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
Jeremiah 7:3 (07-03-16)
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.— Jeremiah 7:3 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We often take for granted what we have, where we live, the friends who bless our lives, and the family that gives us a place to belong and grow. All of these are gifts to us from God. We don't deserve them. We don't earn them. But, we can surely destroy them. God wants us to live obediently, not just..Continue reading→
Matthew 7:2 (07-02-16)
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.— Matthew 7:2 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Jesus is concerned that we not have a critical spirit toward others, especially about their motives as to why they did something. We can't assume to know another person's heart; only God can. When we are unfairly critical, overly harsh, or unduly judgmental, we need to remember that God will use that same sta..Continue reading→
Psalm 7:1 (07-01-16)
O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me...— Psalm 7:1 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Who or what is pursuing you? Is it a past mistake? Is it an old enemy? Is it your conscience? Is it a nagging sense of guilt? Is it someone who wants to do you physical harm? Is it a physical illness? In the middle of all the storms and struggles of life, where do you go to find peace and security? There is only One who can be a true and ..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Isaiah 48:17
“This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”Continue reading→
Isaiah 9:2 (09-02-16)
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.— Isaiah 9:2 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... This great promise in Isaiah was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus (see Matthew 4:15-16; Luke 1:79). As darkness falls tonight, look out at a street light and capture it in your memory so that every time you see a light shining in the darkness it will remind you to do two things: give thanks t..Continue reading→
Psalm 119:64
“The earth is filled with your love, LORD; teach me your decrees.”Continue reading→
Psalm 9:1 (09-01-16)
I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.— Psalm 9:1 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... The words of Jessie Brown Pound's old hymn say it best: "If the light of his presence has brightened your way, O will you not tell it today?" Prayerfully select someone who needs to know of the goodness and graciousness of God and share Jesus with that person. A heart filled with praise to God will not only praise him, but will lead others t..Continue reading→
Prayers
The Deeds of the Flesh
Passage: Galatians 5:19-21 Prayer: Dear Father, opposer of all that is evil,Help me to stay away from those things which are clearly works of the flesh: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like.Help me heed your warning, given again and again, that people who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. In the name of Jesus I ask you to perfect us, whatever that m..Continue reading→
The Flesh Versus the Spirit
Passage: Galatians 5:16-18 Prayer: Dear Father, giver of your Spirit, Help me to walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of my flesh. For the desires of my flesh are opposed to the desires of my spirit and to the desires of your Spirit for me. These things set up an opposition within me to keep me from doing what I want. But thank you for letting me know that if I live by the Spirit I do something different than just live by the rules of the law, that in fact I am not under law.In the name of ..Continue reading→
Freedom Is No Excuse for Sin
Passage: Galatians 5:13-15 Prayer: Dear Father, guardian of the free, May we never use freedom as a pretext for evil or as an excuse for indulging sinful desires. Rather, grant that we, out of love, will make ourselves servants to one another. For the Lord has taught us that the whole law is fulfilled in the one saying, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Keep us from "biting" and "devouring" one another, lest we be consumed by one another. Encourage and enable me and all my brothers and..Continue reading→
Christ, the Stumbling Block
Passage: Galatians 5:7-12 Prayer: Dear Father, guarantor of freedom, Help me to run well! Help me not to be hindered from obeying the truth! Don't let me be persuaded by a viewpoint that is not from you, the God who called us to freedom in Jesus! A little leaven leavens the whole lump! Help me keep out even a pinch of "slavery" type thinking and religiosity that worships human will. For to preach circumcision (law-keeping as a means of justification), is to remove the stumbling block of the cros..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Truth and translation: 3 questions about religious language
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments." (Ps 119:9-10) To those familiar with the King James Bible, these words may be sweet honey for the soul. Meanwhile, everyone else is trying to work out what wherewithal means. And taking heed thereto. The words of Jesus: translated to English from Greek, which was translated from Aramaic. Simple really. Words ..Continue reading→
Rev Gretta Vosper doesn’t believe in God, Jesus or Bible: Church panel says enough is enough
Rev Gretta Vosper is an atheist but leads West Hill United Church in Toronto, Canada. Atheist pastor Gretta Vosper should be dismissed from ministry in the United Church of Canada, a Church committee has decided. The saga has been going on for quite a long time. The minister of West Hill church in Toronto, she said in 2001 she didn't believe in a supernatural, interventionist, divine being". The UCC, extremely relaxed about doctrinal issues, was OK with this until in 2013 she declared her..Continue reading→
No Voice
I’m currently experiencing day three of “no voice.” I can’t talk above a whisper, which is uncomfortable. I’ve had to cancel two lunch dates, two counseling appointments, Celebrate Recovery Training, a conference call, apprenticing with our new Ministry Leader, and I will miss Celebrate Recovery tonight as well. The temptation to try to talk is too great when I am around people, which just makes the healing take that much longer, as it irritates my vocal cords further. So, I sit at home, not tal..Continue reading→
Sharon’s Celebrate Recovery Story
I’m a believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with drug addiction and the consequences of sexual abuse. My name is Sharon. I was born into a family with three older siblings, who are much older than I, and a twin sister. Karon and I were the “second” family for our parents. I grew up in a strict religious home. My Dad was a preacher, so we were in church every time the doors opened. The family you saw at church was not the family you’d have seen at home behind closed doors. You see, growing up, ..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
White Christian Apocalypse?
