The very thought of life apart from Christ’s cross stirs fear, terror, and awe. Since God is love, he took our sins upon his son, thereby immediately removing them from us as far as the east is from the west. While we fear God because of who he is, we need never fear his approach... Continue Reading

By meditating on His word, I can, with the Holy Spirit’s help, turn a simple everyday task of holding a baby into a sanctifying time of spiritual strengthening. You might not have time to do a full inductive Bible study every hour of your day. But I am certain if you committed yourself to meditating on... Continue Reading

We are by nature a transactional people.  It is in our DNA.  There is a cost, therefore there must be a benefit.  If there is no discernible, tangible, and directly correlated benefit then there is a problem.    Inescapable images on the news and the ramifications of them have given us all reason to think.... Continue Reading

It’s hard to know how to pray in the middle of a difficult situation. When my friend was in hospice, I wish I had a book like I’m Praying for You to point me to the freedom of Scripture and remind me that prayer is not primarily about us—our faith, our power or ability, even our circumstances. I’m... Continue Reading

I struggled with this intensely, especially after reading hundreds of emails with personal pleas, and poring over documentation of entire Afghan families with real faces and identities. I could not do it. But I had to do it. Along with my co-worker, Faisal Al Mutar, I ultimately did pick just five based on a basic evaluation of... Continue Reading

The more we apprehend God’s intrinsic glory, the more we will ascribe glory to Him. The greater our knowledge of God, the greater will be our worship of Him. A high view of God will invoke high praise for Him. The person who grows to know God more deeply will praise Him more fervently.  ... Continue Reading

He’s shown himself to be one who, although without sin and perfect in every way, can dwell with sinners. So now, with us as his people, it’s true, we are very sinful. But take heart, he hasn’t changed. He still longs to enter into the life of sinners. He still loves sinners. And because of such... Continue Reading

God has gifted us by his Spirit for the benefit of the local church (1 Cor. 12:7). Your local church is the place where God intends those he has rescued from diverse backgrounds to be “baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13). Our friendships with Christians outside the context of the local church are good... Continue Reading

Instead of reaching for ‘how much…’ questions, we are better asking, ‘what does Jesus deserve from me?’ We should take the focus off what we will do for Jesus, as though we are paying him back, and instead ask ourselves what Jesus deserves from us. Again, any answer that falls short of our whole selves... Continue Reading

A shepherd is not called to offer pop psychology. Self-help only heals the wound of the daughter of Zion lightly. The only thing under heaven that will nurture the sheep is the Word of God. That is the food God’s people desperately need if they are going to grow.   “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus... Continue Reading