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
1 Corinthians 12:27 (12-27-16)
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.— 1 Corinthians 12:27 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What part of the Body are you? What's your function, your purpose? How are you blessing others in the Body of Christ? Who is someone in the Body who does a great deal of service to others who needs your encouragement and praise? Who is someone who feels neglected and lonely who needs your love to be shown to him or her? My Prayer... Father, thank you f..Continue reading→
Created for God
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called Children of God! 1 John 3:1, NKJVC. S. Lewis, in his testimony Surprised by Joy, described his growing awareness of the capacity within himself to respond with joy and delight in such a way that it gave him an insatiable desire for more joy and delight. The things he found so deeply satisfying left him with a craving for more and more satisfaction. He concluded that nothing in this world could ever give him lastin..Continue reading→
Psalm 103:1-2
“Of David. Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—”Continue reading→
John 12:26 (12-26-16)
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.— John 12:26 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We can't out serve, out love, or out give Jesus. He longs to bless us. He longs to pour out heaven's riches and grace upon us. Even more incredibly, he longs to honor us. When our lives are over, God the Father, LORD of the entire universe, will honor all who have served his Son and blessed ot..Continue reading→
Physical and Spiritual Needs
Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. Hebrews 9:27, NIVMy grandfather was a medical missionary to China for twenty-five years. He established a three-hundred-bed hospital where he treated just about every type of illness and injury that could be named. Many of his Chinese patients were cured of diseases and saved from death by his skilled ministrations. But in time, every single one of the people who went through his hospital died! If all my grandfather had accomplished w..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
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→
Isaiah 1:16-17
“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”Continue reading→
Ephesians 4:24 (01-04-17)
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.— Ephesians 4:24 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... One of the biggest decisions we face at the beginning of each day is what we will wear. Well, no matter what we choose in the way of clothing, let's make sure we choose to put on the new person God re-made us to be when we became Christians (Galatians 3:26-27). Those are the only clothes that will fit us eternally! My Prayer..Continue reading→
“God Says So” Prayers
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7, NKJVPrayer is a conversation. We speak to God in prayer then listen attentively as He speaks to us through His Word. Do you think the promise that Jesus gave His disciples was like handing them a Divine Genie in a bottle? And that if they would just rub the bottle with enough faith, the Genie would pop out and grant them their “wishes”? As ludicrous as that is, it actually is th..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for December 28
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Galatians 4:4–5, NIV O Lord God, we thank you for everything you allow us to see and hear. May our hearts become awake and alive through all we receive so that we await your final revelation and recognize your ultimate will for all people, for all nations and races on earth. Hear us in these days, for we know your kingdom is coming..Continue reading→
Fullness of Love
PassageColossians 4:2-6 PrayerDear Father, grantor of wisdom,Help me conduct myself wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let my speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, and may I always know how to answer.Help me and all your saints to show ourselves to be a people who live life to the fullest, because we live in the fullness of your love shown in Jesus Christ!In the name of Jesus I ask you to fill our lives with your holy life and to claim all our motives and deeds as you..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for December 27
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. Luke 1:68–69, NIV Lord our God, dear Father in heaven, we come into your presence and ask you to show yourself to us as the true, great, and almighty God, who can shed light into our misery and change it all, letting us find reconciliation and redemption in Jesus Christ. Protect and help us with your mighty hand. Let every c..Continue reading→
Unceasing Prayer
PassageColossians 4:2-6 PrayerDear Father, who answers our prayers,Help me to be steadfast in my praying to you, even to stay awake that I may pray!Fill my life with thanksgiving to you.O God, I pray for all your servants everywhere that you may open a door for us to proclaim your Word, to declare the now-public secret - Christ crucified, glorified, and coming - and to make the message clear, as we ought to speak.In the name of Jesus I ask you to fill our lives with your holy life and to claim a..Continue reading→
