, Give Me Your Heart: The First Desire of Fruitful Parenting

My Son, Give Me Your Heart: The First Desire of Fruitful Parenting – “They give their heart to you, and, if you’re teaching them rightly, they give their heart to you in the name of Jesus. And when they do that, who has their heart in the end? You do, and he does.”

Authenticating the Fourth Gospel

Authenticating the Fourth Gospel – “The Fourth Gospel is actually the product of an eyewitness who presents reliable historical information about first century Palestine (facts that can be verified by a variety of other sources), this would give us a solid reason to trust this author as a potential witness of the life of Jesus.”

How Does Childbirth Save Women?

How Does Childbirth Save Women? – Here’s a response to a difficult Bible verse.

5 Misconceptions about Wealth

5 Misconceptions about Wealth – “Here are five misconceptions about wealth that must go if we are to believe and receive the wisdom of God.”

The Gospel of Self-Forgiveness

The Gospel of Self-Forgiveness – “There is no category of self-forgiveness in the Bible. And that is a freeing truth! Your shame and guilt is not dependent upon your ability to forgive yourself.”

 

You Can’t Sever Orthodoxy from Ethics

You Can’t Sever Orthodoxy from Ethics – “True faith is demonstrated not in mere assent to certain truths about Jesus but in personal trust that results in practical obedience.”

 

Heaven Won’t Fit in Your Head: How Not to Pursue Theology

Heaven Won’t Fit in Your Head: How Not to Pursue Theology – There is a tendency in some circles today to think they have to explain everything about God. There can be no mystery and nothing without complete explanation. We must realize that God is God.

Keep God’s Name on Top of Life’s Leaderboard

Keep God’s Name on Top of Life’s Leaderboard – “In Exodus 20:7, God commands us to put his name at the top of life’s leaderboard.”

The Key To Understanding The Bible

The Key To Understanding The Bible – “All through the Bible, the blessings of faith are for those who trust. The blessings of obedience are for those who obey. The generosity of God is for those who admit their need and come to him. The wisdom of God is for those who listen.”

Want to Grow as a Christian? Go Back to the Start.

Want to Grow as a Christian? Go Back to the Start. – “Do you want to grow as a Christian? Know that Jesus stands before you every day in his gospel word. He’s calling you back to the start. Believe, confess, and repent. Return to the cross.”

Just Do It

Just Do It – “Through this inconvenience, I have been surprised to discover that it is good to be disrupted. For life, as we know it, to be jolted, even in diminutive ways. God wastes absolutely nothing but designs hardships for our good.”

Know the Difference Between Laziness and Limitations

Know the Difference Between Laziness and Limitations – “Let’s commit to judgments about ourselves and others that are according to truth and understanding, all the while bathed with grace and an almost unlimited capacity for forbearance.”

Annie Armstrong: Women in Church History

Annie Armstrong: Women in Church History – “Due to her zeal and superior organizational skills, Annie Armstrong shaped the nature of Southern Baptist mission support.”

The Old Testament Is Christian Scripture

The Old Testament Is Christian Scripture – “Embracing sixty-six books for your discipleship.”

God Cares for the Odd Sparrow

God Cares for the Odd Sparrow – “Sometimes I can read the Bible and miss something totally obvious. For example, have you ever noticed that Jesus tells of God’s care of the sparrows two different ways?”

Introducing A Friend To Jesus

Introducing A Friend To Jesus – “When was the last time you introduced a friend to another friend?

What Does It Really Mean To Be Blessed?

What Does It Really Mean To Be Blessed? – “Are there ranges of blessings, or should we limit our use of this word to certain situations?”

 

5 Things You Should Know about the Doctrine of the Trinity

5 Things You Should Know about the Doctrine of the Trinity – Very helpful article here about one of the most difficult doctrines to both understand and to explain.

 

Tips for Getting Out of a Devotional Rut

Tips for Getting Out of a Devotional Rut – “We know reading God’s Word and talking with Him in prayer are precious privileges. What can we do when they seem just part of the day’s routine?”

The Blessing of Forgiving Our Parents

The Blessing of Forgiving Our Parents – “Are you convinced yet that you need to forgive? I’ve had some trouble with these verses in the past—not because I was unwilling to forgive, but because I seemed unable to forgive. Especially when it came to those who had inflicted deep wounds in my childhood.”

Why Praise Matters in Prayer

Why Praise Matters in Prayer – “Don’t let your heart song get out of tune by rushing to petition. Make room in your prayers for resounding praise.”

The Joy of Being Forgiven

The Joy of Being Forgiven – “I forgive you” are three liberating words.

The Problem with Proverbs

The Problem with Proverbs – “What a unique treasure we have in the book of Proverbs! No other book of the Bible is as intensely practical as Proverbs. No other book presents such tremendous hope in the mundane parts of life. And no other book presents its material in quite the jumbled mess Proverbs appears to be.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Ingredients of True Revival

Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Ingredients of True Revival – “He preached eight sermons on Exodus 33, laying out four essential stages for those who desire revival.”

S.L.O.W.: How to Love Hurting People

S.L.O.W.: How to Love Hurting People – “We all want to help when our friends are hurting, but we may not be sure where to begin.”

Are Christians Obligated to Vote?

