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
Psalm 104:33-34 (01-06-17)
I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet : I will be glad in the LORD.— Psalm 104:33-34 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Do you sing in the shower? What words are on your lips? Singing is such a wonderful gift! First, it is a gift from God to us, to help us express our joy, excitement, sorrow, and victory. Second, it is a gift from us to God, to help us communicate our respect, appreciation..Continue reading→
A Love Relationship with God
"God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16, NKJVThe first secret to loving others is to immerse yourself in a love relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – and abide there. I will never get over the wonder that God the Father and God the Son do not have a working kinship nor a business partnership nor a brotherly friendship nor a competing dictatorship nor a mandatory fellowship nor an obligatory guardianship but a ..Continue reading→
1 Peter 1:13
“[Be Holy] Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”Continue reading→
Isaiah 26:9 (01-05-17)
With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early : for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.— Isaiah 26:9 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... When a young couple in love is apart, they long to be with each other again. When a parent is separated from his or her child, the parent misses the child intensely. When a spouse can no longer be with a long time marriage partner because of..Continue reading→
My Home Is His, Too!
O Lord, You have searched me and known me, . . . You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:2-3, NKJVOnce, as I prepared my house for a visit by my father, I began to clean and straighten my house. I even bought fresh flowers and plants to place around the rooms to make them seem more lovely. I wanted my home to look as inviting, comfortable, and pleasing to his eyes as I could make it. Then it struck me – if I felt this way about my earthly father’s..Continue reading→
Hope
Welcoming the Dawn of a New Year
These are the words of thousands, even millions, of us who look at the New Year and worry if we're up to the changes that we say we want to make. Fear of change, uncertainty about opportunities, and worry about the future steal more from us than thieves ever will. There's just something about our human nature that makes us afraid. We don't want to lose what we have, so we pull back from anything that might threaten it — even "things" that might be a whole lot better. We fear the c..Continue reading→
New Wine and Old Skins
"You can't teach an old dog new tricks." "He's old and stuck in his ways." "She's never going to change." There is an ingrained, all-too-often-proved-true, prejudice that when we get older we can't, or won't, change any more. This is despite some great examples in the Bible — like Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and Caleb and that's just the first six books — and some great passages of Scripture that challenge us to keep on changing to become more like Jesus: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate [or reflect] the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Two of my favorite people in the Bible are old in years, but fresh and new..Continue reading→
Hidden Treasures
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19 TNIV). But his mother treasured all these things in her heart (Luke 2:51). We are fascinated by stories of hidden treasure. Many of the blockbuster movies over the last several decades have revolved around this theme — the Indiana Jones movies, The Mummy movies, and more recently the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and the National Treasure series. As kids, we were fascinated with finding old things with drawers, ..Continue reading→
Hope of the World
In the Bible, the following story is told only in the gospel of Matthew. It is powerful. It is unique. It is also as puzzling as it is captivating. If we let it, this story is not only beautiful but also as relevant today as the morning news. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." When King Herod he..Continue reading→
Thankful in ALL Circumstances
Give thanks in all circumstances... How? My daughter is in Afghanistan. I am fighting diabetes. I have no job. My son is doing drugs. My child has died. My marriage is falling apart. I'm depressed. My bank account is overdrawn. I'm tired of being sick and tired. Circumstances affect each of us differently. It is easier to say, "give thanks in all circumstances" than to actually do it. Especially, if the person saying it has never gone through troubled times. In this case, the one saying it knew what he was talking about exactly. Paul, an Apostle of Jesus, had his moments in the suffering department. Flogged 5 times with the Jews 39 lashes... Beaten by Roman rods 3 times... Betrayed by those who pretended to be friends... Pummeled with rocks... Many sleepless nights and missed meals... Paul said, "And that's the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches" (1 Corinthians 11:28 MSG). No doubt, circumstances can make life difficult ..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
The Proof of Love
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8, NKJVHas someone suggested to you that: If God really loved you, He would heal your disease? If God really loved you, He would never have allowed you to lose your job? If God really loved you, He would bring your spouse back home? If God really loved you, you would be healthy and wealthy and problem free? Yet God has said that the proof of His love is none of those things! The pr..Continue reading→
2 Corinthians 5:19-20
