Sunday, May 30, 2021

A Pastoral Prayer about Love

A Pastoral Prayer about Love – This might be something you would hang onto.

When Demons Flee and Angels Sing

When Demons Flee and Angels Sing – “By grace, you’ve forgiven all our sins—past, present, and future. May this astonishing Gospel-reality make it difficult, if not impossible, for us to remain clueless, careless, and heartless about our impact on others.”

Senior Adult, You Are Loved and Needed

Senior Adult, You Are Loved and Needed – “God places no expiration date on serving him. There is no moment until our last breath that we aren’t to live our lives for his glory. Your church body needs you.”

Saturday, May 29, 2021

Contending for the Faith in a Confused Culture

Contending for the Faith in a Confused Culture – “I want to look at this verse from three angles, which will clarify what it means to contend for the faith in an age of moral and theological confusion.”

9 Things You Should Know About the Tulsa Race Massacre

9 Things You Should Know About the Tulsa Race Massacre – “Here is what you should know about one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history.”

I Do and I Will

I Do and I Will – “There is a glorious triumvirate in a Christian marriage: God…husband…wife. Through the scuffing and scars and suffering, your footing will become more sure, only if you first bow in obedience to God.”

The Shepherd of the Vulnerable

The Shepherd of the Vulnerable – “The devil goes for the slow, weak, unsuspecting, or naive. And we might be surprised to know that sometimes the weakest Christian is actually the one who is quite confident in herself.”

Making Sense of Unanswered Prayer

Making Sense of Unanswered Prayer – “I don’t think we can know why God answers some particular prayers the way we want and not others, though we can know the two main goals God is working towards in and through our lives regardless of how he answers…”

Every Other Hope Will Disappoint

Every Other Hope Will Disappoint – “The Bible is a narrative of hope shattered and hope restored, and in telling its hope story, the Bible speaks to each of the three elements of hope.”

Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna: Are there Differences?

Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna: Are there Differences? – “Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna are all terms the Bible uses for the location that people go when they die. I’m often asked if those are the same place, and if so, why does the Bible uses different words for them? The answer is actually pretty straight forward, so let’s look at those three terms one at a time…”

Friday, May 28, 2021

The Servant-Warrior Who Ends All Wars

The Servant-Warrior Who Ends All Wars – “No one paid a greater price to bring final and full peace—to our hearts and the entire cosmos. You are the Prince of Peace because you were the Lamb of God.”

Why Christians Should Listen Carefully and Speak With Kindness

Why Christians Should Listen Carefully and Speak With Kindness – “Our churches today desperately need the humility that rejects mean-spirited religion and exemplifies kindness while upholding biblical truth.”

Eating Out With Your Kids When Hell is Real

Eating Out With Your Kids When Hell is Real – Here is a helpful reflection on life and the Gospel in light of suffering in the world.

Whatever Christ Commands He Gives

Whatever Christ Commands He Gives – “The pathways Jesus chooses to give us more of himself often begin with Jesus asking something from us.”

The Neglected Tools of Evangelism

The Neglected Tools of Evangelism – Useful tools for the ongoing task of witness into the world; prayer, listening, and thanksgiving.

Church Membership: Loving What Jesus Loves

Church Membership: Loving What Jesus Loves – “Church membership is not some arbitrary, man-made custom. It is a gift from the risen and ascended Christ to his people.”

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

The Subtle Sin of Prayerlessness

The Subtle Sin of Prayerlessness – “Prayerlessness is the most subtle disclosure of our independence from God and is our depraved heart’s own declaration of sovereignty. Beware of the subtle sin of prayerlessness!”

Your Body Will Be Whole: A Physician’s Meditations on Heaven

Your Body Will Be Whole: A Physician’s Meditations on Heaven

What Is Gossip? Exposing a Common and Dangerous Sin

What Is Gossip? Exposing a Common and Dangerous Sin – “You don’t want to be a gossip. There is no upside to being one. Gossips hurt neighbors, divide friends, and damage reputations and relationships.”

Manners for Social Media in Polarized Times

Manners for Social Media in Polarized Times – Here’s a practical, biblical list of suggestions.

