One of the greatest fears when it comes to relationships is the fear of transparency. If you really knew me, would you still love me? My friend Steve Brown used to announce to his listeners, “If you knew me the way I know me, you wouldn’t want to listen to me preach.” He would quickly add, “If I knew you the way you know you, I wouldn’t want to pre

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”We mostly consider that last part of the verse, but notice the “Who knows?” It’s a question. They weren’t sure. They

Be thankful unto him. Let the praise be in your heart as well as on your tongue, and let it all be for him to whom it all belongs.And bless his name. He blessed you, bless him in return; bless his name, his character, his person. Whatever he does, be sure that you bless him for it; bless him when he takes away as well as when he gives; bless him as

What is a spiritual gift?A spiritual gift is a God-given ability, distributed to individual Christians by the Holy Spirit that allows him/or her to work through their lives to help the church execute its mission on earth.The idea of spiritual gifts, and specifically the "gifts from the Holy Spirit," really comes from the core teachings found in the

God has called us to be different. To stand against the grain. To be a city on a hilltop (Matthew 5:14). And to be the change for a world that lacks hope.Realizing you don’t fit in is a good thing. You weren’t made to fit in. You were made to fulfill your calling in Christ. You were made to fit out.Stand tall. Press on.Jarrid Wilson is a pastor, bl

Tip 1: Don’t Box Yourself InGod works on an individual basis. We each have a unique relationship with Him. Don’t feel like your quiet time needs to look like anyone else’s. There is no right or wrong way. You do not have to read a chapter a day, finish the Bible in a year, read a Psalm and a Proverb each day, or meet any other of those well-meaning

What's the Difference between Holding Someone Accountable and Being Judgmental?Accountability is holding someone to the standard of Scripture that you know without a reasonable doubt they have broken, and it often comes with permission. Being judgmental is pinpointing, talking about, criticizing, and making assumptions about what is hidden in the h

Physically, Emotionally, and Behaviorally Dangerous For some, winning the lottery was physically dangerous. Abraham Shakespeare was murdered in 2009 after winning a $30 million jackpot. The suspect, a woman who befriended Shakespeare after he won the lottery, shot him twice in the chest and then buried him under a slab of concrete.For some, winning

God Is Not Surprised by the Coronavirus God is not thrown off course by the Coronavirus. He is fully aware and fully in control (Psalm 135:6). He knows where it began and where it will go next. In reading Scripture, we see that God is not surprised by this pandemic because God laid witness to what caused it: man’s original sin, when sickness and su

Who Was Naaman? We do know a few things about this Syrian man. First, he had a decent amount of wealth, as we learn in 2 Kings 5:1. We also discover that he lead the Aram army as a commander. Aram resides in present-day Syria.Although he was a successful and valiant soldier, he had one ailment: leprosy. This term in the Bible can refer to a number

For example, at JesusEconomy.com, the nonprofit I’m the volunteer CEO for, we've made monthly giving easy. A donor can simply select "Monthly Donation" on any donation page and go through the checkout process. Each month the donation will then automatically be charged to the donor’s credit card. It's that easy to form a habit of giving regularly. 1

Pilate’s wife in the New Testament experiences a bad dream on Good Friday and tells her husband to have nothing to do with Jesus (Matthew 27:19). We could list several other examples, but many people in Scripture experienced nightmares and nightmarish visions. Check out this fun infographic from Overview Bible about all the dreams in the Bible. Wha

4. The Love of Physical Needs or Self“He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is po

You and I have all turned away or at one point have been separated from the Shepherd. In his great mercy, God didn’t leave us in that condition but went after us to bring us back home.2. God cares about all the sheep.2 Peter 3:9 reminds us that God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but he wants everyone to come to repentance. This desire is why God pu

Maybe you doubt there is a world of evil ready to tempt us. Do you remember why Christ died? He died for our sins, so to behave as though Hell is just a Halloween invention could be seen as mocking the Messiah and His sacrifice on the cross. If some part of your conscience feels uncomfortable, that’s the Holy Spirit asking you to pay attention. Pra

What Paul Really Means by "I Can Do All Things"Christians are not wrong to use Philippians 4:13 as a banner of God’s strength and power at work in their lives. It is true. The strength of Jesus Christ has the power to heal the sick, free the oppressed, move mountains (Matthew 17:20), break chains (Acts 12:7), and defeat death (Hebrews 2:14). Christ

5. Three prayers: This article suggests Early Christians may have had three set prayer times a day, modeled after verses like Psalm 55:17 and Daniel 6:10.6. Three gifts: The Magi present to Jesus three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh in Matthew 2.7. Three angels: In Revelation 14:6-16, we encounter three angels. The first tells all the earth t

“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right’” (Acts 10:34-35). 4. PentecostThe Holy Spirit was given as a gift to men and women from every nation on earth. “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation

2. God equips you for the work.“I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:9-10).You may sometimes grow tired of shouldering the burden of your loved one, but know that you have h

During the biblical account of Paul’s first missionary journey, Luke writes: “Then Saul, who was also called Paul…” (Acts 13:9). From this point forward, Luke only refers to the apostle as “Paul.” This shift does not reflect a name change, as has often been said, but rather a conscious decision on Paul’s part to use a name he already had. Since Pau