Speaking in tongues is one of those mysterious things that often causes a lot of confusion for people. The thing about speaking in tongues is that it is a GIFT of the Holy Spirit; it cannot be learned. And it is not a gift that is given to every believer. YES, all who believe have the Holy Spirit, but that doesn't mean we have all the gifts—only th

Let me start by sharing my all time favorite verse, which is crucial in answering this question. Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of G

The dictionary has a few definitions for the word comedy, one being "a drama of light and amusing character and typically with a happy ending; humorous entertainment." When we think of the word "comedy," we tend to think of funny TV shows, stand-up comedians, and viral videos that make us laugh. But is it OK for Christians to spend time laughing a

CW: self-harm, depression, pornography, shame, self-hatredFor anyone who reads the Bible, it’s clear early on that God hates sin and asks Christians to do the same (1 Peter 1:16; Romans 12:9). But hate is a strong word, isn't it? What does biblical hate look like? Unfortunately, history and modern media have portrayed some very unloving "Christians

Before we get into whether you want to be a Christian, let’s make sure we’re on the same page about what a Christian is in the first place. The first incidence of people being called Christians was in the city of Antioch (Acts 11:26). Some historians believe the label "Christian" was used as a derogatory term placed on believers by haters because i

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression related to a change in seasons. Usually SAD symptoms begin in the fall and continue into the winter months. The colder, darker weather begins to suck your energy and affect your emotional state.For most people, battling something like Seasonal Affective Disorder is just a matter of getti

Spiritual gifts are a little like special God-given talents He grants His sons and daughters for the sole purpose of edifying the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7, 14:12). Edification is defined as "the instruction or improvement of a person morally or intellectually." These gifts, unlike natural talents or fruits of the Spirit, are very specific

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." —Galatians 5:25 (NKJV)When it comes to the Christian faith, a believer's "walk" is a metaphor for how we live our lives, what we do, and whom we follow. Another translation of Galatians 5:25 reads, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit" (ESV, emphasis added).

"In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one..." — Ephesians 6:16What is the shield of faith? And why is Paul telling us to take it up? When Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-20, he concludes this teaching by bringing attention to certain pieces

A lot of people believe partying hard is a part of adolescence. Now, obviously, being a loner who sits at a computer all day writing satirical articles for 412teens.org, you can imagine I don't get invited to many. But that's okay, because parties are stupid. Who wants to see people, meet people, and play party games? At least, that's what I tell m

If you are asking this question in response to your own or your loved one's depression, we are so sorry for the pain you're experiencing. The church often treats depression poorly, which doesn't help the depressed person, regardless of the cause of their depression. We hope that we can give your heart some answers that will empower you to reach wh

When we're going through stressful, weird times—or even just everyday life—it's a good idea to do a quick Mental Health Check to ask, "Are you OK?" Today, we’re going to talk about how to do a mental health check on yourself. To do your own mental health check, here are 5 questions you can ask yourself.

Dating or courting can be an exciting time, but it can also be a time with many questions. What if you thought you found the one God wanted for you, but it didn't end up working out? What if you fall for someone and start dating, only to find out they aren't a Christian? Until you find the person you wish to marry and spend your life with, all othe

One of the primary terms used to describe God is omniscient. This is often phrased as "God knows everything," which is what the word literally means. Omni means "all," and scient[ia] means "knowledge." For the most part, "God knows everything" is a handy definition for His omniscience. Technically, there are some things God cannot know—not because

Mental health is a subject of much controversy, especially when it comes to the idea of "medicating our emotions." Anxiety, depression, phobias, and more affect countless numbers of people, and that’s not even touching on other mental disorders such as bipolar, schizophrenia, PTSD, etc. In addition to countless disorders, there is just as much dive

Dear friend, the loss you are feeling right now is indescribable. Losing a loved one is always hard, but losing them to the tragedy of suicide adds even extra levels of pain. You may be experiencing guilt, confusion, anger, or shock. You may be experiencing emotions that are entirely separate from what you expected. No matter the pain you are in, p

"Surrender" is a military term which refers to ceasing resistance to an enemy or opponent and submitting to their authority. In the spiritual sense, we are in a battle between our will and the will of God. Since we are born sinful, we will always struggle with wanting to do the sinful thing (Romans 8:20-22; Romans 5:12). Just look at a 2-year old w

If you were to sit near my friend and me during a worship service at church, you’d see a beautiful blonde woman raising her hands to the sky and singing. Next to her, you’d see me, a woman with dark, curly hair and my hands on the pew in front of me, tapping quietly to the song. A row behind would be two elderly sisters, standing relatively still b

The Bible does not actually give any specific instructions for believers when it comes to dancing. However, dancing is definitely mentioned in the Bible through the stories about God's people.In Exodus 32:6, 19-25, we find that while Moses was up on the mountain talking to God, the Israelites built an idol and began to dance around it. This ended u

"Be in the world, but not of the world" is a phrase that's heard a lot in Christian subculture. It refers to what Jesus said as recorded by one of His close friends in John 15:19 and John 17:14-16. This concept is also talked about later in the New Testament by the famous convert Paul (see: Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 Thessalonians 4:1). Who