Meeting With God

Meeting With God – We Need a Spiritual Altar – “Altars were significant in the Old Testament for meeting with God. They are mentioned over two hundred times, many of them related to the Tabernacle and the Temple. Yet, altars were used long before these formal meeting places were erected.”

Worthy of Family Worship

Worthy of Family Worship – “The Bible clearly implies that God deserves to be worshiped daily in our homes by our families.”

Flee to Christ in Fear

Flee to Christ in Fear – “The only people that will eternally experience the love of God as the love of God are people who fear the Lord.”

Not this Man, but Barabbas!

Not this Man, but Barabbas! – “Many people are concerned about (the political world) because of their love for their children or grandchildren. They worry about what kind of world those children will inherit. Their love for their children and grandchildren is not the problem. The problem occurs when this world becomes the main concern for their children and grandchildren.”

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Prayerlessness Springs From Pride

Prayerlessness Springs From Pride – “Pride gives birth to many sins and obstructs many godly pursuits. In this article, we’ll consider the ways our pride disrupts our prayer life.”

Delicious Despair

Delicious Despair – “Grieving is not passive. Suffering isn’t something that just happens to you and then you ride a wave of emotions until the circumstances quell. Suffering is like school, and grieving is how we accomplish the coursework.”

I’ve Sinned…Again. Will God Forgive Me?

I’ve Sinned…Again. Will God Forgive Me? – “If you’re struggling with that one sin that never seems to go away, the one that has a perfect record when facing off against you in the ring, that’s when you need the good news of the inexhaustible grace and love of Jesus more than ever. 

Faithful Application of the Word of God

Faithful Application of the Word of God – “If we’re going to apply the word of God – in our preaching and teaching, and in our lives – what must we understand? At least three things…”

What We Can’t Not Know

What We Can’t Not Know – This is a longer read regarding  the recent radio interview with famed atheist Richard Dawkins. Ethical issues get complicated for an atheist.

In a World of Narratives, Be Radically Committed to Reality

In a World of Narratives, Be Radically Committed to Reality – “In a world of competing and ultimately subjective narratives, we need more people radically committed to reality. And Christians are well positioned to be such people.”

Sunday, May 23, 2021

Dis-Graced No More – Fully-Graced Now and Forever

Dis-Graced No More – Fully-Graced Now and Forever – “We are now sealed, indwelt, and serenaded by the Spirit—who constantly sings to us of your glory, and non-stop about our beloved-ness (Rom. 8:16).”

Pursuing Unity When Discussing Ethnicity

Pursuing Unity When Discussing Ethnicity – “We see in John 17 that the unity of the church is important to Jesus. So how do we walk in unity when ethnicity seems to be such a divisive subject? We take some instruction from God’s Word on this in Ephesians.”

Let the Lukewarm Come to Me

Let the Lukewarm Come to Me – “They don’t give up on Jesus, but they don’t give him much of themselves either. They attempt to stay Christian enough to avoid hell, but spend most of their time, money, and attention trying to find some heaven here on earth.”

Saturday, May 22, 2021

How to Hear a Sermon Well

How to Hear a Sermon Well – “How easily we can drift through corporate worship week by week, hearing but not really hearing. Present in body but absent in spirit. Eyes open but distracted in mind, divided in heart, drowsy in soul.”

Show Your Roots

Show Your Roots – “As we live out Titus 2 and pursue discipleship relationships, I think it is important that, like the Banyan tree, our roots are visible.”

How Do I Study the Bible with Others?

How Do I Study the Bible with Others? Here are some practical steps.

Love People, Not the Idea of People

Love People, Not the Idea of People – People are messy and many give up on the idea when they find out really loving people is hard.

Why Do We Go to Church? Because We’re Forgetful.

Why Do We Go to Church? Because We’re Forgetful. – “In this overstimulated new media age, we desperately need reminding of who God is, who we are, and what story we’re in.”

Friday, May 21, 2021

Who/What Gets to “Rule the Roost” of Our Hearts?

