What Does It Take to Raise a Child?When my daughter was born, our friends and family came to the hospital to celebrate her birth. The room was filled with the excitement and joy of a newborn’s arrival. While her birth marked the end of the pregnancy, it was also the beginning of the more arduous work of raising her.Studies show it takes almost $332

1. RahabThrough her life, Rahab heard stories about what the God of the people wandering in the desert had done to the mighty Egyptian empire. She became a prostitute, but grew to have a healthy fear and respect for God. When Hebrew spies arrived, she took the opportunity to help them and negotiated for her family’s safety.“Now please swear to me b

‌I am convinced that rather than giving us some end times calendar, this “seventy sevens” is meant to encourage Daniel and show him that a tenfold year of Jubilee is coming. And I believe that this is ultimately fulfilled through the gospel of Jesus Christ. But my view is not the only view out there. There are a few other ways which people interpre

Sometimes the Christ candle is taken away or hidden somewhere in the church, symbolizing the confusion and despair that followed Christ’s crucifixion, a time when the disciples believed the light of Christ had left the world.In most traditions, as the congregation sits in darkness, believers are called to reflect on the darkness that covered the ea

When the enemy sees us, he sees Jesus, he sees ultimate defeat. He loves to let us believe that we have sinned too much, are disqualified from the game for our past decisions, or he tries to make us too fearful or insecure to get in the game. However, God has a purpose for us in the battle and He invites us into the warfare, promising eternal victo

2. Savor: Enjoy the Timeless Feelings of ChristmasThe five senses are on high alert throughout the Christmas season. Consider: we see the colorful lights, hear the joyful carols, smell cookies in the oven, taste Christmas ham, and properly touch (hug) our friends and family.For sure, Christmas is an emotional highlight in the calendar, but most of

1. Consistent Prayer Prayer may seem passive, but it is an active discipline. And it leads to action. Jesus modeled the commitment to pray, seeking solitude to pray. He rose early or prayed through the night (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12). At the same time, John says if he wrote down all Jesus did, the world couldn’t contain the books (John 21:25). Prayer

1. Drink in the GospelThis sounds cliché but it is absolutely foundational. If you do not drink in the gospel on a daily basis, you’ll end up faking it with a shiny optimism or you’ll be a curmudgeon who gives up on the whole idea of good and beautiful things in our world. Bounce back between those enough times and you’ll end up in outright despair

This command to sing is carried over in the New Testament as well. In Ephesians 5:19-20 we are instructed to “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” Singing continued to be a vital part of the New Testament church. When they gathered, they sang. They sang because they wanted to and because God told them to. But they also sang for the sak

Eventually, the church declared Apollinarianism was a heresy at the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. Swinging too far to the other extreme put Apollinaris in the same position as people he had fought.What Heresies Are Similar to Apollinarianism?Let’s return to what we originally discussed: hypostatic union. As this discussion showed, it is impo

2. Walk in the LightEphesians 5:8“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.”Before we called Jesus Lord, the verse above tells us we were not only in darkness; we were darkness. That’s a scary reality, because as darkness, we were fruitless and existed apart from Christ. Just as Adam and Eve hid f

5. Remember the Purpose of the Church“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).When we experience brokenness, it is easy to view th

1. The Good ShepherdThe term shepherd is mentioned regularly in the Bible, but the Good Shepherd is associated most with Jesus. As He describes in John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”Jesus refers to Himself as Good Shepherd. Like a good shepherd watches over his flock and might sacrifice his life for

It also differs from worldly joy in that it is not to be pursued as an end in itself. Rather, it is the natural disposition of a heart that has been saved by grace. This is why understanding the context of Romans 12 is pivotal. Hope comes from seeing that one has been brought from death to life and knowing that the power that raised Christ from the

Regarding eschatology, a major element of dispensationalism can be found in Daniel 9 which outlines a “seventy weeks” prophecy. When interpreted literally, dispensationalists see it as a timeline for God’s work with Israel and the tribulation for the Church. Regarding the rapture, a popular verse is 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. “The dead in Christ will

5. A Prayer for FaithfulnessGracious God, I look to You to bless my marriage with a hope-filled future and pray for a deep, committed faith in You. Please draw my spouse close to Your heart and strengthen their faith right where they are. Remind us of Proverbs 3:3, which says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck,

2. Practice a Weekly SabbathWe need a day where our souls and homes can connect in order to be refreshed. Maybe it is protecting your Sundays and making sure that your time spent after worshiping is intentional. On these unhurried, soul-filling days, do things that restore your body and connect you to God and others. Take a walk, work in the yard,

Enter Nabal’s wife Abigail into the situation, who, as we will read, had become an expert on dealing with sharks. She went out to meet David on the way, and she “advised” him how to deal with this particular shark attack.Don’t Waste Your Time or Energy“When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face

How Does the Bible Connect Fruit with True Leadership? Just like with false teachers, we can know good leaders through their actions, as well. Jesus continually pointed to his character and actions as affirmation of his calling and message. “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” (John 10:32)

Amen.4. A Prayer for Those Feeling Anxiety“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).Heavenly Father,You know the worries of my heart, the anxieties that take root and fester. Yet you also know the plans you have for me, and for this nations and its leaders. Help me to rest i