Christian Quotes
Newbigin: knowing the Spirit
Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Feast of Henry Martyn, Translator of the Scriptures, Missionary in India & Persia, 1812 Meditation: And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism...Continue reading→
Cogdell: Jesus, the pioneer of faith
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Feast of Luke the Evangelist Meditation: I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. —Psalm 34:4 (NIV) Quotation: Jesus ventured to trust God far beyond the degree that any other man had trusted God. Abraham, Moses, and David were valiant believers, but compared to Jesus they were timid souls. Consider the human disappointments Jesus endured: rejected in his home town, harassed and persecuted by the religious leaders of his nation, mis..Continue reading→
Owen: temptation
Monday, October 17, 2016 Feast of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c.107 Meditation: [Jesus:] “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” —Luke 22:31-32 (ESV) Quotation: Steadfastness in believing doth not exclude all temptations from without. When we say a tree is firmly rooted, we do not say the wind never blows upon it. ... John ..Continue reading→
Calvin: no reliance on good works
Sunday, October 16, 2016 Meditation: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. —Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) Quotation: Justification is withdrawn from works, not that no good works may be done, or that what is done may be denied to be good, but that we may not rely upon them, glory in them, or ascribe salvation to them. ... John Calvin (1509-1564), The Institutes of the Christian Religion,..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
Jesus Specifically Said, “I am God”
As a skeptic, I was willing to accept a “nice guy” version of Jesus. You know, the wise sage from the past who was misunderstood and mythicized into something divine by leaders of a movement who were either mistaken or deceptive. Jesus might have been a nice guy and a great teacher, but did he ever really claim to be God? I had atheist friends who knew more about the Gospels than I did, and they said that Jesus never claimed to be God in any of the New Testament accounts. Once I began to examine..Continue reading→
When We Spend More Time Arguing About How to Make the Case than We Spend Making the Case
I’ve been investigating cold-case homicides for over 26 years. My professional career (and now my consulting opportunities with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office) have been both challenging and rewarding. More importantly, they’ve helped me to refine my skills as an investigator. I am determined to stay active and help detectives and prosecutors investigate cold-cases across the county. This year, I’ll be spending two months assisting the District Attorney in an effort to provide some n..Continue reading→
Is It Ever Okay To Withhold Secrets From Your Spouse? A Bible Study
Do you think its okay to keep secrets from your spouse? Here’s a Bible study on this question. All People are Liars The Bible is not very flattering to us as it says “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it” (Num 23:19), in fact, it is “by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hol..Continue reading→
What Does The Bible Say About The Ocean?
Does the Bible say much about the ocean? Will it exist in the future? Symbol of Death To the Jews, and ancient Israel, the ocean was always a symbol of death. We see that in the language of the sea giving up her dead in the Book of Revelation (Rev 20:13). Interestingly, the word “ocean” appears more in the Book of Revelation than in nearly all of the rest of the books in the New Testament, and as you can imagine, the language is not about a nice little cruse in the ocean. In the seventh seal, t..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Pope Francis: Christians Face Daily Battle With Satan
Christians must every day resist the devil and flee from temptation, Pope Francis said on Thursday.Continue reading→
3 Aspects of the Vision God Has for Your Church
I’m often asked, “Is there any single common denominator that you can find in every growing church?” I have studied churches for many years, read about them, and visited them. I’ve discovered that God uses all kinds of churches, in all kinds of different ways, all different methods and styles. But there is one common denominator that you can find in every growing church regardless of denomination, regardless of nationality, and regardless of size. That common denominator is leadership that is n..Continue reading→
Clergy V Laity ‘Power Struggle’ Is Blocking Church Growth, Synod Told
Unhealthy relationships between clergy and lay people in the Church of England is blocking progress and fuelling resentment, the C of E's ruling synod will be told next month.Continue reading→
Is The CofE Letting Clergy Down? Report Calls For Military-Style Covenant Pledge
The Church of England is considering a military covenant style pledge to care for its clergy amid mounting concerns about patchy and inadequate support on offer.Continue reading→
Hot Topics
The Danger of Entertaining Lies