Who/What Gets to “Rule the Roost” of Our Hearts? – “Unguarded hearts will always take us into the dark forest of envy, the minefield of resentment, and the self-pity-zone of discontent. Graceless daydreaming will morph into joy-sucking nightmares of lust and anger.”

50 Best Memorial Day Quotes

50 Best Memorial Day Quotes – Famous Sayings to Remember Our Heroes

My Hiding Place

My Hiding Place – “Suffering has a way of parting the heart, chiseling a highway straight down the middle, before offering grave detours; choices. I have yet to meet a Christian who radiates the image of the Creator, that has not suffered well, choosing to accept in peace the precise will of God.”

Are You Looking High Enough?

Are You Looking High Enough? – “He is not wrapped up tidy and neat in my mind. But the more He breaks from my controlled pieces of who I imagine Him to be, the more of Him I know from Scripture, the vaster He becomes. It leaves me with the knowledge that I’ve only had glimpses.”

Evangelism Without the Angst

Evangelism Without the Angst – “We’re surrounded by people who hurt. People with questions. People who are looking for something to fill that empty spot in their lives.”

Rapid-Onset Revolution

Rapid-Onset Revolution – “Today we are experiencing moral revolution and realignment at a rate perhaps never before seen in human history. All around us, the landscape is in flux, as revolution continues its long march through the institutions.”

Progressive Christians: Where and How They Differ with Jesus

Progressive Christians: Where and How They Differ with Jesus – Here are key areas where “progressive” Christianity differs from biblical Christianity.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

One Size Doesn’t Fit All – Five Ideas for Family Faith Formation

What We All Need: A New Kind of Biblical Hero

What We All Need: A New Kind of Biblical Hero – “He appears in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. He’s the leper whom Jesus touched. And I want to be like him.”

Our God Listens

Our God Listens – “We have access. God expects us to take hold on his Son by faith, and approach his throne with confidence. Our God listens. He hears our prayers.”

What Is Pentecost?

What Is Pentecost? – “Pentecost Sunday is a time to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit coming to earth and the birth of the church.”

When the Ground Gives Way

When the Ground Gives Way – “The faithfulness of God often feels the sweetest when he fills a hole left by some loss.”


Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Be A Good Christian

Be A Good Christian – “Are you a Christian? If so, do me a favor and work diligently to be a good Christian. This isn’t some sort of works-based theology. In this scenario, I am much more concerned about how you represent Christ to the world around you.”

We Must Worship God on His Terms

We Must Worship God on His Terms – “Worship of the living and true God is essentially an engagement with him on the terms that he proposes and in the way that he alone makes possible.”

Of All the Activities Heaven Will Offer, What Are You Most Looking Forward to?

Of All the Activities Heaven Will Offer, What Are You Most Looking Forward to? – “My heart explodes with happiness as I anticipate the world to come and its endless delights of closeness with Jesus, first and foremost, and the people of God and angels and creatures we have known and will one day know in a vast and beautiful new universe!”

What Does the Lord Require of Me? The Ten Commandments and Christian Ethics

What Does the Lord Require of Me? The Ten Commandments and Christian Ethics – “In this article, I attempt to provide a few simple observations and guidelines to help us as we approach the Ten Commandments for Christian ethics.”

Breakfast with Jesus

Breakfast with Jesus – “Above all, remember the Lord who is full of mercy and grace, and who calls his disciples everywhere to come and have breakfast with him.”

Relationship with Jesus – Heart Over Intellect

Relationship with Jesus – Heart Over Intellect – “An omniscient God is not impressed with the size of our intellect, but he is impressed with the size of our heart. He desires relationship with Jesus over intellectual skill.”

The Wilderness Way

The Wilderness Way – “Have you ever wondered why God appears cruel at times? When He withholds something good or allows something painful, we run up against the walls that simple religion builds to keep us complacent and safe within the manicured yards of our expectations.”

How the Judgment of God Actually Brings Grace

How the Judgment of God Actually Brings Grace – “You may feel as though you are the only one walking with God in your world. Be encouraged to remain steadfast by the life of Noah.”