“that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”Continue reading→
Psalm 100:2 (01-12-17)
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. — Psalm 100:2 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Let's not be limited to church-house singing or sanctuary joy. Let's make today a day we listen to Christian music as we sing our thanks and praise to God. My Prayer... Dear Father in heaven, thank you so much for giving us, your human creation, the gift of music. Thank you for all those who write and share songs of praise that bring such jo..Continue reading→
Speaking Up for Jesus
"We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20, NIVIt seems like just yesterday that our youngest daughter, Rachel-Ruth, gave birth to our first grandchild – a little girl named Ruth Bell Wright. Since that very first day, my husband and I were totally enthralled with this little girl. She filled my heart. I couldn’t help talking about her to anyone who would listen. I wasn’t afraid to talk about her. I didn’t plan in advance how I would talk about her. I didn’t worry abo..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for January 9
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, NIV Lord our God, we thank you that we are allowed to live in your love. We thank you for your promise that all the suffering on earth shall come to an end. Hear us when we turn to you with all we have on our ..Continue reading→
God’s Righteous Judgment
PassageRomans 1:32 PrayerDear Father, righteous judge,Who could argue against your righteous judgment? Who would claim that those who refuse to see truth should not be left in their blindness? Though they know that those who pervert truth deserve to die, they not only continue to practice perversion, they also glorify it!Holy God, your judgment is just! Have mercy on these derelict people to chasten them with judgments that will bring them to repentance. And dear Father, save all of your people,..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for January 8
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” Luke 17:5–6, NIV Father in heaven, we thank you for the many ways you strengthen us and reveal your life to us. We thank you for all your protection, also for your protection of our faith and hope. Grant that your Spirit may penetrate us more and more, enabling us to be your witnesses in thi..Continue reading→
Men’s Improper Conduct
PassageRomans 1:26-31 PrayerDear Father, judge of all,How awful is your judgment. When men do not acknowledge you as God and do not live by your teachings, you give them up to base minds and improper conduct. Then they become filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malignity, they gossip, slander, and hate you. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthles..Continue reading→
Christian Quotes
Moffatt: writings about the new covenant
Saturday, November 12, 2016 Meditation: Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law..Continue reading→
Bonhoeffer: bringing sin to the light
Friday, November 11, 2016 Feast of Martin, Monk, Bishop of Tours, 397 Meditation: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. —1 John 4:4 (ESV) Quotation: The heart of man is revealed in temptation. Man knows his sin, which without temptation he could never have known; for in temptation man knows on what he has set his heart. The coming to light of sin is the work of the accuser, who thereby thinks to hav..Continue reading→
Eckhart: Seeking God for profit
Thursday, November 10, 2016 Feast of Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome, 461 Meditation: [Jesus:] “But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to y..Continue reading→
Barclay: Who is using whom?
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 Commemoration of Margery Kempe, Mystic, after 1433 Meditation: When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. —John 6:14-15 (ESV) Quotation: That crowd of Jews would have followed Christ at that moment because He was giving them what they wanted [bread], and the..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
Where Was The Rich Young Ruler From? A Bible Study
Where was the “rich young ruler” from? Does the Bible tell us? Is Anyone Good? During Jesus’ earthly ministry, a “ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:18-19), notice the first thing Jesus does is to ask Him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” That is just what the Old and New Testament teach. The Apostle Paul wrote “None is righteous, no, not on..Continue reading→
Thanksgiving Thoughts and Prayers
Here in the United States of America we have been celebrating first harvest since 1621, when we were still colonized. That “First Thanksgiving” feast actually lasted 3 days and was attended by 53 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans (Wampanoag Indians) according to Edward Winslow, who was a leader among the Pilgrims. Even now, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated every year as a federal holiday in the USA since 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln gave the proclamation that we set aside one day as a day o..Continue reading→
Why Thanksgiving Will Always Be A Uniquely Christian Holiday (Podcast)
In this new audio podcast, J. Warner discusses the nature of “giving thanks” and the holiday we call Thanksgiving. Is it possible to celebrate a secular, atheistic “Thanksgiving”? Is it possible to thank the impersonal forces of physics that govern the universe? J. Warner explores several ways atheists have tried to propose secular versions of this historically Christian holiday. Can they successfully remove God from the celebration? You can also subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity Weekly P..Continue reading→
What Did The High Priest Do On The Day Of Atonement?