“After the recent election, I saw plenty of articles saying this was the last gasp of White America before whites lost their majority status, maybe sometime around 2040. Well, 2040 is a long way off, but let us look at the projections for what the U.S. population will look like in mid-century, say in 2050.” I have been deliberately holding off on election-related comments on matters about which I have little novel to contribute. On one critical issue, though, contemporary debate and theorizing ..Continue reading→
5 Common Marriage Counseling Mistakes
“The first challenge we encounter in this type of situation is getting caught up in the emotions of the moment and feeling that we have to fix the problem immediately. However, if we give in to that pressure, we are much more likely to say something that isn’t helpful. In the first thirty minutes, hour, or two hours, of counseling we often don’t know enough to be all that helpful.” Pastors are all familiar with that couple. The couple that asks for help and says something has to change, and now..Continue reading→
Psychiatry Professor: ‘Transgenderism’ Is Mass Hysteria Similar To 1980s-Era Junk Science
Psychiatric “disorders” both come and go in response to contemporary cultural fads and determined special interests. For the sexual liberation movement the political advantage lay in having offending disorders removed. In 1973 it succeeded in getting the APA to remove homosexuality from its lexicon of disorders simply by vote of the membership. Consider the remarkable phenomenon of transgenderism. A disorder of gender identity that afflicts a minuscule number of Americans has become a polarizin..Continue reading→
From Shame to Sin (Review)
“When Christianity emerged in the Roman Empire during the first century it did so as a persecuted minority known for its distinctive sexual ethic. Harper argues, in fact, that it was their views of sex more than anything else that distinguished Christians in the ancient world.” The West is jettisoning the Christian understanding of human sexuality at an alarming speed. It is doing so, to a significant extent, without any meaningful understanding of how Christianity shaped western sexuality in t..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Light Out Of Darkness: A Review Of Leonard Cohen’s ‘You Want It Darker’
leonardcohen.com There was only one thing wrong with Bob Dylan being given the Nobel Prize for Literature. He certainly deserves it, but surely the first songwriter to receive that esteemed award should have been the Canadian wordsmith, Leonard Cohen? Possibly the best concert I have even been to was Leonard Cohen's at Edinburgh Castle a few years ago. Thousands of us gathered to hear him sing the classics we all remembered – Marianne, Hallelujah, the Chelsea Hotel and so on. Halfway thro..Continue reading→
More People on Google Searching For Memes Than Jesus Christ
Pixabay More people who go online and use Google search are more interested in looking for memes on the Internet instead of researching about Jesus Christ, data from the popular search engine showed. According to Mirror Online, Twitter user Dominik Vincent Salonen noticed how memes have already become "more popular" than Jesus using the analytics from Google Trends. Salonen, who uses the Twitter handle @Kuwaddo, came up with a graph comparing interest in the terms "meme" and "Jesus Christ" on..Continue reading→
Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton Talks Brain Tumour: ‘God Doesn’t Owe Me a Day’
Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton, who has been diagnosed again with a brain tumour, is seen here making a Skype recording.(Instagram/Scott Hamilton) Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist in figure skating, is battling brain tumour for the third time since 2004. He is grateful that the tumour is benign, but whatever happens to him moving forward, Hamilton said he is going to be praising God all the way. Hamilton went in for a regular check-up this year, and doctors told him that th..Continue reading→