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Let the Little Children Come to Me: Invitation to the Weak and Needy

Let the Little Children Come to Me: Invitation to the Weak and Needy – “They were real children that he held that day, but the message is for us all. Helpless is how we are to receive Jesus — or better, to be received by Jesus. His work is among the empty-handed, the weak.”

11 Ways to Ensure You Leave a Legacy That Honors God

11 Ways to Ensure You Leave a Legacy That Honors God – “It’s no secret: Finishing this life with a legacy that honors God isn’t automatic and certainly isn’t easy.” 

Living by the “Gospel-Line”

Living by the “Gospel-Line” – “They were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel...” (Galatians 2:14)

Why Can’t So Many Who Say They Reject Jesus Stop Talking About Him?

Why Can’t So Many Who Say They Reject Jesus Stop Talking About Him?This isn’t a long article but it makes a great point.

Salt

Salt – “Everyday conversations. On the road. In the store. Are my words seasoned with salt? Flavored with the gospel? Purified with truth?”

The New Tower of Babel

The New Tower of Babel – “The social internet is our shared language of selfish pursuit.”

The Holy Spirit Changes Everything

The Holy Spirit Changes Everything – “I don’t believe we must be best friends with everyone, but I do believe that the Holy Spirit lives in every Christian. Even the ones you and I don’t like all that much. When we are offended by another believer, it is easy to forget how much we share.”

We’re Hurt, and Healed, in Community

We’re Hurt, and Healed, in Community – “What does it look like to rediscover Christian community as someone who’s considering leaving the faith or the church?” 

How to Stay When the World Says Leave

How to Stay When the World Says Leave – “Are those who leave church and lose their faith more susceptible to bad habits and decisions? Or does practicing bad habits and making bad decisions leave one more susceptible to losing one’s faith?”

The World’s Hatred is not a Guarantee that You are Following Jesus

The World’s Hatred is not a Guarantee that You are Following Jesus – “There seems to be a common misconception among many Christians that if the world hates them, it’s incontrovertible proof that they must be doing something right. They must be faithfully following Jesus.”

Christians and “the Other”: Why We’re Called to Care

Christians and “the Other”: Why We’re Called to Care – “Jesus cared for the weak, the lost, the foreigner, the marginalized, the persecuted. He did not want any to be lost. How can we reflect Him?”

Monday, May 17, 2021

8 Keys to Personal Prayer

8 Keys to Personal Prayer – “We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible’s idea of prayer is that we may get to know God himself.”

What Does the Rapidly Declining Birthrate Mean for Churches?

What Does the Rapidly Declining Birthrate Mean for Churches? – It’s a big deal. Here are five factors to consider.

5 Truths We Need for Church Revival

5 Truths We Need for Church Revival – May it be so.

Service for God Is Downstream from Intimacy With God

Service for God Is Downstream from Intimacy With God – “Our service for God must flow from our intimacy with Him. Those waters aren’t always guaranteed to flow.”

What Does the Bible Say About Purgatory?

What Does the Bible Say About Purgatory? – “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, God says to us, just like Jesus said to the leper, ‘Be clean.’”

If You Feel Weary in Prayer

If You Feel Weary in Prayer – “Though we may feel insignificant in a puddle of unanswered prayers, or ashamed to need his help yet again, it is only in him we find our help, from the one who made heaven and earth.”

When Reeling In Empty Nets Means You’re Doing Everything Right

When Reeling In Empty Nets Means You’re Doing Everything Right – “It’s not our ingenuity, or tenacity, or our ability to build a better fish trap, that produces the results we crave, but a humble and submissive heart to obey the Master.” 

When the Ground Gives Way

When the Ground Gives Way – “The faithfulness of God often feels the sweetest when he fills a hole left by some loss.”

Trusting God for Our Children’s Safety

Trusting God for Our Children’s Safety – “We have to do for our children as we do for ourselves: trust and obey. He has determined how long each person’s race will be. What matters most is not the length, but hearing His ‘Well done’ at the end.”

