Last spring I had the privilege of speaking at a conference for NFL players put on by Pro Athletes Outreach (PAO), a group which exists to unite a community of pro athletes and couples to grow as disciples of Jesus and positively impact their spheres of influence. They have a fantastic outreach to professional football and baseball athletes and their wives. I’ve seen firsthand the amazing difference they’re making. In the off-season I exchanged emails and texts with dozens of NFL players and cha..Continue reading→
Home
Thoughts
Motherhood Is a Marathon
I wanted to do great things for God. In the spring of my senior year of college, on the brink of embarking upon my own journey into adulthood, my future was undecided and that was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. As a philosophy major, my path was narrower than I had realized, but I was sure it would take me on some grand and glorious adventure. I knew the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. “Glorify” sounds like such a grand term. It evokes images of battlefie..Continue reading→
1 Peter 5:7–8: How Not to Battle Anxiety
Anxieties attack our faith and torment our peace. The question with anxiety is not whether it will come, but rather, how can I fight it when it does? Watch NowContinue reading→
Is Love of Money Really the Root of All Evils?
Is the love of money the “root of all evils” or only the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)? “All evils” is the formal English equivalent of the original Greek (pantōn tōn kakōn). It is remarkable that all older versions of the Bible translate 1 Timothy 6:10 in the more literal way: “The love of money is the root of all evils” (or all evil). This includes the Wycliffe Bible, Luther Bibel, Geneva Bible, King James Version, Douay-Rheims, Darby Bible, and Revised Standard Version. Bu..Continue reading→
Daily Verses
Colossians 2:9-10
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”Continue reading→
Mark 7:15 (07-15-16)
"There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man."— Mark 7:15 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We get so hung up on externals, appearances, and facades. Jesus cuts to the core of God's concern — our spiritual heart condition. He wants us to not only focus on what we put in our body, but what we allow to grow in our hearts and simmer in our heads. The inner world is what needs ..Continue reading→
James 1:21
“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”Continue reading→
2 Chronicles 7:14 (07-14-16)
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."— 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... While this is a passage often emphasized when talking about the problems with nations and governments, let's remember that the truest application of this must find its home in us and in our churches. We can begin ..Continue reading→
John 15:10
“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Psalm 121:1-2
“A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”Continue reading→
Proverbs 9:10 (09-10-16)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.— Proverbs 9:10 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... There are many fields of academic pursuit that are noble and beneficial, but true wisdom and the highest understanding can be found in only one place — a reverential knowledge of God! My Prayer... Lord God, Holy Savior of Israel and my Abba Father, thank you for the grace of prayer. Thank you for your steadfastness and faith..Continue reading→
Isaiah 46:4
“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”Continue reading→
Ezekiel 9:9 (09-09-16)
Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.— Ezekiel 9:9 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... In times of evil and adversity, God's people can lose sight of the Father's "great and precious promises." God has faithfully kept these promises through the ages. This past faithfulness is our reminder ..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for July 16
But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. Micah 7:7–8, RSV Dear Father in heaven, as your children we stand before you and lift our eyes to you. We are poor, needy people, often wretched and tormented. Let your eyes rest upon us. Grant us the help we need. Bless us when we gather in the name of Jesus Christ, that we may be a people who learn to serve you on all the paths we follow, even if it proves bitterly hard. Give us true faith for every moment. May we have joy and confidence that you are with your children, that you remain with them forever, until the great time of redemption when we will rejoice with all past generations and with all who are living today. Amen.Continue reading→
Saved to Serve
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 Prayer: Dear Father, May our faith serve to call them to wait for your Son from heaven, whom you raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath that will ultimately come upon an unrepentant world. Thank you for a love that reaches down and takes from within the world of sinners a people for yourself. Thank you for redeeming us, those sinners, for making us holy through your power, and for saving us for your eternal kingdom. My God, you are so great, so awes..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for July 15