Christ did not enter into conversation with Satan when he was tempted in the desert. Instead, he responded, “It is written…” Yet, God’s Word isn’t always my first response. I have often asked to hear more of what Satan has to say. I have mulled his words over in my mind and considered them in my heart. It would be convenient if Satan would show up as a talking snake. Then, we could run away screaming or call animal control. Perhaps, the bravest of us would grab a stick and whack him until he le..Continue reading→
An Inaugural Diary from Calvin
In keeping with the Huguenot thought of Theodore Beza and others,[4] Federalist#69 denounced a hereditary monarchy as “an absolute negative” on representative government. Lest political Calvinism be misconstrued as excessively negative, perhaps as a counterweight to the Enlightenment idea that man is innately good, Alexander Hamilton reminded his readers of a balance to be maintained: “The supposition of universal venality in human nature is little less an error in political reasoning than the s..Continue reading→
Of Lice and Men
Knowing that God is at work in all things allows us the ability to rejoice in all things. Whatever comes, may we be a people known for thanksgiving. May we join the chorus of the faithful, choosing to live out the gospel with hope: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thess. 5:16-18). My daughter called me over with a simple request. Mommy, can we cuddle? I was in the midst of rushing around and preparin..Continue reading→
University Settles With Christian Counseling Student
When asked, Cash told her that he, too, would have to refer gay couples to another counselor due to his religious convictions about homosexuality. He said he would be happy to counsel gay individuals on any other matter—depression or anxiety, for example—but he could not counsel regarding same-sex relationships. Perryman said that conviction was a violation of the American Counseling Association’s code of ethics. After months of back-and-forth between Cash and MSU, school officials expelled Cash..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Good Samaritan Gives His Shirt to Bare-Chested Train Passenger on a Cold Night in New York, Inspiring Millions
Clark Kent strips his clothes to become Superman. Joey Resto, 23, from New York City recently did a similar act one Friday night while on board a train.Continue reading→
Texas Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Abolish Abortion in State
Photo Credit: Credit Tomasz KoboszAUSTIN, Texas — A lawmaker in Texas has proposed a bill that would abolish abortion in the state and criminalize those who take the life of an unborn child. H.B. 948, also known as the Abolition of Abortion in Texas Act, was submitted by Representative Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, on Wednesday. It declares that unborn children are entitled to human rights from the moment of conception, and removes current exemptions under state criminal homicide law relating t..Continue reading→
Ecumenical Clergy Members ‘Bless’ New Planned Parenthood Facility in Nation’s Capital
Photo Credit: Helen ParshallWASHINGTON — Over 20 clergy members representing Judaism, Hinduism and Islam, as well as those professing Christianity, gathered on Tuesday to seek a “blessing” over a new Planned Parenthood facility that opened last fall in the nation’s capital. “In almost every message to our staff, I talk about our doing sacred work,” Laura Meyers, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, told DCist. “This confirms the sacredness of the work we do.” “No..Continue reading→
Pastor Offers Forgiveness to Man Who Stabbed Him in the Neck and Back During Service
An evangelical pastor in Brazil readily extended forgiveness to a man who stabbed him in the neck and back during a televised Sunday service at a church in Sao Paulo, Brazil.Continue reading→
Movies
COMMON BRINGS GLORY TO THE GRAMMYS (AND THE OSCARS): An Interview
What 2015 Grammy moment moved you? Kanye West’s cut in on Beck’s acceptance speech for “Album of the Year” garnered most of the headlines. How sad to a stunt overshadow Annie Lennox’s rousing rendition of “I Put a Spell On You” with Hozier. Pharrell reimagined his sunny single, “Happy,” into an intriguing protest echoing the “Hands up/Don’t shoot” posture that accompanied events in Ferguson, Missouri. Prince slipped in the best one-liner of the night, “Albums still matter. Just like books and bl..Continue reading→
Diablo Cody Tweets About Rescuing Jinger Duggar
Her new movie, Paradise, is all about religion. In the movie, which was originally titled Lamb of God, a young religious woman (Julianne Hough) is in a terrible accident, which causes her to question G-d and run off to Las Vegas to see what sin feels like. Well, it looks like screenwriter/director Diablo Cody had some pretty specific pop-culture inspirations for the movie: The Duggars. Particularly Jinger. Diablo recently tweeted that if Jinger ever wants to run away from her family, she can com..Continue reading→
Music
As We Ascend Releases First Single Wash Away to iTunes
