Christians Who Tithe Have Healthier Finances
The finances of Christians who tithe are generally healthier than the finances of those who do not, according to a new study.
According to the Christian Post, researchers compared tithers to non-tithers using nine financial health indicators, and found that tithers were better off in every category. “The weird thing is, a tither looks at that and says to himself, ‘Well I’m better off because I give.’ A non-tither looks at that and says, ‘Oh, they give... Continue Reading
Believing and Perceiving the Sovereignty of God
When God’s sovereignty is believed by somebody it is perceived by everybody
When God’s sovereignty is believed by somebody it is perceived by everybody. There are several immediate areas where I was able to see that this man truly believed in God’s sovereignty. The first is, he prayed. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? … You don’t do this if you don’t believe that God is sovereign. Prayerlessness is... Continue Reading
The Blessed Cursed Tree
The civil law as a redemptive-historical guide is one that has often been neglected--and yet it is one of the richest in all the Scriptures
The typological nature of the civil law given to OT Israel finds it’s fullest expression in the execution of Christ at Calvary. The application of these laws from the national to the spiritual realm can only be accounted for by the “spiritualizing” and “eternalizing” of the preparatory nature of the Old Testament in the finished... Continue Reading
Elderly Christian Florist Files Countersuit over Refusing to Participate in Gay ‘Wedding’
An elderly florist in Washington state has filed a countersuit against the state Attorney General after being sued for refusing to sell flowers for a same-sex "wedding"
Although she provides referrals to other florists who will provide services for same-sex “marriage” ceremonies, lawsuits allege that Stutzman is unlawfully discriminating against customers based on sexual orientation. The state is seeking $2,000 per offense and a permanent injunction that would require the shop to violate its conscience or stop selling flowers for wedding ceremonies... Continue Reading
What Does the Bible Say About the Reasons for Disasters like the Tornado in Moore, Oklahoma?
Are disasters and tragedies a direct consequence of the sins of the people they affect? Not necessarily
It seems that most people instinctively want to pair up Good Events with Good Behavior and Bad Events with Sinful Behavior in a flat one to one relationship. I sin, I am punished with some bad event. I am good, I am rewarded with some nice occurrence. Now while that may be true for puppies... Continue Reading
Fathers, Mothers, and “Radical” Christianity
Fixation on big, dramatic acts as the way to “really” follow God disqualifies most Christian mothers from a meaningful Christian life
“By New Radical standards, we moms aren’t Christian enough unless we’re serving at a soup kitchen in the inner city or adopting orphans from Ethiopia.” That is a stark, but accurate assessment of the implications of New Radical thought for Christian mothers. I would add that marriage and family precludes most Christian fathers from “radical”... Continue Reading
To the Boy Scouts and Others – Warning: Reality is Not Politically Correct
The problem is that reality is not quite so politically correct
All teens need to be taught by their parents, teachers, pastors and mentors that their sexual desires are not their identity, nor do they need to be controlled by them. Who we are is so much greater than our appetites, sexual or otherwise. And all of us can learn, by God’s grace, to master and... Continue Reading
The Elephant in Our Own Backyard
Doing a better job of stewarding the forum we are given with critical and sensitive issues
There are lots of sin bombs in life we could address, but it’s the one in your own backyard that has the greatest likelihood of wounding you or those to whom you are most obligated to advocate for. This is a bomb, planted firmly in the backyard of the house that is the young, restless,... Continue Reading
How the Smartphone Killed the Three-Day Weekend
The average smartphone user checks his or her device 150 times per day, or about once every six minutes
Besides driving each other crazy, we are also robbing our brains of critical downtime that encourages creative thinking when we skip weekends and vacations. At extreme levels of exhaustion, rest-deprived brains experience memory loss and hallucinations. But without regular rest, brains fail at more basic tasks…. taking breaks makes you more focused when you work.... Continue Reading
Motherland Mores
U.K. same-sex marriage vote coincides with a national decline in Christianity
Tuesday’s vote revealed a moral rift not only in Britain’s social fabric but also in Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative Party. While Cameron supported the bill, 133 Conservatives did not. Their opposition wasn’t enough to derail the bill, which passed 366-161. It must still receive approval from the House of Lords, where a second reading... Continue Reading