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10, RSV Lord our God, grant that we may find the power of your Spirit so that we may live on a higher level, no longer controlled by our lower natures but strengthened to take up the battle of life. May we be children of the Spirit and may we walk in the Spirit. Guard us against carelessness and keep us joyful and courageous. Help us and counsel us on all our ways so that we may honor you and testify that you are our God, our true help. Amen.Continue reading→
A Marvelous Message
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-8 Prayer: Dear Father, Thank you for the great numbers of believers in Jesus Christ, for their works of faith, their labors of love, and their steadfastness of hope which they have in Christ. Thank you for choosing all of us and calling us to yourself by the Good News about Jesus. Thank you that this marvelous message came to us not only in word, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. Thank you for the example of your apostles as demonstrations of w..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Church of England sets up new body on sexuality
Rt Rev Graham James, the Bishop of Norwich, will chair a new body on sexuality set up by the Church of England. Church of England bishops have set up a new body to "take forward work on sexuality" which will be chaired by Graham James, the Bishop of Norwich. The establishment of the 'Bishops' Reflection Group on Sexuality' was announced this afternoon after senior Church of England clergy met in Oxford this week. The bishops discussed sexuality as well as a range of othe..Continue reading→
Church attendance has risen since Fr Jacques Hamel’s murder, says Archbishop
The number of people attending mass in the area where Father Jacques Hamel was murdered has increased since his death, said the Archbishop of Rouen. ReutersA white rose is attached to a post in front of the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray where Father Jacques Hamel, was killed. The Catholic priest whose throat was slit as he celebrated mass on July 26 was declared a "martyr" by Pope Francis on Wednesday, strongly implying he will one day become a saint. Archbishop Dominique Lebrun, who over..Continue reading→
Pope Francis: Church pastors must spend time with the poor
ReutersPope Francis addresses the Wednesday general audience at the Vatican. Pope Francis has spoken out against pastors who self-indulge and distance themselves from the sufferings of the poor, in his traditional midweek address in St Peter's square. "Jesus was not a prince," said the Pontiff on September 14, the Catholic Herald reports. "It is awful for the Church when pastors become princes, far from the people, far from the poorest people. That is not the spirit of Jesus." The Pope w..Continue reading→
How We Pastors Can Stop Preaching Legalism
While reading Timothy Keller’s new book, Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism, I ran across a quote that, I believe, is wildly telling. In this passage, Keller is talking about legalism (dependence on morality to save us) and antinomianism (the belief that God’s grace doesn’t mean we have to live holy lives). “Here is where the issue affects your preaching. If you think legalism is simply too much emphasis on the law, then you will think the antidote is to talk less about obed..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Are Chip and Joanna Gaines “Cultural Heretics”?
Supporters of same-sex marriage once leaned on libertarian terminology to make their case. “Just live and let live,” we were told. Nowadays, despite surveys showing that only half of Americans support same-sex marriage, the traditional view, accepted by nearly all societies across the world for thousands of years, is treated as if it is a fringe position, worthy of public scorn. The Cosmopolitan article says the revelation about the Gaines’ church is startling due to “the diversity of their audi..Continue reading→
Was Jesus Married to Mary Magdalene? Revisiting a Stubborn Conspiracy Theory
In sum, this Huffington post article is an unfortunate exercise in “whack a mole.” It is the same old conspiracy theory of prior generations, fed to a new audience that perhaps wouldn’t know any better. And that is the sad part of this whole story. The average person reading this article will probably accept it as fact. But, despite the bold claims of the article’s title, there are few real facts to be found here. When I was a kid, I always used to enjoy the “whack a mole” game at the local arc..Continue reading→
A Minister’s Regrets
I am sorry that I did not rest in a routine of personal devotions early on.Settled into a place at a time and seeking the face of God sounds natural, like morning ablutions, but it is a living holy world you are entering and so there is bound to be dark spiritual resistance. It is the Holy One, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, whose face you are seeking. What a struggle for some of us, to impose upon the flesh a spirit of contrition, penitence and hunger for the divine, yet how essential to g..Continue reading→
Repenting … And I Love It!