Will God Get Angry at People Who Say the Wrong Things in Prayer? Billy Graham Answers
Pixabay How do people pray? It has often been suggested that praying from the heart is the best form of conversation people can have with God. But some Christians are afraid to say the wrong things to their Saviour. That's why they rely on memorised prayers. World-renowned evangelist Billy Graham understands their concerns, but he is encouraging them to let go of their fears and pray straight from the heart. "Don't be afraid; don't worry about saying something in your prayers t..Continue reading→
Movies
My favorite films of 2016
Conventional wisdom holds that 2016 was, to use the technical term, a dumpster fire. I’m not going to argue against that; it was a year in which American culture finally curdled and icons were taken from us at an alarming rate. But bad times make for great art, and 2016 was another wonderful year of cinema. Unlike other years, in which the majority of great releases were clustered around the fall months, my list for favorite films of 2016 includes films that were released throughout the calendar..Continue reading→
Happy Christmas Eve
Photo via Vlickr, Jori Samonen. CC Licensing. Ever since I was a child, Christmas Eve has meant more to me than Christmas Day. As a child, it was because Christmas Eve was when we would load up the car, go to my grandparents and open gifts with my cousins. It was that night — and the lead into Christmas morning — that embodied the holiday for me the most. Treats on the counter. One grandfather excitedly playing Santa. The other calmly reading Luke’s account of the Christmas story. A fire roaring..Continue reading→
The Best Films of 2016: Empathy in Action
What animated the most enduring films of 2016? While our nation suffered from our inability to empathize with the Other, thankfully the finest filmmakers reminded us how compelling compassion remains. Empathy turned a ‘small’ film like Moonlight into an immediate masterpiece. Not a shot, gesture, or line is wasted in Barry Jenkins’ gorgeous triptych. The evolution of Chiron across the mean streets of Miami communicated with such clarity why Black Lives Matter. The West Texas plains of Toby and ..Continue reading→
Short film submissions wanted $10,000 for films on fatherhood
Short film submissions wanted $10,000 for films on fatherhood December 21st, 2016 The Fatherhood CoMission and the Christian Worldview Film Festival have partnered to hold the second annual HONOR YOUR FATHER short film contest. The two groups urge filmmakers to use inspiration, humor, or drama in short film to promote a Biblical perspective of fatherhood, sharable on social media and appropriate to play in churches leading up to Father’s Day. Filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds are ..Continue reading→
My favorite (non-movie) pop culture of 2016!
Photo by Dafne Cholet, Flickr. CC Licensing. 2016 is coming to a close. And while there are a lot of reasons to be happy that we’re saying goodbye to this year, let’s not forget that this wasn’t a terrible year in every area. True, we might be skipping toward the apocalypse. But at least there were some fun diversions along the way. My post for the best movies of 2016 will be coming later. I hope to have it up before the new year, but the fall has been so busy that I’m behind on movies. There ar..Continue reading→
Pureflix joining forces with ClearPlay to deliver clean(er) content to families
Pureflix joining forces with ClearPlay to deliver clean(er) content to families December 20th, 2016 PureFlix, a leader in the faith and family streaming video space, is partnering with ClearPlay Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah. To provide consumers original content, movies, TV shows and more completely free from any offensive language. ClearPlay’s innovative playback filtering technology is designed to work with the PureFlix.com existing library of more than 5,000 titles. It also opens the do..Continue reading→
“It’s My Favorite” Talks Christmas!
