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
Isaiah 1:18
““Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”Continue reading→
Deuteronomy 11:8 (11-08-16)
Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it...— Deuteronomy 11:8 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... God's desire that we obey his will is not arbitrary, impulsive, or demanding. He simply wants us to reflect his character, find his blessings, and receive his strength. Let's not look at obedience merely as something we must do, but as a blessing we get to discov..Continue reading→
Heavenly Treasure
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:20, NIV Gold is one of our most precious commodities. We hoard gold, we wear gold, we invest in gold, we work hard for more gold – we love gold! We sacrifice our families, our friends, our reputations, our health – all so that we can increase our supply of earthly treasures. We want to buy more things . . . so we can dust more things so we can break more thing..Continue reading→
Joshua 24:15
“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.””Continue reading→
Psalm 11:7 (11-07-16)
For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.— Psalm 11:7 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Can you think of any greater promise for those who seek to be righteous and just? We will see God face to face! Incredible. What a blessing! What a future! What an incredible Father! So let's seek our Abba Father, the LORD God, with all heart and soul and mind and strength until that day that we get to see him as he is, face-to-face with God in al..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Matthew 11:27-28 (11-27-16)
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.— Matthew 11:27-28 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... True rest comes from knowing God. King David reminds us of this in Psalm 23. Jesus makes it clear again. Only Jesus can fully reveal God to us. Only Jesus can take awa..Continue reading→
Colossians 3:16
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”Continue reading→
John 11:26 (11-26-16)
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?— John 11:26 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Several days ago, we emphasized that Christians who died physically were never really separated from their relationship with God's loving presence. Today, Jesus challenges us to believe a very similar thing. Do you believe that the real, living part of you made by God will never die even though your physical body dies? It's an incredible thought, is..Continue reading→
Shaped by God
The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7, NIVThe Hebrew word for “formed” is yatsar, which means “to mold.” It is the same word used to describe a potter molding and shaping clay. The description reveals that while God spoke the worlds into space, the planets into orbit, the earth on its axis, the seas within their boundaries, the sun, moon, and stars to appear in the sky, the trees and..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for November 1
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16, NIV Dear Father in heaven, we seek you and your kingdom. We gather to hear your Word so that we may receive strength for our own lives and for all our relationships with others. We want to stand firm, believing that in everything great and small your will is being done and that we ma..Continue reading→
A Clean Mind
PassageEphesians 5:5 PrayerDear Father, Holy God,You have warned me that I can be sure of this: that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is covetous (idolatrous!) has any inheritance in the kingdom that belongs to you and Christ.Furthermore, keep me from enjoying as entertainment the depiction of such things in books or magazines, or on the stage or on television.Help me to understand that most of what comes through these media is from the minds and imaginations of unregenerate people, wh..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for October 31
Let those who fear the Lord say: "His love endures forever." When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 118:4–6, NIV Lord our God, dear Father in heaven, we thank you. How often you rescue us from all fear and distress! How often you hear and answer us! Grant that our hearts may always be eager and joyful because you answer us. There is nothing else for us in this world; you are our..Continue reading→
A Clean Mouth
PassageEphesians 5:3-4 PrayerDear Father,Keep me from talking about or thinking about illicit sex and pornography and covetousness, since you require that your holy people avoid referring to these things.Keep me from filthy stories, silly or flippant talk, and any other kind of conversation not fitting for one who follows you.Instead, let my mouth be filled with - thanksgiving!In the name of Jesus I ask for the purity of mind and spirit that was in him. And I give you thanks. Amen. Devotional pr..Continue reading→
Christian Quotes
Neill: the Church in the Gospel
Sunday, June 26, 2016 Meditation: To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. —Ephesians 3:8-10 (ESV) Quotation: Theologically, we have been discovering anew t..Continue reading→
Fuller: God’s work, God’s way
Saturday, June 25, 2016 Meditation: Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. —2 Corinthians 4:1-2 (ESV) Quotation: God’s own work must be done by God’s own ways. Otherwise, we can take no comfort in obtaining the end, if we cannot justify..Continue reading→
Newman: pray for a perfect heart
Friday, June 24, 2016 Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist Meditation: I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. —Psalm 101:1-2 (KJV) Quotation: Pray Him to give you what Scripture calls “an honest and good heart,” or “a perfect heart;” and, without waiting, begin at once to obey Him with the best heart you have. Any obedience is bette..Continue reading→
Tozer: continuous prayer
Thursday, June 23, 2016 Feast of Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely, c.678 Meditation: Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. —Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) Quotation: God desires and is pleased to communicate with us through the avenues of our minds, our wills, and our emotions. The continuous and unembarrassed interchange of love and thought between God and the souls of the redeemed men and women is the throbbing he..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
Top 7 Bible Verses Peer Pressure
Here are seven Bible verses that relate to peer pressure and how to avoid it. Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The word for “conformed” as used in the command to not be conformed to this world could better be rendered, “do not let the world squeeze you into its form” so we are told to not let the world conform us or shape us but rathe..Continue reading→
Why Did Jacob Wrestle With God In The Bible?