What did the high priest do on the Day of Atonement, and what were the meanings of his duties? The High Priest The high priest served as a mediator between God and the people, and was the only one who had close contact with the Holy of Holies, and that only once a year (Day of Atonement). His and the other priests offering animal sacrifices along with other ordinances, would cover the people’s sins, but it had to be repeated because people kept sinning, so the high priests duty was so important..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Your Pastor is a Sinner
As I mentioned above, I am referring here to the sorts of sins that are common to God’s people. Sins such as sexual abuse, adultery, financial improprieties, and other clearly disqualifying sins must be dealt with as matters of church discipline and perhaps civil justice. If you know of scandalous sins or illegal behavior on the part of your pastor then you ought to make the elders of your church aware. It sounds obvious I’m sure to say that your pastor sins. The Scriptures demand such recognit..Continue reading→
Pro-Life For All Life
If we’re going to claim to be “pro-life” then let us be for all of life. Let us do what we can to remove the inconsistencies that remain so that the pro-life message is not lost because of our failures. As a Christian my ethic is derived from the law of God as expressed in the Ten Commandments. The inverse of “Thou shalt not kill”—the sixth commandment—is that we are to endeavor to preserve our own life, and the life of others. It is not only life in the womb we should be concerned for, but life..Continue reading→
Grace 101
There are multiple ways I’ve heard grace misused and misunderstood. Sometimes it is nuanced in a way that leads to misunderstanding. Sometimes people emphasize grace in one area of faith but not in others. Sometimes they use it interchangeably with words like patience or forbearance. But the definition that concerns me the most is when it is used to mean overlooking something (most often sin) as in “This is who I am and God accepts me that way. He gives me grace to be myself.” I started bloggi..Continue reading→
Manipulative Repentence: 8 Red Flag Phrases
“I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me? What more can I do?” If anything more than my words (i.e., “I’m sorry”) are required in response to my actions, then you are being unforgiving, mean, weak, or hyper-emotional. Also, this response often implies that an apology should be met with an immediate sense of trust and equanimity in the relationship. Any lingering sense of mistrust by the offended person is then labeled as an unreasonable and ungodly form of punishment. The recognition ..Continue reading→
Women
Throwing Candy
I had an experience a couple summers ago that changed everything for me. That sounds hyperbolic, I know. But every once in a while we have these experiences that slice our lives into before and after, and this was one of those for me. A friend of a friend invited me on a trip. To a place I’d never been, with a group of people most of whom I’d never met. I didn’t know what to expect, but I did have this sense that there was something waiting for me th..Continue reading→
Actually, the ‘Mommy Wars’ Aren’t Universal
Most American moms, particularly women of color, don’t fit the stereotypes. Here’s a common family story among black women in my generation: My grandmother worked as a live-in maid, and my mother lived at numerous relatives’ homes for the first few years of her life so my grandmother could keep her job. Two generations later, I have a spectrum of choices beyond what was available to my grandmother. I can pursue a fulfilling career, stay home, or find something in between. While I believe women..Continue reading→
What I Needed From the Church During My Depression
3 ways our communities can support mental health. Speaking at the Democratic National Convention last week, the singer Demi Lovato took advantage of the powerful platform to advocate for mental health care in America. “Like millions of Americans, I am living with mental illness,” she said. "Too many Americans from all walks of life don't get help, either because they fear the stigma or they cannot afford treatment." “Mental illness” is a scary-sounding category that encompasses a broad ar..Continue reading→
Sexual Healing
Editor’s note: In their book Surprised by the Healer, Dr. Juli Slattery and Linda Dillow feature first-person stories from women they’ve interviewed. This excerpt from their book comes from a woman named Kathy. I snuck into bed, barely moving the covers to avoid arousing my sleeping husband. I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking I had succeeded, but before long Scott rolled over and cradled me against his body. I automatically tensed and soon one tear..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Judge Temporarily Blocks Texas From Cutting Planned Parenthood From Medicaid Program
Photo Credit: All Nite ImagesAUSTIN, Texas — A federal judge appointed to the bench by then-President George H.W. Bush has issued a temporary injunction halting the state of Texas from cutting the abortion and contraceptive giant Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid program while its case moves forward in court. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks placed a hold on the move until Feb. 21, but is expected to issue a ruling before that time. He heard three days of testimony this week, which mos..Continue reading→