Photo by Antonio Castagna, Flickr. CC Licensing So, Christmas is coming and I know there’s been a bit of a lull the past few months in blogging as I’ve finished my first semester of grad school. It’s been a busy, challenging few months, but as of about 24 hours ago, I’m done with class. Starting Friday, I’ll be off work for two days. In addition to enjoying the holidays with my family, I’m also looking forward to catching up on some movies and tending to this neglected site. In the coming days a..Continue reading→
Sony Animation’s The Star — a Nativity film coming out next year — warms up its online marketing campaign
Is it too early to think about next year’s Christmas movies? The folks at Sony apparently hope it isn’t. Today their “faith-based” division, Affirm Films, sent out an e-mail letting people know that the upcoming animated film The Star — about a donkey, a sheep, and some other animals who participate in the first Christmas — now has a website. The film also has a few social-media accounts, but so far — apart from the brand-new banner above — there are no photos, no casting news and no details abo..Continue reading→
Watch: Jack Huston and Timur Bekmambetov sing Morgan Freeman’s praises in a clip from a Ben-Hur bonus feature
Ben-Hur was one of the year’s biggest flops, and director Timur Bekmambetov thinks he knows why: he recently told a Russian news agency that the film failed at the box office because audiences prefer stories of revenge to stories about forgiveness. That could be one of the reasons the film didn’t do so well, but I can think of a few others, too: the late-August release date, the lousy reviews, the perception that it was a niche “faith-based” film, and the utter lack of movie stars, to name just ..Continue reading→
Music
All Is Not Lost by The Brilliance
In a world faced with suffering, division and hate, liturgical band The Brilliance is declaring that even still All Is Not Lost, the title of their inspiring sophomore album, set to release January 27, 2017. The New York-based duo, comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt. writes songs for both the church and those feeling spiritually homeless. Their goal is to create music that gives voice to the pain and pleasure of the human experience, providing a sonic invitation that welcomes all people to live fully. Colored through with intricate string arrangements, All Is Not Lost contains tracks[...]Continue reading→
Red Sea Road by Ellie Holcomb
This record celebrates the Hope we have in Jesus, and the powerful personal ways Ellie has seen Him make Red Sea Roads through some of the most heartbreaking times of her life. "The past two years for our community have been heavy, full of suffering and loss," shares Ellie Holcomb. "Red Sea Road is a record full of songs about how I've seen God show up in the middle of all the pain. I know now more than I did two years ago that He is faithful, no matter what we are facing, I've seen Him continue to draw[...]Continue reading→
Vertical Church Band Announces The Vertical Nights Tour Featuring Pastor James MacDonald
Essential Worship's Vertical Church Band and Premier Productions have partnered and are proud to announce the upcoming dates for their Vertical Nights Tour. Kicking off March 8 in South Bend, Indiana, the tour is scheduled to hit 14 markets across the U.S. Tickets are on sale now by visiting here. RELATED Vertical Church Band Releases 'Frontiers' At each tour stop, concertgoers will get to enjoy a message from Pastor James MacDonald of Harvest Bible Chapel, along with music from..Continue reading→
Aaron Shust Releases Performance Video For ‘You Redeem’
This week Aaron Shust released the performance video, featuring former Sanctus Real lead singer and co-writer Matt Hammitt, for his new single "You Redeem." The song is the first single from the live worship album Love Made A Way, releasing March 10th. RELATED Aaron Shust's 'Ever Be' Top 5 on Billboard's NCA Chart "When God performs miracles, when he heals what cannot be cured, it can be overwhelming to know that He is mindful of us. I can clearly recall every moment I'..Continue reading→
Meredith Andrews’ Husband Helps Save A Life
Last week Meredith Andrews and her husband, songwriter and producer Jacob Sooter, got to have a part in something truly incredible helping save someone's life. RELATED Meredith Andrews Releases Video Series With Kay Warren Meredith posted a photo from the Nashville Airport last Friday evening telling the amazing story of how a simple tire iron played a vital role in saving a life. "On our way to the airport we came up on a car stopped at an intersection. Most cars were driving around, but..Continue reading→
Joel Vaughn Releases New EP
Joel Vaughn releases his second EP, Surrender, today. Leading up to the album's release, Joel pre-released his album on iTunes and via his IndieGoGo profile which awarded fans the opportunity to getting their names in the album's credits, a chance to write a song with him and an exclusive acoustic show. RELATED Joel Vaughn Launches Indiegogo to Fund Full Length Album "What if we could let go of our fear and truly trust God even when it's hard to? What could He accomplish through..Continue reading→
Hollyn Set To Release First Full-Length Album ‘One-Way Conversations’