Why would Jacob choose to wrestle against God? Didn’t he know he would lose? Wrestling against Spirit The Apostle Paul tells us that we’re wrestling, but hopefully, not against God. No, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12) and without putting on the armor that God’s provided for us (Eph 6:13-18). It’s impossible to ..Continue reading→
What Defensive Tactics Training Can Teach Us About Defending Christianity
Police officers train obsessively. Our state certification organization requires us to stay up to date and tests us consistently to see if we are still competent in a number of areas. From firearms qualification to driver’s training to legal updates, each officer is required to spend hundreds of hours learning and practicing necessary skills over the course of a career. Along the way, we spend many hours engaged in “defensive tactics” training. Beyond our academy preparation, officers must conti..Continue reading→
10 Important Bible Verses About Betrayal
Here are ten important Bible verses about betrayal. Luke 22:4 “He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.” This was right after Judas left the Passover meal when Satan entered Judas (Luke 22:3) and tragically, “He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crow..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
The Leaders Of Africa’s Anglican Christian Churches Are ‘Despotic’ Says Nigerian Archbishop
The Archbishop who heads the leadership team at the Anglican Communion has confessed he took the job because he felt called to do something to address the "disagreement and even hatred" between fellow Anglicans.Continue reading→
In the Christmas Season Remember, God Is For You
“But the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people’” (Luke 2:10 NLT). Knowing God is for you will change your whole perspective on life. You’ll stop thinking of God as someone looking down from Heaven, ready to yell “Gotcha!” any time you mess up. God is for your success in life; he created you for a purpose, and he wants you to succeed. It is God, your Creator, who will measure your success in life, and no one else. This ..Continue reading→
How to Let Go of Loneliness
Christmastime is, for the most part, an enjoyable season for most people. But, for many of us, it’s a season of painful memories, depression and loneliness. Sometimes we choose to isolate ourselves from others and sometimes we face loneliness through no fault of our own. Loneliness is so painful that people will try anything to relieve it. We medicate with drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, pornography, and other addictive behaviors. Loneliness can be especially dangerous to people in recovery..Continue reading→
Earthquakes And Migrant Drownings Recalled In Vatican Nativity Scene
The annual Vatican Christmas nativity tableau this year includes a poignant reminder of an Italian tragedy: a spire from one of the churches damaged and destroyed in this year's earthquakes.Continue reading→
Hot Topics
The “Grievous Sin” of Neglecting the Church (Ames)
For this reason the Westminster Confession notes that outside of the church “there is no ordinary possibility of salvation” (25.2). This doesn’t mean that a Christian who cannot possibly join with the fellowship is lost (for example, there are Christians in some prisons who have no way of being part of the church or fellowship). But it does mean that those who willfully refuse to be part of a church are putting their souls in grave danger. Why? Because neglecting the assembly is a multi-layered ..Continue reading→
20 Things in 20 Years
Christ must be the center: We sang the hymn Be Thou My Vision at our wedding ceremony twenty years ago. When we chose the hymn, how little did I know how important having Christ as our vision would be! Christ must be the center of marriage for it to thrive. He must be first. After all, marriage is a reflection of the relationship between Christ and his church. We can’t reflect to a watching world who Christ is and what he has done if he is not central. A lot of things can happen in the space o..Continue reading→
Ciceronian Time Call for Ciceronian Voices
To address the present we surely need to avoid the clichéd pieties of political correctness that serve only to bolster special interests. But we must also resist the simplistic populist rhetoric of reaction. We have to address the present by drawing on the history and culture of our past. And we must do so in a public way that calls out those who abuse their power while giving good arguments to those who wish to work for a deeper, greater good than the myopic vision offered by the regnant gospel..Continue reading→
Sinner Theologians
“In the first place it must impact the way we do theology. We handle the infallible truth of the divine revelation, but do so as those who ourselves are flawed in our ability to grasp that truth in its fullness and interconnectedness.” It has been on my mind for quite a while to post an article on ‘sinner theologians’, but I hesitated because of its potential for being misconstrued. However, having just received the latest issue of the Westminster Theological Journal and having read a review ar..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Tragedy Drives New York Man to Give ‘Safe Haven’ to Thousands of Babies