Pastors Pray And Anoint The Door That Donald Trump Will Walk Through At His Inauguration
Three Christian leaders in the United States have joined to "pray and anoint" the doorway that President-elect Trump will walk through before his inauguration at the Capitol Building tomorrow.Continue reading→
New Appeal To Help World’s Poorest After Hottest Year On Record
Traidcraft is raising money to fund projects helping smallholders in some of the poorest countries.Continue reading→
Pastor Donnie McClurkin Says He Wants a Wife But Is Afraid to Fail at Marriage
Does Pastor Donnie McClurkin have any plans to get married? The gospel recording artist of New York's Perfecting Faith Church, who was dating singer Nicole C. Mullen, said he actually wants to get married but is too terrified to do so.Continue reading→
Music
Tidal Wave (Single) by Rapture Ruckus
Track Listing 01. Tidal Wave Continue reading→
Adventure by Matthew Parker
Track Listing 01. Adventure 02. Ghost 03. Unstoppable (feat. Micah Ariss) 04. I Ain't Got No Money (feat. Spencer Kane) 05. Down In Flames 06. Heaven Calling 07. Night Sky 08. Remember Me (feat. Tristan Peace) 09. System Victim (feat. Hillary Jane) 10. Spark (feat. Rapture Ruckus) 11. Gone 12. Dynasty (feat. Cash Hollistah) 13. Tidal Wave (feat. Micah Ariss) 14. Fly (feat. Twilight Meadow) 15. My Love Continue reading→
You Wouldn’t Believe What Privilege Costs by CIVILIAN
A follow-up to 2012s Should This Noose Unloosen, YWBWPC's ringing guitars and sonorous vocals sway with austere, precise drumming while thoughtful bass paints outside the lines. Unlike its predecessor, "all of these songs were written after having just fallen ass over tip for a gal" as Alexander so eloquently puts it. "I wrote with the same intention to, through art, add nuance to how we talk about government and poverty except this time my brain was drenched in dopamine and serotonin."[...]Continue reading→
Never Lose Sight by Chris Tomlin
Often called America's Worship Leader, Chris Tomlin returns with his new album, NEVER LOSE SIGHT, on October 21. As the songwriter behind the worship favorites "How Great Is Our God," "Our God," and "Whom Shall I Fear," Chris' songs lead people to the heart of Jesus and into a deeper worship of Him. Featuring "Good Good Father" and the new single "Jesus," this brand new album is filled with songs that draw us closer to Jesus and give voice to our praises, prayers, cries and hopes.[...]Continue reading→
Behold: A Christmas Collection by Lauren Daigle
Award-winning singer/songwriter LAUREN DAIGLE, will release her first-ever Christmas album titled BEHOLD, on October 21 via Centricity Music. Produced by Paul Mabury and Jason Ingram, the style of the holiday album pays homage to the sounds of Lauren's hometown of New Orleans. Featuring soft jazz renditions of Christmas favorites, BEHOLD includes such classics as "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "Silent Night," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "What Child Is This," "O Holy Night," and more; in addition to an original composition titled "Light of the World", which was written by Paul Mabury and Jason Ingram. Pre-orders for the album[...]Continue reading→
Majesty In A Manger by Various Artists
The Integrity Music family of artists and writers have come together to start a new tradition celebrating Emmanuel, God With Us, in worship with Majesty In A Manger. It's a collection of original songs that focus on the coming of Jesus Christ from artists and writers like, Paul Baloche, All Sons Daughters, Darlene Zschech, Seth Nirva, Travis Ryan, Michael Farren and more. This is a worship album that was created with the intent that churches around the world can adopt these songs as we celebrate Jesus' birth. From the soulful sounds of newcomers Seth Nirva on "Fill The[...]Continue reading→
Marc Martel Announces ‘The Silent Night EP’
Marc Martel, former co-vocalist of Canadian Christian contemporary pop/rock band Downhere, is preparing to release a new Christmas EP. Entitled The Silent Night EP, the EP will feature Martel's signature vocals set to several classic Christmas carols. Martel has already been dropping a few songs as singles these past few Christmases, in the form of "O Holy Night" and "O Come O Come Emmanuel." Both of those will be featured on the EP alongside new arrangements of "In the Bleak Midwinter," "..Continue reading→
Switchfoot Releases Surprise Live Album
Switchfoot pulled off one of the best-kept surprises of Christian music in recent years and released a new live album on Friday, October 21. Fans had previously been given no indication that the band was planning such a release. Live in Chicago The Looking for America Tour marks Switchfoot's first major live album in 7 years, since 2009's The Best Yet Live in Nashville. Featuring cuts from their critically-acclaimed new album Where The Light Shines Through as well as several of the b..Continue reading→
David Dunn Debuts Music Video For New Single ‘I Wanna Go Back’
BEC Recordings' David Dunn has debuted the music video for his new single, "I Wanna Go Back," from his forthcoming early 2017 release Yellow Balloons. Click below to watch the music video. This single is currently the No. 2 most added song at AC radio for the second week in a row with 25 adds. Click here to get the single at digital outlets. RELATED BEC Recordings Announces New Artist Signing, David Dunn "'I Wanna Go Back' is a song of nostalgia, of longing for the time in my li..Continue reading→