As We Ascend's first single "Wash Away" is now available on iTunes, six days before the completion of their PledgeMusic campaign to fund the full length album Farewell to Midnight. In addition to being available on iTunes, "Wash Away" is also going for adds at radio. The PledgeMusic campaign is currently at 95% of its goal. You can listen to "Wash Away" below. As We Ascend, formed by former members of We As Human, launched their PledgeMusic campaign with the unique invitation to fans to "..Continue reading→
Bizzle Petitions for Financial Support of New Project
The recent release of Bizzle's new project Crowns & Crosses has sparked a conversation about the realities of being an artist with his God Over Money fans. In a recent newsletter, Bizzle details the shocking differences between a fan purchasing a physical or digital copy of any GOM release versus streaming through the likes of Spotify or Apple Music. He begins with the staggering reality that it takes 1,500 streams to equal that of one album sale. For example, if 100,000 fans stream the en..Continue reading→
John Mark McMillan Launches Pre-order for ‘Mercury & Lightning’
John Mark McMillan has launched a pre-order for his upcoming album Mercury & Lightning through PledgeMusic. The album has been preceded by the release of "Wilderlove" and "No Country." The PledgeMusic pre-order gives fans the chance to purchase a wide range of merch packages, with each one providing access to exclusive behind-the-scenes information approaching the album's release. The pre-order was launched in part due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the single "Wilderlove," re..Continue reading→
Sho Baraka’s ‘The Narrative’ Debuts at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall
Critically acclaimed hip hop artist Sho Baraka unleashed The Narrative last week, and it was well received by fans and critics alike as it peaked at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall Albums Chart. Created with the intention to generate a discussion among each other about the social issues we face today and throughout history, Sho Baraka is doing just that as shown by the critics below "Sho Baraka gives us conscious hip hop that makes us think. It is not intended for eas..Continue reading→
MercyMe’s ‘Welcome To The New’ Receives RIAA Gold Certification
GRAMMY® Nominated MercyMe's Welcome To The New (2014) has been honored with RIAA Gold Certification, marking the sixth gold album for the band in addition to a double platinum album and a platinum video. Welcome To The New earned two GRAMMY® nods, multiple GMA Dove Award honors and an American Music Award nomination. In addition, the album boasts three No. 1 singles with "Greater," "Flawless" and "Dear Younger Me," and one Top 5 single with "Shake." MercyMe is planning to unveil a new recor..Continue reading→
Deraj Drops A New Single
Deraj blessed both the genre and Reflection Music Group (RMG) fans worldwide with a new banger for the car on "Know That's Me," featuring KYNG. Listeners can purchase not only the track, but also the instrumental backing and an acapella version of the track. The three versions of this project may be purchased here, or streamed on Spotify. Visuals for the project debuted under the direction of Joe Desantis. The video may be viewed below. RMG has been quite the productive label as of late..Continue reading→
Live in Chicago: The Looking for America Tour by Switchfoot
Track Listing 01. Holy Water 02. Meant To Live 03. Bull In A China Shop 04. Where The Light Shines Through 05. I Won't Let You Go 06. Love Alone Is Worth The Fight 07. Hello Hurricane 08. If The House Burns Down Tonight 09. Float 10. Live it Well Continue reading→
Courtney Orlando Releases New Single, Wait On You
Courtney Orlando released his latest single "Wait on You" on October 10. You can download the track for free on SoundCloud here. Orlando describes the new track as an open conversation between him and God. No future plans of a full length project have been released at this time. The artist formally known as J.R. dug his roots into the hip-hop genre over a decade ago with his debut release Metamorphosis in 2005. Fittingly, change has followed him in the area of style, depth and even branding a..Continue reading→
No Shadows by Eric Kneifel
No Shadows is Eric's debut worship album, and has been a dream of his since he began songwriting. This album began with over 50 songs that were narrowed down to a final 12 to be recorded on the album. The theme of the album reflects Eric's desire to see the church become filled the light of Christ to the point where it fills every void, leaving no room for fear, sin, or shame. As stated in the title track, "there's a light that will leave no shadows." The song selection includes congregational worship songs, as well as songs of personal reflection[...]Continue reading→
American
President Ronald Reagan: “No Cause More Important Than the Right to Life of All Human Beings”
“My administration is dedicated to the preservation of America as a free land, and there is no cause more important for preserving that freedom than affirming the transcendent right to life of all human beings, the right without which no other rights have meaning.” — President Ronald Reagan. Today would have been the 106th birthday of Pro-life President Ronald Reagan! Each year on the anniversary, for reasons I cannot explain, I always recall where I was the day he was shot. At the time I was w..
