An Eternal Weight of Glory
Finding strength to persevere in the hope of heaven.
Set your mind on things above (Col. 3:2). Anchor your hope in that coming world where righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:13). Keep fighting by faith for that crown that neither fades nor rusts (2 Tim. 4:8), and run for that inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading (1 Pet. 1:4). Christ has won for us... Continue Reading
Shepherding Children through Hardships and Trials
When troubles find our children, here are three ways we can support them.
Whatever the situation, when our children are hard-pressed with troubles and trials, we can be on the lookout for ways to come alongside to bear their burden (Gal. 6:2). This, too, takes wisdom because every situation and child are different. There is no one-size-fits-all playbook here, so godly wisdom is needed to meet each child... Continue Reading
Be Faithful Unto Death! The One Who is Slaughtered for Their Testimony
The martyrs personally testified God’s word as revealed in Christ.
Jesus does not call us to look for ways to suffer but to know that we will suffer for him. Disciples have an endurance mindset because of the value of knowing and being known of Jesus. John’s esteem for those who have been slaughtered and those who have been martyred reminds us that our faith... Continue Reading
The Challenge of Choosing Between Bitter and Better
Do we really believe there is a better road than bitterness?
The hard part about picking between bitter and better is not the words. The hard part is believing them. The hard part is looking at a landscape of pain that sometimes stretches out as far as our eyes can see and still believing that this path that says “better” can actually, really, truly bring us... Continue Reading
Providential Opportunities
Opportunities for us to be faithful.
Where are you today? Is someone quarreling with you? Are you experiencing someone’s hatred? As hard as it is to hear, you are being given opportunities for faithfulness. Don’t shrink back from them. Don’t wish them away. Don’t curl up in the fetal position and engage in self-pity. See these moments as opportunities to be... Continue Reading
Christians Are Not Being Persecuted in America – But That Doesn’t Mean All Is Well
Evangelicals need to understand the actual dynamics occurring in the United States.
While Christians might experience persecution, just because you are in trouble doesn’t mean you are being persecuted for being a Christian. In the case of this church, it is willfully violating the city’s zoning code, which is religiously neutral – if anything, religious institutions are privileged in zoning – and not to single this church... Continue Reading
2016 All Over Again
Evangelical Elites Have Learned Nothing and Forgotten Nothing
As with Trump’s rise in 2015-16, evangelical elites and their aspirants—a group Stephen Wolfe has aptly called the “evangelical arm of the ruling class”—have evidently still learned nothing. And this year will be no different. Evangelicals will vote in overwhelming numbers for Trump in the general election after his inevitable victory in the Republican primaries. And evangelical... Continue Reading
Has Grief Led You to Apathy?
Grief is a normal part of life because loss is normal.
Apathy can also be a sign that the process of grief has not run its course.7 Grief is about coping with loss. Gerald Sittser, an insightful guide on these issues, writes, “Loss creates a barren present, as if one were sailing on a vast sea of nothingness. Those who suffer loss live suspended between a past... Continue Reading
Letters to Stagnant Christians #9: Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias is resistance to teachability.
Listen to understand. Patiently live with moments of perplexity, misunderstanding or oddness. Be determined to discover something new, not merely verify everything you thought you knew. Above all, look for ways that the Word is making demands for change in your life. The more we obey, the more sensitive we become to the Word, and... Continue Reading
Pastoral Advice
Shepherding the conscience is a significant pastoral responsibility.
Faithful Christians are going to face increasing inconveniences and sacrifices. But it’s a cost they incur in their lives. If people are going to listen to the advice given and pay those costs, we’d better be sure that the advice is biblical. Despite the significant responsibility, it’s a blessing to be brought into the questions that... Continue Reading
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