Gotee Records' HOLLYN announced this week that she will be releasing her debut LP album, One-Way Conversations, next month on February 10. This album is the follow-up to her acclaimed self-titled EP that produced the No. 1 single "Alone (feat. TRU)" and the Top 5 single "Nothin' On You." The upcoming release already touts a No. 1 radio single with the track "Love with Your Life." The pre-order for One-Way Conversations is live now, click here to preorder digitally as well as preorder t..Continue reading→
We Love Christian Music Awards To Hold First-Ever Event Feb. 2
The WE LOVE CHRISTIAN MUSIC AWARDS have had a fifth year for the record books, and its unprecedented momentum continues with the announcement of its first-ever live awards event, to be held Thursday, Feb. 2 at the JUCE TV studios in the Nashville area. RELATED Voting Now Open In 5th Annual We Love Christian Music Awards Made possible by the awards' partnership between industry leading Christian music website NewReleaseToday (http//www.newreleasetoday.com) and Trinity Broadcasting Network&..Continue reading→
Atlantic Announces ‘The Shack Music From And Inspired By The Original Motion Picture’
Atlantic Records has announced its release of "THE SHACK MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE," due everywhere on Friday, February 24th to coincide with the nationwide release of the film from Lionsgate's Summit Entertainment label on March 3. RELATED 'The Shack' Set To Hit Theaters March 2017 "THE SHACK MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE" is available now for pre-order here and accompanied by two instant grat downloads "Keep Your Eyes On M..Continue reading→
American
Five Principles for Approaching the Bible after Genome Science
Adam and the Genome Books are officially available tomorrow. Clips from the first chapter in the second half of the book. Principle 1: A text out of context is a pretext. Every statement about Adam and Eve in the Old Testament, in Jewish literature, and in the New Testament is a statement made from a context and into a context. Furthermore, some of the statements about Adam and Eve in all of this literature are designed to speak against that context. That is, those statements are polemics and ap..
The Parable of the Good Deplorable
The Parable of the Good Deplorable, by Jason Micheli In front of a crowd of 70 (Or 140, who’s to say how big the crowd really was?) this lawyer tries to trap Jesus by turning the scriptures against him: “Who is my neighbor?” he presses. It’s the kind of bible question they could’ve debated for weeks. Read one part of Leviticus and God’s policy is Israel First; your neighbor is just your fellow Jew. Read another part of Leviticus and your neighbor includes the illegal immigrants and refugees in y..
Epiphany Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCP
In the News: The Fate of Refugees
Nation states have chosen and encoded in law their boundaries and what it takes to get in and out of those boundaries. I don’t get to walk into Canada without going through an officer’s inspection, and Canadians don’t get to enter the USA without inspection. Such laws seem reasonable to most of us. Even so, what about refugees? In the Ancient Near East nations by law insisted in international treaties that refugee slaves be returned to their masters. One of the more remarkable counter-cultural l..
US
Democrats lost because they raised religious liberty fears
The reason the Democrats lost, argues David Bernstein in the Washington Post, is that their words, actions, and policies made large numbers of Christians afraid that their religious liberty is in jeopardy. So even though they had major qualms about Donald Trump, they voted for him in large enough numbers to give him the victory. Bernstein’s point, I believe, is that Democrats wouldn’t have to threaten religious liberty to meet their major policy goals. The country could have gay marriage without..
Macy’s drops Planned Parenthood
Macy’s department store no longer funds or matches contributions to Planned Parenthood. Neither do AT&T, Coca-Cola, Ford, and Xerox. For a list of big corporations that still do fund the abortion provider, click the link after the jump. We’ll see if the biggest funder of Planned Parenthood has a similar change of heart: namely, the United States government. From Macy’s: We No Longer Donate to Planned Parenthood Abortion Business | LifeNews.com: Another large corporation has decided to cease dona..
“Even if they are fools, they shall not go astray”
More prophecies of the coming of Christ for our Advent contemplation: Isaiah 35, yesterday’s Old Testament reading. I give the chapter after the jump. It’s about how God “will come and save you,” and what this will mean for “the redeemed,” those “ransomed by the Lord.” This includes those who are weak, infirm, and “anxious.” I take special comfort from verse 8: “even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.” The Ransomed Shall Return35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the dese..
CIA says Russia helped Trump
The CIA says that Russia deliberately interfered in the American election in order to help elect DonalTrump. Russian hackers broke into e-mails of both the Democratic and the Republican national committees, but turned over only the Democratic batch to Wikileaks. The correspondence between Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta and various Democratic operatives proved highly embarrassing to her campaign and likely cost her some votes. Trump and his people are denying the Russian involve..