Oregon Bill Would Allow Starving Mentally Ill Patients to Death
When Oregon became the first state in the nation to legalize the practice of assisted suicide, pro-life advocates argued this would be a slippery slope that would lead to euthanasia. Apparently assisted suicide is not enough for the death peddlers in this Pacific Northwest State. Now they are pushing legislation in the Oregon State Legislature that would allow starving mentally ill patients to death. Officials with the Oregon Right to Life emailed LifeNews.com with an urgent alert about pendin..
Woman Arrested After Shoving Her Bloody Pad Into Pro-Life Advocate’s Mouth
A pro-abortion woman in Oregon has been arrested after an altercation in which she allegedly shoved her bloody pad into the mouth of a pro-life advocate with whom she was arguing. According to local news reports in Oregon, the pro-abortion woman stands accused of shoving the bloody pad into the pro-life advocate’s mouth and she has turned herself in to police following complaints. The pro-abortion activist has been charged with one count of harassment and has been jailed on the charge. Here’s ..
Communal Conversion
Matthew H. Russell, HT: JS If Dietrich Bonhoeffer is correct and “Christ exists as community,” then the process of belonging to the community is indissolvably bound to the process of coming to believe that Jesus is Lord. At Mercy Street, this movement became critically linked to the essential question of Christianity: “Who are you, Jesus?” As members given to each other, these men and women work this question out together from the posture of intimacy, and belonging. What I discovered as the past..
Entertainment
Matthew McConaughey Gets Spiritual in Free State of Jones
Free State of Jones is not technically a Christian movie, but it might as well be. In the film, Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey plays Newton Knight, a Confederate deserter who leads a rebellion against the Confederate States of America in his home state of Mississippi. Based on a historical character, Knight’s motives for the rebellion are complex: He’s tired of soldiers stripping his and his neighbors’ farms clean, leaving families with nothing to eat over the winter. He’s disgust..
‘Thelma & Louise’ 25 years later still poses a challenge to male entitlement
Susan Sarandon, left, and Geena Davis in “Thelma & Louise” (1991; MGM) I first saw “Thelma and Louise” while studying for a master’s in education in media studies in London in 1995. We gathered to watch the film and not one male student of the 12 or so in our class showed up for the screening. Not one. What were they afraid of? When we asked some of them, they just shrugged. “Thelma and Louise” was hugely successful when it opened in 1991. It is critically acclaimed as a feminist, or neo-femini..
New Music for a New Christianity: The Convergence Music Project
“For decades now, we’ve been having “worship wars,” where we argued about musical style in public worship but didn’t pay much attention to the content and spiritual formation value of the songs we argued about. Convergence Music Project represents a “worship renaissance,” bringing together a new generation of songwriters who are writing songs that are theologically thoughtful, artistically satisfying, congregationally singable, and musically enjoyable.” -Brian McLaren Launched earlier this year ..
