MinimizingI tend to downplay sin or circumstances in my life, as if they are “normal” or “not that bad. As a result, things often don’t get the attention they deserve, and have a way of mounting up to the point of being overwhelming.ExaggeratingI tend to think (and talk) more highly of myself than I ought to. I make things (good and bad) out to be

Younger women with children were to keep their primary focus at home (see Titus 2:4-5), but the older women would do well to reach outside their homes and share what they had learned with those who would profit from it most.A godly woman teaches by her life what is good in God’s sight. She carefully chooses the “better part” as Mary did in contrast

1. It's about remembranceThe Lord's Supper is primarily (but not exclusively) designed to elicit or to stimulate in our hearts remembrance of the person and work of Jesus: “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:25).Photo credit: ©Thinkstock2. It's a commandmentThis remembrance is commanded. Participation at the Lord's Table is not an option. Pro

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[e] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22, NLT)“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. T

1. A Psalm a DayDo you struggle with depression, anxiety, or questions about why God does what He does? Do you need hope or just more worship in your life? Then immerse yourself in the Psalms – the Bible’s songbook. The Psalms are all songs of human emotion written by songwriters who were inspired by God and who felt many of the same things you and

This substitutionary dimension of the death of Christ for my sins is necessary. There are lots of ways the Bible talks about this and I think you can be very confused about some of them while still being saved. I don't want to start listing off all the ways the Bible talks about the atonement and how confused you can be about them while still being

In layman's terms, Advent prepares us not only to commemorate Jesus' first, humble arrival in a manger, but also helps us more fully invite Christ into our present lives while anticipating His final, glorious coming. Christians of all backgrounds can benefit from preparing for Christmas through Advent. The spiritual focus offers a meaningful way to

Matthew 21:1-11 - Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lo

1. Fort Lauderdale Airport AttackChaos erupted at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida when a man with a gun commenced one of the year’s first mass shootings, randomly firing at bystanders in the baggage claim area. Panicked passengers hid behind pillars or ran onto the tarmac, with the shooter killing five people and woun

1. Proverbs 3:5-6Everyone’s favorite. My wife Bertha’s favorite. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Some translations say: “He will make your paths smooth.” Or “straight.”)That’s a promise. Not everything in Proverbs that looks like a

To walk in the Spirit is to:1. Walk away from sin. Sin is disobedience to the revealed will of God. Walk away from sin by having the sin nature cleansed by pure righteous life of Jesus. When you receive Him, He gets your sins and you get His life. Walk, therefore, to the cross and leave your sins with Christ Jesus, by faith, today.2. Walk away from

1. 365 Days Is Rough, but 60 Days Is EasyWould you believe me if I told you that reading the Bible in one year is harder than reading it in two months? Crazy, I know. But it’s true.The hard part about the 365-day plan is not reading a chapter or two a day. That’s easy for most people. The hard part is doing something really easy for a long, long ti

It is much easier to point out where others are falling short than to admit and address our own errors. As leaders, though, refusing to acknowledge and act to correct our failures not only reveals a flaw in our character, it undermines the credibility of our claims to be concerned about wrong. How can anybody take the claim that we want to do what

8. Reading God’s love in its wider context keeps us from error.Love is perhaps the most obvious attribute for consideration from a trinitarian perspective, but we more readily observe that than grasp the theological consequences of it. What a difference it will make if, for example, we recall that the love of God is rooted in the Father’s love for

If you are afraid to commit yourself to God, to roll your burden onto His shoulders and leave it there (that is the metaphor behind "casting all your anxiety on Him"), then I can tell you this with utmost certainty, you don't have a proper understanding of God's character nor of His sovereignty.The movie Braveheart was based on a true story of a Sc

1. God, I thank you for others.I ask you to fill them, and myself, with knowledge of your will, with wisdom and understanding. Even more, may I pursue others with love, through prayer, while building unity."I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel fr

This popular verse floats to the top every so often and gets thrown around on talk shows and magazines. We like to think that our happiness is God’s highest goal because that fits our consumer-focused, instant-access, you-deserve-it world. It’s a verse that allows people to skirt other biblical mandates because, as is often claimed, happiness trump

1. Turn complaining about your church into praying for your church.If there’s one thing we know about complaining, it is fundamentally (whether intentional or not) a disapproving commentary on the perfect sovereignty of the One running things. God decreed everything about which we complain. He reigns. So, it’s possible that our complaints are reall

1. Don't expect it to be easy.Evangelism is almost always a struggle for most of us. Don’t make “feeling compassion for the lost” the sole prerequisite for taking steps towards them. Take the steps first and ask God to give the compassion along the way.2. Begin with a renewed discipline of prayer for non-believers.(Note: Paul says we need to

To sum up:Your life and body are far more valuable than any food you eat or clothing you wear. If God gave you life and fearfully created your body, he’ll provide food for that life and covering for that body.God provides for birds who don’t know enough to plant, reap, and store up for winter. Humans created in God’s image are far more valuable tha