Sunday, May 16, 2021

You Have Need of Endurance

You Have Need of Endurance – “The New Testament makes it clear that, for the Christian, developing endurance is essential.” 

Fit for What? The Spiritual Habit of Physical Exercise

Fit for What? The Spiritual Habit of Physical Exercise – “The goal of fitness is not to look good in the mirror or on Instagram. True fitness means our bodily ability serves other purposes.”

Saturday, May 15, 2021

Christian Parents: 6 Keys to Discipling Your Children

Christian Parents: 6 Keys to Discipling Your Children – “If it is important to you at all that your children grow up to be authentic followers of Jesus Christ, then how do you think that will be accomplished?”

What is the “Greatest Threat to the Gospel”?

What is the “Greatest Threat to the Gospel”? – “As we enter seasons where external cultural forces make it difficult to live a life of faithfulness, our internal radar will frequently signal, ‘Danger!’ We move to protect ourselves or warn our community, and rightly so. But here’s the catch…”

When We Don’t Delight in Reading Scripture

When We Don’t Delight in Reading Scripture – Why does it come to this and what can we do about it. Research indicates such a distancing from the Bible is common. We can do better.

A Desperate Saint

A Desperate Saint – “Jesus’s identifying with these unlikely saints tells us a lot about the kind of gospel He brings the world.”

A Different Take On Barnabas

A Different Take On Barnabas – “Archaeology gives a whole new set of insights into the Paul and Barnabas/John-Mark kerfuffle.”

Jesus, Ready to Forgive: How God Summons the Guilty

Jesus, Ready to Forgive: How God Summons the Guilty – “This is the glorious mission of Christ: to save sinners from the wrath of God, provide forgiveness and righteousness for them, and bring them as a holy people to God, forever.”

Courage Inspired by the Martyrs

Courage Inspired by the Martyrs – “Among the many heroes of faith, the martyrs stand out. They take up a central place in our corporate identity because they so closely evoke Jesus’ faithfulness in the face of death. God honors the martyrs even to the point that he uses their deaths as a countdown to Jesus’ return.”

Friday, May 14, 2021

Come Home, Weary Wanderer

Come Home, Weary Wanderer – “The world and its desires distract even the most faithful and committed followers. If you find yourself in a similar season, here are some thoughts to help you course correct.”

Religion Plays a Role in the Renewed Conflict in Israel, But It May Not Be What You Think

Religion Plays a Role in the Renewed Conflict in Israel, But It May Not Be What You Think – “Here’s a quick explainer on the conflict of the past few days, and what, if any, role religion plays.”

What Is the Purpose of Sunday School?

What Is the Purpose of Sunday School? – “It’s the reaching, teaching, winning and caring arm of the church.”

The Fading of Forgiveness

 The Fading of Forgiveness “The main way Christians can be a resource to the broader culture is by restoring the church to being a well-known community of forgiveness and reconciliation.”

On a Throne, not in a Hammock

On a Throne, not in a Hammock – This is a warming reflection on Jesus in heaven today and the story of the first Christian martyr, Stephen.

What Does Amen Mean, Exactly?

What Does Amen Mean, Exactly? – “What does Amen mean? And why do we use it?”

The Distinctions God Makes and Man’s Rebellious Attempt to Erase Them

The Distinctions God Makes and Man’s Rebellious Attempt to Erase Them “In order to understand, appreciate, and use anything that has been created, we must observe the distinctions that the Creator has made. If we erase the distinctions, we erase the creation itself, whether that creation be a painting, a house, or our very selves.”

8 Items for Christian Parents to Ponder

8 Items for Christian Parents to Ponder – “He offers these 8 considerations, asking that you would ponder each one and allow them to motivate you to call your children to respond to the gospel.”

How Do I Love Neighbors Who Ignore Me?

How Do I Love Neighbors Who Ignore Me? – “The more your neighbors feel like enemies, the more you should love them the way Jesus said.”

6 Questions about the Book of Job

6 Questions about the Book of Job – The answers given here will help in understanding this fascinating book.

A Refuge for the Guilty Soul

A Refuge for the Guilty SoulThe author ties the “cities of refuge” set aside in the promised land to Jesus who is the perfect “refuge for our souls.”