A Clip From Free (and Faithful) State of Jones
Free State of Jones, opening tomorrow, June 24, is a far cry from the sequels and superhero movies that typically saturate theaters during the summer. Starring a very grizzled Matthew McConaughey, the movie tells the story of Newton Knight, who led a rebellion (based in Jones County, Miss.) against the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. It is, as its press suggests, a movie for adults—full of hefty themes, heavy moments and a significant level of spirituality. I’ll ..
US
Happy Boxing Day!
Today, the day after Christmas, is celebrated as “Boxing Day” in the United Kingdom and many of its Commonwealth nations, such as Australia. We Americans need to adopt this holiday too! After all, we too are former British colonies! Accounts of the origin of the name vary, but it seems to have something to do with the servants getting a box of presents and other goodies on their traditional day off after a busy day on Christmas. Traditionally, the day has been devoted to sporting events. Horse r..
“The light shines in the darkness”
How fitting that we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ around the time of the Winter Solstice, when the day is at its shortest and the night is at its longest. At this darkest time of the year, we celebrate Christ’s coming. Just as He comes at the darkest points of our lives. (This is also why lights at night are key Christmas symbols.) As St. John says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” After the jump, the Christmas story according to the Gospel of Joh..
A medieval Christmas for the children
In a review of what sounds like an excellent book on Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Nathaniel Peters quotes a 17th century theologian on what Christmas was like under Medieval and 17th century Catholicism. He describes the processions, featuring actors dressed up like the Christ Child, St. Peter, other saints, angels, and “damned spirits,” including the terrifying Knecht Ruprecht (who became a companion of St. Nicholas). The goal was to scare children out of their wits. The Christ Child would berate..
What to do with your Amazon boxes
If you or people who gave you presents did much of your Christmas shopping online, you will accumulate lots of Amazon boxes. Don’t throw them away! Amazon has partnered with Goodwill for an ingenious program. Save the box. Then fill it with something you would like to donate to Goodwill. Go to GiveBackBox.com, where you can print a label that will give you free shipping! Then put the box in the mail or give it to UPS. Do you see the beauty of this? When you get “stuff,” you will be able to also ..
Church & Theology
Why the 5 Solas Still Matter Today
Follow @BrandonSmith85 The young, newly ordained Catholic priest stood in front of the church, ready to officiate his first mass. These priests were expected to have clean hearts before officiating—no sin unconfessed. No heart of stone unturned. But as Martin Luther began to recite the introductory portion of the mass, with the bread and wine on the altar in front of him, he almost passed out. “I was utterly stupefied and terror-stricken. … Who am I, that I should lift up mine eyes or raise my h..
How Often Should We Take the Lord’s Supper?
Follow @BrandonSmith85 As a Baptist, I’m often frustrated or confused by how my fellow denominational brothers handle the Lord’s Supper. At churches I’ve attended in the past, we’ve participated in the Supper every week in some places, ted quarterly at others. There is one instance in which I can’t remember eating a single little wafer in my entire time at the church. But how often should we take the Supper? While I know that the Bible doesn’t give a mandate for how often churches should remembe..
Did Jesus Call a Woman a Dog?
Follow @BrandonSmith85 On the Season 2 premiere of Word Matters, Trevin Wax and I discuss a question raised in Matthew 15, “Did Jesus call a woman a dog?” Here’s the context: 21 When Jesus left there, he withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.” 23 Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples approached him and urged him, “Send her away b..
When the Book of Revelation Takes a Swing at a Roman Emperor
Follow @BrandonSmith85 Photo courtesy: Craig Koester via the Classical Numismatic Group. While compiling notes for my dissertation and forthcoming book on the Book of Revelation, I came across this note on Revelation 1:16 in Craig Koester’s Revelation commentary: The section climaxes by noting that [Jesus] holds seven stars in his right hand (Rev 1:16). This cosmic imagery conveys sovereignty. An analogy appears on a coin from Domitian’s reign that depicts the emperor’s deceased son as young Jup..