LEVITTOWN, N.Y. (Associated Press) – To untold numbers of children, he’s simply Uncle Tim. Nearly 3,300 babies across the country who otherwise might have been abandoned and perhaps died have found homes in the past 17 years, thanks in part to the efforts of Tim Jaccard, a retired New York police ambulance medic who grew weary of responding to calls of dead infants abandoned in trash cans and alleys. “To hold a newborn infant in your arms and have to pronounce that child dead is heart-wrenchin..Continue reading→
Queen Misses Christmas Church For First Time In Nearly 30 Years
The Queen will miss the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham for the first time in almost 30 years.Continue reading→
Hillsong’s ‘Naked Cowboy’ Appears as Half-Naked Santa at ‘Christmas Tropical Party’
The youth leader at Hillsong NYC, who generated controversy earlier this year after appearing at a Christian women’s conference as a look-alike to the city’s famed “Naked Cowboy,” recently was photographed at a “Christmas tropical party” again half-naked—a photo that was later deleted following concerns. Esther Houston, the wife of Joel Houston, who serves as the leader of the popular worship band Hillsong United and co-pastor of Hillsong NYC, posted the photo to her Instagram this week with th..Continue reading→
Catholic Health Educator Fired After She Chose Not to Teach Students About Contraceptives
Catholic health educator Karen "Alexia" Palma refused to compromise her principles by choosing not to teach students about contraceptives. As a result, she was fired from her job.Continue reading→
Music
Leeland Announces Pre-Order For New Album
Today Bethel Music announced the pre-order of Leeland's first album as part of their artist collective. "We're excited to announce that Leeland's first album with Bethel Music is now available for pre-order on iTunes. 'Invisible' offers a refreshing perspective on a gospel that is alive and moving in us and through us," Bethel shared. Invisible will mark Leeland's first release since 2014's Christ Be All Around Me EP and will be available July 22. Click here to pre-order the album now and get 3 instant song downloads "Invisible," "Carry It All Away" and "Son Was Lifted Up." Invisible Track Listing 1. My Treasure 2. War 3. Spirit 4. Ever Love You Lord 5. For Your Glory 6. Perfect Love 7. Lock & Key 8. Invisible 9. Breath of God [...]Continue reading→
Project 86 Announces PledgeMusic Campaign for 10th Album
Project 86 has launched a special PledgeMusic campaign in support of their upcoming tenth studio album and their 20 year anniversary as a band. The project will be comprised of ten original songs and five covers. All of the songs will be available to backers on a one song per month basis, beginning with a cover of Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" as an immediate download for all backers. The PledgeMusic campaign is designed as both a preorder for music to come and a celebration of music past, with offers including vintage merch. Accompanying tour dates are coming soon, with Project 86 promising to play fan favorites from their early days alongside current tracks. Above all, the band sees the campaign as a way to celebrate the past two decades alongside their fans. "You have stuck by us for twenty years. We want to meet you, spend[...]Continue reading→
Word Entertainment Scores Two Trophies For Christian Retailing’s Best Awards
It was announced earlier this week that Word Entertainment was honored two times at the annual Christian Retailing's Best Awards. Big Daddy Weave's acclaimed album Beautiful Offerings (Fervent Records) won in the music category and When Calls the Heart Complete Season 2 (Word Films) won for the DVD Movie division. The awards, honoring the best new products of the year, were given on Monday, June 27 in Cincinnati during the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS). "At Word Entertainment, we are passionate and intentional about delivering the best in Christian entertainment to people everywhere," shares Rod Riley, President & CEO, Word Entertainment. "Big Daddy Weave's Beautiful Offerings and When Calls the Heart Complete Season 2 are two projects that we have seen impact thousands and thousands of lives with the good news of the Gospel. To be recognized with awards for each of these projects from Christian Retailing's[...]Continue reading→
Metalcore Group Toarn Signs With Luxor Records
Christian metalcore band Toarn has announced their signing with Luxor Records, making their upcoming EP Giant Killer their debut with the label. Toarn released a new song titled "In Flander's Fields" alongside the label news, giving fans an initial taste of Giant Killer prior to its July 15 release. Preorders for the EP are available through major retailers like Amazon, BestBuy and Barnes & Noble as well as through VictoryMerch.com. The Washington-based band has developed a grassroots following through the release of past independent projects Protoevangelium and Brood of Vipers. Toarn will be hitting the road with Hemarosa in support of the release, with tour dates listed here. You can listen to "Flander's Field" below.Continue reading→
