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→
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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
Matthew 7:13-14 (07-13-16)
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.— Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Over two decades ago, Juan Carlos Ortiz criticized European and American evangelists for offering a carrot stick gospel that focused on the pay off and not lordship of Jesus. Jesus, es..Continue reading→
Philippians 2:9-11
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”Continue reading→
Matthew 7:12 (07-12-16)
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."— Matthew 7:12 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Some things don't need a lot of explaining, just a lot more implementing. My Prayer... Loving God, Almighty Father, forgive me of my selfishness. You have blessed me so richly through Jesus. Please move me by your Spirit to be as generous, loving, forgiving, and kind with others as I wan..Continue reading→
Matthew 4:4
“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’””Continue reading→
Job 7:11 (07-11-16)
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.— Job 7:11 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We sometimes think of God as too fragile, too distant, or too brooding to speak with him honestly about our dilemmas. Job wasn't so shy. He is the great reminder that God prefers us to maintain our relationship with him, even if it is stormy. No matter where you are in your struggles, be honest with God — not..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Titus 2:2
“Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.”Continue reading→
2 Corinthians 9:8 (09-08-16)
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work...— 2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What a powerful promise! If we are willing to generously share with others in the name of Jesus as the apostle Paul discusses in the previous two verses, we will have what we need and our lives will be full of good deeds that bring glory to God. So let's remind ourselves of one the very ..Continue reading→
Psalm 143:10
“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”Continue reading→
Mark 9:7 (09-07-16)
And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.— Mark 9:7 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Who are you listening to in your life? We can hear all sorts of different voices, but we can follow only one. So who are you going to listen to as you make your decisions about morality, values, ethics, and character? Who has earned the right to be heard regarding life, death, salvation, and sin? God makes it unmistak..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for July 14
At that time I will answer the prayers of my people Israel. I will make rain fall on the earth, and the earth will produce grain and grapes and olives. I will establish my people in the land and make them prosper. I will show love to those who were called "Unloved," and to those who were called "Not-My-People" I will say, "You are my people," and they will answer, "You are our God." Hosea 2:21–23, TEV Lord our God, kindle true light in our hearts and minds, that we may recognize what we are and become free of everything false and dishonest. Let this light of righteousness, this judgment, go through all nations, that people no longer use empty words when they talk of "mercy" and "truth." Grant that your mercy and your truth find the right soil and bear fruit. May they find soil prepared by you, for you judge us and make right what is wrong in our earthly life. We thank you that however painful many of our experiences are, we may still say, "Through how much need has not our merciful God..Continue reading→
Living as a New Creation
Passage: Galatians 6:12-18 Prayer: Dear Father, creator of new creations, Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation! Let your peace and mercy rain down upon all of us who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God, called both from Jews and from non-Jewish people. Thank you, Father, for calling me to be part of your holy nation. Let us take..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for July 13
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2, NIV Lord our mighty God, look upon us in our poverty, for you call us your children and give us of your Spirit. From your fullness we constantly need to receive strength for the struggle meant for us in life. Grant that light may come wherever darkness still reigns, especially where it is so black that we do not know which way to turn. Hear our prayer for all people, and let your justice and your truth alone be victorious. Let all people receive what you have promised them, and let them realize that no matter what happens, they remain your children. Amen.Continue reading→
Anticipating the Harvest
Passage: Galatians 6:9-10 Prayer: Dear Father, just yet merciful God, May I not become weary in doing good but rather work diligently, energetically, and enthusiastically, keeping in mind the rich harvest you will send at the proper time. Don't ever let me give up on doing good or give up on you. And God, don't ever give up on me! As I have opportunity, let me do good to everybody, especially to those in my family of fellow believers. In the name of Jesus I ask these things. Amen.Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
How 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→
Reflection: The mystery of Fr Jacques Hamel’s final words
Cardinal Vincent Nichols has reflected on the final words of Fr Jacques Hamel in a speech to Birmingham priests. Just a few weeks ago, on a drive down France, I went to visit the church where Fr Jacques Hamel was brutally killed. The town, or suburb, of Sainte Etienne-du-Rouvray, is a small, quiet place beside the railway tracks, south of Rouen. The church was still closed, surrounded by barricades. There was a small, moving and tired-looking array of flowers, cards, mementos and t..Continue reading→
Retiring Archbishop of Wales delivers parting shot to conservatives: Bible can support gay marriage