Thursday, May 13, 2021

God’s Excellent Greatness For You

God’s Excellent Greatness For You – “God’s excellent greatness is that he’s not too great for you. He’s never too busy. He always has time. And nothing ever goes against his perfect plan.”

Do We Need to Develop ‘Holy Indifference’?

Do We Need to Develop ‘Holy Indifference’? – “This is holy indifference—to be confident in your faith that God is in control, and humble in your acknowledgement that you don’t know how He might be working out His providential will.”

To All Who Need Rest: How Jesus Welcomes the Weary

To All Who Need Rest: How Jesus Welcomes the Weary – “Almost everything we do can at times exhaust us. But what makes us most weary aren’t the things we do; it’s what we believe.”

He Knew

He Knew – “Why did he do it? Why did the Messiah, who had the power to raise the dead, allow this trade to happen?”

The Fear of Death and God’s Grip

The Fear of Death and God’s Grip – Our security in an uncertain world must be anchored in God’s firm grip.

Vatican Cautions Bishops on Denying Communion to Politicians Who Support Abortion Rights

Vatican Cautions Bishops on Denying Communion to Politicians Who Support Abortion RightsThe story follows the course of stated beliefs and applications in a secularized culture.

Martyn Lloyd Jones on Sin

Martyn Lloyd Jones on Sin – There’s a lot to be found here on the doctrine of sin.

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Reckoning with Personal Failure

Reckoning with Personal Failure – “The evidence of being a Christian is not that there are no tactical defeats in the war, but that you keep fighting till the promised victory is given.”

Kids Need Both Affection and Authority

Kids Need Both Affection and Authority – “If our heavenly Father mingles affection and authority, how much more should earthly parents seek to imitate him?”

What Is a Disciple?

What Is a Disciple? – 4 Transformations That Show the Way

Putting on Jesus

Putting on Jesus – “The best way to do spiritual warfare isn’t by fighting the devil; but by preaching the Gospel to ourselves and abiding in your love.”

Your Weird Church is “Plan A” and There is No “Plan B”

Your Weird Church is “Plan A” and There is No “Plan B” – Churches are weird places filled with weird people and God uses it to accomplish His perfect plan.

Why Every Leader Must Understand Cultural Context

Why Every Leader Must Understand Cultural Context – “Is our cultural context as Christ-followers more like God’s people living in Israel or more like God’s people living in Babylon?”

Monday, May 10, 2021

Congregations of Bruised Reeds

Congregations of Bruised Reeds – “God does not treat the wounds of his people lightly. Our redemption came through a bloody cross. And whatever bruising remains unhealed in this life, God will fully heal in the next.”

Faithful in Obscurity

Faithful in Obscurity – “I’m so thankful for all those who are willing to be faithful in obscurity (which, after all, describes the great majority of us).”

Self-Denial Leads to Happiness

Self-Denial Leads to Happiness – “This law of the dying of self, and the magnifying of Christ is the secret of Christian peace. When Christ is small, and self is large, life cannot be deeply restful. Everything annoys us.” 

Whoever You Are, Christ Can Be Yours

Whoever You Are, Christ Can Be Yours – “As long as you fix your gaze inward rather than outward — on your sins and weaknesses rather than Christ’s grace and power — you will find reason to consider yourself an exception.”

Christian, You Don’t Have to Change the World

Christian, You Don’t Have to Change the World – “Here’s my takeaway: it’s more important to be a good and faithful man who helps others be good and faithful than it is to revolutionize the world.”

Tips for Students Facing Doubt in the Real World

Tips for Students Facing Doubt in the Real World – “When facing doubts and fears, the last thing you want to do is isolate yourself and struggle alone.”

Why Have Africans Suffered So Much?

Why Have Africans Suffered So Much? When we look at nations and the movements of God through history, most of us have big questions. This was a very helpful perspective.

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Great is His Faithfulness

Great is His Faithfulness – “My guess is that in this messy life, many are experiencing a measure of both joy and grief tangled up together this Mother’s Day week.”