Regular repentance results in increased holiness and prayer. As we talk with our Savior about our sin, the Spirit causes us to loath that which he loathes. As we pray, we find ourselves having transformed desires. As we repent, we find we want to understand his Law better and worship him more. Increased are our desires to worship him, please him, keep his Law, enjoy more holy affections, and do more holy deeds. Someone may ask, “Why does your church spend so much time every Sunday reading the L..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Archbishop Of Canterbury Slams ‘Shocking Blight’ Of UK Hunger
The Archbishop of Canterbury slammed the "shocking blight" of hunger in the UK on Tuesday. Justin Welby backed a £1.3million campaign to cut down on food waste in London as part of a drive to tackle hunger in Britain. The Evening Standard's initiative was also supported by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Justin Welby has been a longstanding supporter of tackling food poverty.Reuters "I welcome the Evening Standard's campaign on tackling food poverty and wast..Continue reading→
Christian Author Jen Hatmaker Responds After Books Pulled Because Of Pro-LGBT Views
Several of Jen Hatmaker's books have been produced by LifeWay's B&H Publishing, including the best-seller "7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess."Facebook / Jen Hatmaker A popular Christian author who had her books withdrawn from LifeWay shops after announcing her support for gay rights has spoken out after receiving backlash. In a lengthy Facebook post on Monday, Jen Hatmaker said she had come to her conclusion "with prayer and careful study and deliberation", and insisted: "We w..Continue reading→
Priest Goes Around San Francisco to Pray for Those Killed in Streets
Reuters A Roman Catholic priest has been going around the city of San Francisco, California for the past four years to pray for those killed in the streets. Rev. Michael Quinn from the Archdiocese of San Francisco has made it his mission to say prayers and sprinkle holy water on city streets that have become sites of homicide. He and his two companions in the mission—Julio Escobar and Alma Zamora—go around the city every week to pray for homicide victims, no matter what crimes or sins they co..Continue reading→
Ban on Religious Christmas Songs Lifted by Florida Mall Following Public Outcry
Pixabay A major shopping mall in Florida that receives millions of visitors every year had imposed a ban on Christmas songs and hymns about Jesus but was eventually forced to rescind the prohibition due to public criticism. Officials from the University Town Center (UTC) Mall in Sarasota County earlier issued a controversial decree directing choral groups performing in the commercial area not to sing Christmas carols, particularly those written in English. "For choral groups, the Mall prefers..Continue reading→
Music
Foreign by Json
Foreign represents Json's joy in returning to Saint Louis to serve the Lord back in his home town. "Foreign is me running off of the energy I felt from being home working around dudes from my city," said Json. "Foreign is the first of the series which will always feel different from my regular albums, These projects will be kind of like my alter ego, so to speak. It's me just enjoying the creative process and making music without having a complete theme to follow," Json further explained. What does the title Foreign mean? "It's a representation of who we are as[...]Continue reading→
God of Fireflies by Katy Kinard
"God of Fireflies" entwines the whimsical and the edgy parts of faith and love. The careful crafting of lyrics brings depth to subjects not often discussed and unique perspectives, like Jesus' life as a child "learning how to be human," and a true story (inspired from an article) depicting Mother Teresa's advice to a young mother from the U.S. Creepy, brilliant production supports a song that "seeking after God" is getting crowded out by a fast-paced world of distractions, and a unique spin on why God ever created fireflies (or "helicopter leaves" or dandelions) does the album's title track[...]Continue reading→
Matthew West Releases Music Video For ‘Mended’
Today The Christian Broadcasting Network exclusively premiered the brand new music video for Matthew West's latest single "Mended." "As a storyteller, I love the chance not only to tell a story through the songs I write and record, but also from a visual perspective. I'm excited about this lyric video for 'Mended' and I hope it moves the viewer as much as it moved me when I first saw it," said West about the video. The song, from Matthew's most recent album "Live Forev..Continue reading→
All Sons & Daughters, Pastor/Author Jamie George Release ‘Poets & Saints’ Sept. 2
GRAMMY and Dove Award nominated worshipers All Sons & Daughters, acclaimed author and pastor Jamie George and a film crew ventured to Europe to trace the lives of C.S. Lewis, Saint Patrick, John Newton, Saint Thérèse, Saint Francis, William Cowper, Saint Augustine, George MacDonald and others, mining for undiscovered gems, something to connect these individuals to modern believers. The resulting epic journey into the lives and stories of these Christ-followers that God used to wake up the world,..Continue reading→
PledgeMusic Acquires NoiseTrade, Hires Derek Webb
PledgeMusic has announced that it has officially acquired NoiseTrade. As part of the deal, the company will also be appointing Derek Webb as their PledgeMusic Nashville GM. PledgeMusic is a platform that enables crowdfunding, with an approach specifically tailored to the needs of musicians. PledgeMusic has rapidly become one of the foremost choices for independent artists inviting fans to partner with them on funding projects. NoiseTrade, which Derek Webb founded in 2008, is a platform where ar..Continue reading→
Wavorly Offers Rumored Reunion in Exchange for Facebook Likes
When Wavorly bass player Matt Lott posted a nostalgic picture on facebook, his band members quickly escalated it into a promised reunion if the picture got the right amount of likes-- a threshold the band is quickly approaching. Matt's original post said simply "Sometimes I really miss those Wavorly days...#wavorlyRIP." When his bandmates saw it, they shared it to the official Wavorly page, saying "So our bass player Matt says that if 1000 people like his status, he'll try to get the ..Continue reading→
