The Law of Synergy Clearly, there are certain things you can’t do alone: moving a piano upstairs, playing football, assembly-line manufacturing, and zipping up little black dresses.other people not good The Law of Velcro “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). The Law of Price Tag When going through a

Elizabeth: At the same time that Mary learned she was to bear the Savior, her cousin Elizabeth was also pregnant with a special child, the future John the Baptist. Deemed too old for children, God used Elizabeth and her husband Zacharias to bring forth a child that “will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15).

What Does “Redeemed” Mean? Redeemed has a few definitions. In a secular sense, redeemed means to get or win back, to free from captivity, to release from blame or debt, or to exchange for something better. When I exchanged my winning Skee-Ball tickets for a stuffed animal, I redeemed them. Sometimes, we can redeem behavior, as in when we do somethi

Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5: Step 6: Step 7: Step 8: Finish with FireGod, if you answer my prayer I will never do that again. God, if you do this for me just this one time, I promise that for the rest of my life I will….fanning the fireFinish for GodYou’ve also got to be motivated to finish for God! (2 Timothy 4:6-8). It cannot be about the ap

Amen.A Prayer for PeaceLord,You have ordained this as a time of suffering for me. But I need Your perfect peace to fill me so I don’t wander off into blame and depression. The Lord Jesus told us He has left His peace with those of us who love Him and are called by His name. Oh, how I need that peace right now, Father. My trust is in You, and I know

Afflictions yield supernatural comfort. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.Afflictions prove the reality of God’s grace in our lives. How does someone endure years of sickness yet continue to be joyful? How does a wife lose

Did the disciples give up too soon? Was it not their faith but their unfaithfulness to keep on keeping on in prayer and fasting (as the other gospels include in Jesus’s answer) that stopped the mountain from moving and the boy’s healing to come?What Does “I Believe Help My Unbelief” Teach Us About Doubt?Apistia holds the meaning of unfaithfulness.

An Unlikely Candidate “And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.’ So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the

When we discover why and how Jesus used parables in His lessons, we can better understand what He said. If we don’t comprehend how inheritances were bestowed upon beneficiaries in ancient societies, we can miss the meaning of the love the father expressed toward his son in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). Because Israel was an agricultural

Fostering Requires Solidarity Jesus becoming human answers some common, honest objections to the risks involved in fostering. It’s true that not everyone is cut out to foster children. But many who could be foster parents choose not to, and even though they may give other reasons out loud, the requirement for solidarity — for coming alongside — is

Just as with so many other books of the Old Testament, we have in 1 Kings a picture of God’s blessing — man’s rebellion — God’s remedy — and a longing to set things right. Where Is the Gospel in Jeroboam’s Golden Calves?There are a few places in 1 Kings where drawing a line to Jesus might be relatively simple. It’s not hard to make connections betw

It might be a limp, a whale or a pigpen. The experience is not meant to permanently damage or destroy us (that’s the devil’s M.O.), but ultimately, to bless us. As the Psalmist wrote, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Psalm 119:67). It’s amazing how many painful moments become defining moments in our lives.Becoming

Show Mercy and ForgivenessGrow in the Grace of the Lord Jesus ChristRuth Clemence is a wife, mom, writer and award-winning blogger based in Cardiff, Wales. Read more at: ruthclemence.com.

Do We Have to Be Right with Everyone before We Can Pray?Will God Not Forgive Us, if We Do Not Forgive Others?How Should We Apply This Verse to Our Everyday Lives?J.C. RyleMarkMike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. He is also the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike is the author of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Ne

Why Did the Church Fathers Write the Athanasian Creed?The Athanasian Creed is the most comprehensive of the early church creeds, likely because it was written so late. It was designed to battle the theological controversies that plagued the church. Against Arius’ followers, Athanasius and other early church fathers insisted that Christ was begotten

Journaling is also a wonderful way to write down the numerous ways and reasons you are grateful to God. Whatever season or circumstance you may be in, the great news is that there is always a biblical character’s story or struggle you can relate to. As you journal your thoughts as you read, you will find many more similarities than differences of h

A sampling of Scripture to turn to in hard times:Psalm 9:9 – “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”Philippians 4:19 - “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”Psalm 32:7-8 - God is a hiding place. He provides the shelter no one else can.1 Peter 5:7 - God asks us

How Can Churches Help Widowed People Dealing with Grief?One thing I can speak of from personal experience is a widowed person’s grief. In 2010, my late wife passed away from cancer, leaving me a widower and single parent. Based on that experience, here are two things I would recommend for churches to help widowed people.Don’t forget them, but give

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Did Jesus Interact with Prostitutes? Jesus didn’t shy away from interacting with prostitutes, not following the perspective of the religious elite that prostitutes were out of reach for even God to help and love. Who can forget the notable confrontation Jesus had with the Pharisees over the woman caught in adultery, whom they brought to stone, and