What to Do When You Sin

What to Do When You Sin – “While we have a settled once-and-for-all forgiveness in Christ, we also have a current ongoing relationship with Him that is hampered by unconfessed sin.”

What Is Anxiety?

What Is Anxiety? – “When do these proper concerns turn into sinful ones? When does godly care become godless worry?”

‘Love What Others Have’: The False Gospel of Covetousness

‘Love What Others Have’: The False Gospel of Covetousness – “To covet is to earnestly, even obsessively, desire what your neighbor has. It’s a sin-cousin of envy.”

Preparing for the Stewardship of Persecution

Preparing for the Stewardship of Persecution – “Suffering – which is a wide and broad biblical category – is a stewardship given to Christians and the church which must be stewarded well.”

Legalism Does Not Work

Legalism Does Not Work – “Legalism is the pursuit of good works, obedience to God’s law and the ethical commands of the Bible (and beyond), abstracted from faith in Christ, in order to be acceptable before God.”

Act Like Men of God: Six Marks of Uncommon Conduct

Act Like Men of God: Six Marks of Uncommon Conduct – “How do men who believe in Jesus become more like Jesus? What is a man of God really like?”

President Biden Becomes First President to Omit ‘God’ From National Day of Prayer Proclamation

President Biden Becomes First President to Omit ‘God’ From National Day of Prayer Proclamation It’s worth noting and it’s not the first time.

Thursday, May 6, 2021

A Collection of Mother’s Day Blessings

A Collection of Mother’s Day Blessings – Here are a series of Mother’s Day blessings for the variety of moms out there.

When Did You Last Read a Book?

When Did You Last Read a Book? – “Reading books matters. If you read books, you need to be able to concentrate on a story or idea for an extended time. You need to think. It is a skill that is in short supply but great demand.”

The Wait of All Waits

The Wait of All Waits – “It seems the theme of my life as of late is ‘wait.’ Wait for answers, for healing, for change, for restoration, for desires and dreams. Wait. Slow down. Not yet. Maybe not ever.”

The FAQs: President Biden Raises Cap on Refugee Admissions

The FAQs: President Biden Raises Cap on Refugee Admissions – Who is considered a “refugee” and what does that mean for us? Joe Carter helps to sort it all out.

Thou Shalt Not Slander

Thou Shalt Not Slander – “While the world cancels and devours one another with accusations, those who follow Jesus will pursue a true justice established by true witnesses.”

The Dull Conversation

The Dull Conversation – “Some conversations are just less interesting than others. The simple facts of a person’s day—the route to work, the morning snack, the spilled coffee—are not interesting unless they reveal something about the person who lived those details.”

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

The Winsome Christian

The Winsome Christian – “A winsome life is attractive and inviting, exactly the sort of life every Christian should aim to lead.”

Amnesia and Prayer

Amnesia and Prayer – This provides a good perspective on answered prayer and the ways God answers.

Seeking God Through Doubt: Counsel for a Faith Crisis

Seeking God Through Doubt: Counsel for a Faith Crisis – “Here are seven suggestions (in no particular order) for how to endure a crisis of faith.”

6 Ways to Improve Your Marriage

6 Ways to Improve Your Marriage – “So what are these six gospel commitments that every couple needs to make?”

Can We Really Stomach God’s Grace? – “Jesus came to save his worst enemies…and he also came to save (gulp) our worst enemies. People we despise. People who have hurt us. People who have hurt those we love. People who have done terrible things. All are candidates for the grace, mercy, forgiveness, and redemption of God.”

We Need to Grow Old Together

We Need to Grow Old Together – Bill and Melinda Gates, in announcing their divorce, shared that they “cannot grow old together.” Here’s a good encouragement for marriages.

We Always Glean Among the Sheaves

We Always Glean Among the Sheaves – Our God is a generous and gracious God. The story of Ruth provides an illustration.

The Claim about Homosexuality in the Film 1946 Is Irrelevant

The Claim about Homosexuality in the Film 1946 Is Irrelevant “The good news is that it’s easy to spot the fallacies in this film. The bad news is that many people won’t.” The film will be released soon and embraced by those who don’t wish to explore the truth.

