People endure brutal trials in this fallen world. We know that God made this world and that he called it good. But when sin entered the picture this whole world went dark. It is not the way it is supposed to be. God cursed the earth when Adam rebelled in the garden. This is not […]
Have you ever struggled with the same sin for a long time, hoping that there was a missing secret that you could plug in and conquer it once and for all? Maybe it isn’t a particular sin, but your entire level of Christian commitment. You’ve been wobbly for years and you want to discover the […]
A few years ago I talked to Stephanie on a plane from Austria to England. At the time she was a college student and a traditional churchgoer. I say traditional because even though she went to church with her family on special holidays and a few other occasions, she didn’t really attend church. She carefully […]
One of the challenges missionaries face is sorting out what parts of the culture they are working in can and can not be mixed with Christianity. Certainly Jesus has been worshipped and followed within all kinds of cultural situations throughout history throughout the world. Every culture, however, has elements that don’t mix with Jesus. For […]
Do you feel guilty for enjoying the good things of this life? Is your delight dampened by feelings of shame when you find yourself really having fun doing something “unspiritual?” Some suppose that it is unspiritual to really enjoy sports, a picnic with friends, hobbies, or anything that is not related to church or ministry. […]
The time of Israel’s divided kingdom is not familiar to many people in our day. After King Solomon stopped following the Lord and worshiped the pagan gods of his many wives, God decreed that the kingdom would be stripped from Solomon’s son. The split happened in 931 B. C.. The ten tribes of the north became known […]
The Bible plainly teaches that every person who has ever been saved, or ever will be saved was predestined to be saved from before the foundation of the world. Although some godly Christians object to this reality, many Bible verses reveal the truth that God is sovereign of people’s salvation. Ephesians 1:3-5 may […]
Waiting around is not fun––especially if your phone’s battery has run out! What is the longest wait times you experience? For some, the doctor’s office seems like a never ending delay. Other people have spent hours waiting for their turn at the Department of Driver Services. The weekend lines at Six Flags go on and […]
This is that fateful time of the year that we reflect back on those significant resolutions we made three and a half whole weeks ago. We realize that we have broken several of them (or all of them!), and wonder if we should bother with trying to keep up with them any more. “Oh well,” […]
Recently I heard someone describe the importance of being part of a “Bible-reading church.” That phrase caught my attention. I have often heard (and said) that a Christian should be part of a Bible-believing church or a Bible-preaching church, but I have never thought specifically about the importance […]