The Archbishop of Wales has argued that taking the Bible seriously can lead to supporting same-sex marriage as he defended his acceptance of LGBT relationships. Dr Barry Morgan, who will retire in January, used his last address to the governing body of the Church in Wales on Wednesday to deliver a parting shot to conservative critics who said he had been "swayed by the liberal culture of our age" and "ignored Holy Scripture". He argued the Bible had more than one view on LGBT relationships as ..Continue reading→
4 Habits for Building a Healthy Organizational Culture
“Culture is a balanced blend of human psychology, attitudes, actions, and beliefs that combined create either pleasure or pain, serious momentum, or miserable stagnation.” Culture is the combination of what we believe and how we behave. It’s been said that we are creatures of habit. The same can be said for the organizations we lead. They are simply a product of our habits! There’s always a gap between what we say we value and what we..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Top 7 Nations With Worst Record of Christian Persecution: Report
The seven nations where persecution was branded so extreme that “it could scarcely get any worse” include: Afghanistan, Iraq (northern), Nigeria, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Syria. “A virulent and extremist form of Islam emerged as the number one threat to religious freedom and was revealed as the primary cause of persecution in many of the worst cases,” the report noted. A global charity that investigates the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities has issued a new ..Continue reading→
The Real Reason Evangelicals Don’t Baptize Babies
For most evangelicals, what stands in the way of baptizing infants isn’t a lack of biblical evidence, but an interpretive lens they wear when reading Scripture. That lens–shaped by revivals, rugged individualism, and a sacramental theology untethered from the church’s means of grace–makes conversion the chief article of the faith. We should expect this, since American evangelical theology was forged on the frontier, in camp meetings, to the sound of fire-and-brimstone preaching. Friends (especi..Continue reading→
The End of Identity Liberalism
But the fixation on diversity in our schools and in the press has produced a generation of liberals and progressives narcissistically unaware of conditions outside their self-defined groups, and indifferent to the task of reaching out to Americans in every walk of life. At a very young age our children are being encouraged to talk about their individual identities, even before they have them. By the time they reach college many assume that diversity discourse exhausts political discourse, and ha..Continue reading→
The History of Advent
Unlike modern Advent ceremonies, most celebrations of Advent in history had a twin focus. The Latin word adventuswas the translation of the Greek parousia—a word used for both the coming of Christ in human flesh and his Second Coming. Advent, then, always tended to focus on both. Many churches lit the first of their Advent candles today (hopefully without needing the fire department!). Even churches averse to liturgical practices find a way to mark the Advent season, if only by marking the days..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Church raps Austria’s far-right presidential candidate for invoking God
Reuters Austria's Protestant church has criticized the far-right candidate for president for using the phrase "so help me God" on his campaign posters, saying his party's anti-immigrant stance ran against Christian principles. Norbert Hofer, the anti-immigrant Freedom Party's (FPO) presidential hopeful, uses the line in the hope it will help persuade voters to make him the European Union's first far-right head of state in a run-off election on Dec. 4. The result of a previ..Continue reading→
How Revival Saved This Ugandan Tribe From Devil Worshipping
Pixabay For centuries, a remote African tribe called the Batwa Pygmies in Uganda worshipped the devil and performed witchcraft. But thanks to Christian missionaries who introduced them to Jesus Christ, they have given up their past, sinful ways and embraced salvation. "We smoked; we drank; we performed witchcraft," said Jovanis Nyirakayanje, a Batwa Pygmy. "We were devil worshippers [and] we used to live like animals in the jungle." Their conversion to Christianity began in 1992 when the gove..Continue reading→
Christian Bakers Who Lost Appeal Against Gay Activist Say Their Faith Is Stronger Than Ever: ‘God Is In Control’
Daniel and Amy McArthur are seen walking outside Belfast County Court.(The Christian Institute) Christian bakers Daniel and his wife Amy McArthur, who run Ashers Baking Company, lost the appeal they made against a judgment that said they discriminated against gay activist Gareth Lee. The McArthurs are saddened by this development, but despite all the upheavals they're facing, their faith in God remains strong. "We never meant to cause anyone any offence, but at the same time, as Christian..Continue reading→
Is It a Sin to Watch Porn Together With One’s Spouse? This Pastor Provides an Answer
(Wikimedia) People have often wondered if watching porn constitutes as cheating towards one's spouse. Many Christians believe so. But what if spouses watch porn together? Will it be considered acceptable then? In his recent podcast, Desiring God founder Pastor John Piper said he is often asked by listeners if watching the sexual acts of other people, even with their spouses, is considered a sin in the Lord's eyes. Piper gave a straightforward answer. "Yes, it is." In an article th..Continue reading→
Music
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→
Where the Light Shines Through by Switchfoot
Track Listing 01. Holy Water 02. Float 03. Where the Light Shines Through 04. I Won't Let You Go 05. If the House Burns Down Tonight 06. The Day That I Found God 07. I Can't Shake This Feeling 08. Bull in a China Shop 09. Live It Well 10. Looking for America 11. Healer of Souls 12. Hope is the Anthem 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→
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→
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→
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..