Britney Spears Endorses Pastor/Author Max Lucado
Britney Spears has a new album coming out and is about to kick off a two-year residency in Las Vegas, so she’s out there working the publicity machine. During a recent Twitter chat, a fan asked Britney what her favorite book was, and the singer replied, “Anything by Max Lucado.” Lucado is a Texas-based preacher and author of a hundred (yes, a hundred) Christian-themed adults and kids’ books. Their titles include Grace for the Moment, Outlive Your Life: You Were Born to Make a Difference, and God..Continue reading→
Katy Perry’s Song “By the Grace of God” Is a Flashback to Her Christian Singer Days
Before Katy Perry was an animal-print-and-candy-loving pop star, she was Katy Hudson, aspiring Christian singer. Though her switch to the secular side of music helped make her a star, Katy (whose parents are pastors) hasn’t given up on her Christian background. Her new album Prism features the ballad “By the Grace of God,” which probably won’t ever be released as a single but does a bang-up job appealing to one of her core constituencies. But what does John Mayer think?Continue reading→
American
NFL Player Ben Watson Tells March for Life: “We Must End the Unthinkable Practice of Abortion”
Joining hundreds of thousands of people at the March for Life today is NFL star Ben Watson. The Baltimore Ravens tight end has been using his fame not to speak for himself but to speak up for the most vulnerable lives in America – babies in the womb. “Abortion will not end until men stand up” for women and babies in the womb, Watson challenged the crowd during the 44th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. “We must end the unthinkable practice of abortion in the United States of America.” ..
March for Life President: The Only Number I Care About Is The 58 Million Babies Killed By Abortion
While the theme of this year’s March for Life was “The Power of One,” March President Jeanne Mancini seemed keen to take the focus off of crowd numbers and overall statistics and focus on the big picture: 58 million babies have been aborted in the United States since 1973. Mancini immediately dismissed any comparison to last week’s Women’s March on Washington, saying that the organizers were not concerned with crowd size or likes on social networks. Instead, Mancini said that the only number th..
Trump Advisor Kellyanne Conway Tells March for Life: President Donald Trump “Stands With You”
Kellyanne Conway, a top adviser to President Donald Trump, told hundreds of thousands of people at the March for Life that the president stands with them in their battle against abortion. “Steps away from here in the White House, a president and a vice president sit at their desks and make decisions for the nation,” Conway told the crowd. “As they sit there, they stand here with you.” “Their impassioned defense of life as presidential candidates showed a nation that courage and commitment can ..
Kingdom Roots with Dennis Venema, Genomist
Please listen to this to hear Dennis Venema’s story about changing toward evolution.
US
The Christmas wars throughout history
A new book by Gerry Bowler entitled Christmas in the Crosshairs: Two Thousand Years of Denouncing and Defending the World’s Most Celebrated Holiday points out that the “Christmas wars”–the conflict between secular and religious observances of Christmas–have been going on throughout the history of Christianity. The Bishop of Amasea complained in 400 A.D. about how Christmas presents make children greedy. St. Augustine complained about the commercialization of Christmas. And Christians have long c..
Person of the Year
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year is Donald Trump. Of course it was. Who else could it be? One of our end-of-the-year customs here at the Cranach blog–along with making predictions and checking last year’s predictions–is to make our own proposals for Person of the Year. Trump is clearly, in the words of Time’s criteria, “the person who had the greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the year.” Feel free to comment on whether you think his influence will be “for better or worse..
Ancient scientists helping modern scientists
Contrary to the stereotypes about ancient and medieval knowledge and totally contradicting Mark Twain’s depiction in Connecticut Yankee of King Arthur’s court panicking over an eclipse, the scientists of yore were keen observers of the heavens. They kept meticulous records of things like eclipses and analyzed them mathematically. Now astronomers from 2016 A.D. are using data recorded by the Babylonians in 136 B.C. to determine that the earth’s rate of rotation has slowed down. They are also maki..
From “the most humiliating year in our history” to victory
Today is the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Daily Oklahoman has a fascinating and moving feature looking not only at the coverage of that event but of its anniversary through the war years and beyond. We often forget that the first year of the war we were losing. The editorial for December 7, 1942, called it “the bitterest and most humiliating year in our history.” The next year’s paper was sober but more upbeat. Then we see optimism. In 1945 we see the exuberance–and relief..