Andrew Marcus Bows BEC Debut August 12
Constant, the label debut from newly signed BEC recording artist and three-time GMA Canada Covenant Award-nominated singer/songwriter and worship leader Andrew Marcus, bows August 12 in the United States and releases July 29 in Canada. The project will be available for pre-order at iTunes beginning July 22 with two instant-grat tracks. Produced by Scott Cash (Dan Bremnes) and executive produced by Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin), Constant--Marcus' sixth studio recording--features writing and vocal..Continue reading→
Seth Mosley Signs Exclusive Contract With Centricity Publishing
One of the most awarded and in-demand producers and songwriters in the Christian music industry, Seth Mosley, has signed a new exclusive contract that will continue his successful relationship with Centricity Publishing. In 2015 alone, Mosley won his first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, received the SESAC Award for Christian Songwriter of the Year and was the top winner at the Dove Awards by winning four of his five nominations that included Producer of the Year and So..Continue reading→
Bethel Music ‘Worship Nights’ Draw Capacity Crowds Internationally
Bethel Music, the worship music and community of songwriters emerging from Bethel Church in Redding, CA, continues its "Worship Nights" tour on the West Coast beginning Aug. 12. The tour, which has hosted sold out events in major market venues coast-to-coast and internationally, features Bethel Music worship favorites and new music from Have It All, the multi-artist double-disc live recording released March 11 that has garnered wide critical acclaim and topped multiple retail charts internationa..Continue reading→
American
How to Read the Bible (RJS)
For Christians the big questions in any discussion of science and faith generally come down to Scripture. How are we to read Scripture as the word of God? In much of the church there is an assumption that this should be straightforward… just read it literally. Unfortunately, this doesn’t hold up well for many of us. It isn’t even science that is the biggest challenge to this “simple” reading, it is Scripture itself. It isn’t clear that the Bible was intended to be read in this flat, literal mann..
Back to Church? (Michelle Van Loon)
By Michelle Van Loon at www.MomentsAndDays.org and www.MichelleVanLoon.com I’ve been blogging for more than a decade,and I’ve written often about spiritual abuse by church leaders – sharing both my own experience and referencing the struggles of others. I’m just one voice in a large crowd: there are numerous blogs, books, and worthwhile organizations telling the stories of spiritual and/or clergy sexual abuse survivors. The internet has been a tool for good in this struggle as it has facilitated..
Planned Parenthood VP Claims “Women Will Die” Because Trump Defunded Its International Group
President Donald Trump signed a life-saving executive order this week that prohibits international groups from receiving U.S. taxpayer funding if they promote or perform abortions overseas. Planned Parenthood already is on the attack, making misleading claims that Trump’s reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy will cause women to die. As LifeNews.com reported, the pro-life policy had been in place during the entirety of the George W. Bush administration, but President Barack Obama rescinded i..
Trump Spokesman: White House Staff Will Attend the March for Life
During the March for Life in previous years, pro-abortion President Barack Obama celebrated abortion and issued a presidential statement praising Roe vs. Wade. What a difference a change in president makes. Yesterday, a spokesman for President Donald Trump indicated White House staff will attend the March for Life, where over half-a-million pro-life people from around the country will mourn the almost 60 million unborn children who have been aborted since that fateful Supreme Court decision. ..
US
More on the banned Down syndrome video
We blogged about that video showing happy Down Syndrome children that was banned by the French government on the grounds that it might “disturb the conscience” of women who have had abortions. (You can see the video at the link.) George Will, who has a Down son, weighs in on the issue, explaining the origin of the video (which was made to reassure new parents) and making the point that this is a case of extending the concept of protection from being disturbed associated with college campuses to ..
And now, the commercialization of Advent
One reason that many Christians are rediscovering Advent is that Christmas has become so commercialized. Advent is a way to keep our concentration on what the Christmas season is supposed to be about, namely, the coming of Christ. But now Advent is also becoming commercialized! Alissa Wilkinson has written a good explanation of Advent for Vox. She explains the history of the season and what it means. She includes some interesting details that I had not realized. (For example, that Lutherans inve..
In trouble for belonging to an “anti-gay” church
Chip and Joanna Gaines are the hosts of “Fixer-Upper,” a popular home remodeling show on HGTV. They are openly devout Christians. And they are now under fire. A BuzzFeed article is accusing them of being anti-gay. This is because they belong to an evangelical congregation that does not conduct gay weddings and that holds to traditional teachings about sexual morality. That means, according to the Buzzfeed author, that the church is anti-gay. And because the Gaineses belong to this church, that m..
Back in the U.S.A.!
We are back in the good old U.S. of A. after spending a month visiting our daughter and her family in Australia. We enjoyed our time down under very much. But it’s good to be back home. I can’t believe that I was able to keep this blog going as usual despite the time difference (16.5 hours, a day ahead) and our many activities. Thanks for hanging in there with me. It was strange to watch the election from the other side of the world, but sometimes a little distance (literally) is clarifying. Aft..