Are Christians Obligated to Vote? – Obedience to earthly rulers is relative; obedience to Jesus is absolute.”

Sufficient in Our Sorrows

Sufficient in Our Sorrows – “Healing is a gift, and it is something I will continue to pray for, but it is not an end in and of itself. True confidence is found not in my strength, my assurance, or my abilities, but only in the foundation of my confidence itself. Christ is my confidence.”

Do You Want to Die Well?

Do You Want to Die Well? – “When my own death draws near, I want to face it like the apostle Paul. I want to be as prepared for death as he was, so that I can live as fully as he did before he died.”

Three Interlocking Forces

Three Interlocking Forces – “Wise Christians have classically identified three interlocking forces: the flesh, the world, and the devil.”

Little Man’s Lost and Found

Little Man’s Lost and Found – “No matter our circumstances, Jesus came to find and save the lost. Luke 19 teaches us this through the story of Zacchaeus. It’s the story of all who are lost and found.”

The Life and Death of an Ordinary Saint

The Life and Death of an Ordinary Saint – “… people who are never known and celebrated by the masses, but who serve and love in quiet and humble ways.”

3 Prayers to Pray When All You Want is to Escape

3 Prayers to Pray When All You Want is to Escape – “In the midst of whatever trial you find yourself, by all means pray for God to heal. To change it. To deliver. To provide a way of escape. But even as you do, remember that it’s not the only prayer to pray.”

Five Things You May Not Know About Adam

Five Things You May Not Know About Adam – “Adam is one of the best-known people in the Bible. Despite this, most people only know a few basic facts about him. His connection to every person on the planet, and therefore our need for the Gospel, is outlined below, as are five things about Adam you may not have known before.”

 

Sit at the Feet of Loss: What Endings Teach the Living

Sit at the Feet of Loss: What Endings Teach the Living – “When we read through the wisdom literature of the Bible, we see this strange motif: we gain wisdom by paying careful attention to and learning to embrace things we would rather avoid.”

4 Verses to Pray When You Don’t Enjoy Motherhood

4 Verses to Pray When You Don’t Enjoy Motherhood – “We don’t need to become the perfect mom or have the perfect child to have joy. We can rest in the Spirit’s work and pray, “Father, please bear fruit in me today by the work of your Holy Spirit—especially the fruit of joy.”

The Scariest Thing Jesus Ever Said

The Scariest Thing Jesus Ever Said – “For some, the Bible is and should be a great comfort. For others, it is and should be deeply disturbing. Throughout the Bible, God heals with reassuring words of forgiveness, kindness, and welcome. Also, throughout the Bible, God thunders with warnings meant to stir people toward repentance, restoration, and peace.”

An Open Statement of the Truth

An Open Statement of the Truth – “You may have wondered in recent days, ‘When did I become a bigot?’ Not that you are likely a bigot, but that the world now considers you one.”

Making Disciples Like Jesus Through Small Groups

Making Disciples Like Jesus Through Small Groups – “God’s plan for forming spiritually mature disciples involves getting them in groups. People do not climb Mt. Everest alone. But every year, little groups, little bands of friends, scale its lofty heights.”

The FAQs: What You Should Know About the ‘He Gets Us’ Campaign

The FAQs: What You Should Know About the ‘He Gets Us’ Campaign – You will hear positive and negative reactions. Here is a good overview.

 

An Intimate Hour with God

An Intimate Hour with God – “The following suggestions are designed to help you spend an extended time in prayer and meditation with God. You may spend this hour alone or with others.”

Dear Nursery Worker: Thank You For Loving Our Family Like Christ

Dear Nursery Worker: Thank You For Loving Our Family Like Christ – “Sister, if you ever feel like your job is useless as a nursery worker, if you ever feel like you’re doing no good for the kingdom, stomp out those lies. You’re loving those children, and you are loving those parents. You’re modeling Jesus…”

Toxic Talk, Texts, and Tweets

Toxic Talk, Texts, and Tweets – “We need to pray for a clean heart that loves. A heart controlled by the love of Christ listens, reads, and reacts well. A heart ruled by sin carries hatred, chooses vengeance over mercy, and is more eager to blame than confess.”

How Can We Make Decisions and Know God’s Will?

How Can We Make Decisions and Know God’s Will? – “Scripture gives us the tools to make decisions consistent with God’s will. Though basic and conspicuous, I’ve found four questions especially helpful in leading believers to make God-glorifying decisions.”

The Adventures Ahead on the New Earth

The Adventures Ahead on the New Earth – “In Heaven, we will be able to do as we wish and go where we wish, never wondering if our wishes are wrong!”

Why Christians Don’t Need Holy Shrine

Why Christians Don’t Need Holy Shrine – “We have access to, and we’re to come boldly into, that holy place to meet with God.”

How Unanswered Prayers Have Shaped My Faith

How Unanswered Prayers Have Shaped My Faith – God uses unanswered prayers in great ways in our lives.

The Christian’s Glorious Freedom

The Christian’s Glorious Freedom – “You may have been a Christian for some time and yet not grasped your new status in Christ. You may still be intimidated by the domineering character of the tyrant who once ruled over you. Believers sometimes wrongly assume: ‘I have sinned; therefore, sin still has authority over me. I cannot possibly have ‘died’ to sin.’ Paul unambiguously contradicts this thinking.”