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Crying Out to Our Father-Potter

Crying Out to Our Father-Potter – “Deepen our trust, supersize our mercy, and increase our faith.”

We Need the Faith of Noah

We Need the Faith of Noah – “Oh to have the faith of Noah! We live in a day and age similar to the day of Noah. It is viewed as crazy to believe what we believe.”

Quaranteens: Three Ideas to Help Students Grow in the Pandemic

Quaranteens: Three Ideas to Help Students Grow in the Pandemic – “The essentials COVID-19 has stolen from teens are the very elements they need to develop and thrive.”

The 5 Movements in Isaiah

The 5 Movements in Isaiah – “Let me offer some help by mapping five movements in Isaiah’s prophecy. These movements can aid us in finding our bearings in this mammoth book.” 

The Voice That Raises the Dead

The Voice That Raises the Dead – “There are five times that Jesus’s voice raises the dead in the Bible. I will be included in one of them and so will you (John 5:24-29).”

Young Mom, You Can Read the Bible

Young Mom, You Can Read the Bible – “One difficulty in beginning to read the Bible is that until we begin to read the Bible regularly, our appetite will not be awakened to read it. In other words, our hunger for God in his word is awakened not before we read, but as we read.”

We Must Learn the Skills to Resist Sexual Temptation

We Must Learn the Skills to Resist Sexual Temptation – “How do we resist the devil, particularly in the area of sexual temptation? We all have to learn the skills of resisting temptation, because we’re not naturally good at it.”

Monday, May 3, 2021

The Hope, Joy, and Peace Trifecta

The Hope, Joy, and Peace Trifecta – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Love Your Brothers and Sisters in the Hospital

Love Your Brothers and Sisters in the Hospital – “Stays in the hospital tear us from our spiritual disciplines, and confront us with hard questions about life, death, suffering, and God’s faithfulness.” What can we do?

Endurance in the Christian Life

Endurance in the Christian Life – “The Christian life is all about endurance: Persevering, learning, and growing.”

Tithing in Financially Tight Times

Tithing in Financially Tight Times “Your bank balance hovers near zero. Your job feels like it’s hanging in the balance. You can’t see how you’ll pay those bills...So how on earth can you think about giving money away when it seems like you can’t hold onto enough of it in the first place?”

‘I Won’t Have What I Need’: What Stealing Says About God and Us

‘I Won’t Have What I Need’: What Stealing Says About God and Us – “We may know factually that God is Lord over all and sees all, but when we steal, we are not acting like it. None of us truly owns anything; believers and unbelievers alike are mere stewards of God’s property.”

How Can I Protect My Child from State Indoctrination?

How Can I Protect My Child from State Indoctrination? – “God has assigned to parents the rearing and shaping of the minds and hearts of their children.”

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Keeping the Faith

Keeping the Faith – “So, what can committed, religious parents do to increase their chances of raising children who, as young adults, believe and practice some version of their religion? The first answer is simply to be themselves: ­believe and practice their own religion ­genuinely and faithfully.”

Health, Happiness and Security

Health, Happiness and Security – “Last week I was driving and heard an advert for Life Insurance. It was so good I stopped the car and wrote it down. ‘What do you want for your children?’ Health, Happiness and Security.’ Middle aged parents all over the country can relate to it and buy into it.” Jesus offers much better.

Before You Leave Your Wife: Five Words for Struggling Men

Before You Leave Your Wife: Five Words for Struggling Men – “The minor prophet Malachi gives us a surprisingly clear and profound (and often overlooked) vision for marriage.”

10 Facts from New Pew Data on Social Media Usage

10 Facts from New Pew Data on Social Media Usage – This summary of the research shares some interesting trends.

Survey: Half of U.S. Christians Say Casual Sex is Acceptable

Survey: Half of U.S. Christians Say Casual Sex is Acceptable – “Many Christians in America have forgotten a fundamental biblical truth: Because we belong to Jesus, God alone determines the use of our bodies.”