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
Matthew 11:5 (11-05-16)
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.— Matthew 11:5 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... The clear sign of the Messiah's presence was a time of true blessedness for all who know and follow him. Just think how glorious it will be and all the blessings we will share when he comes again! My Prayer... Lord God Almighty, I praise you for the tim..Continue reading→
The Gardener
"Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." John 15:2, NIV You and I can trust the Gardener to skillfully, personally, lovingly, and effectively prune the “vines” of our lives. Isaiah described the gentle skillfulness of His touch when he revealed, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” (Isa. 42:3, NIV). In other words, God will not cut you back so much that you are broken beyond the ability to grow, nor will He qu..Continue reading→
Romans 13:6
“This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.”Continue reading→
Proverbs 11:4 (11-04-16)
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.— Proverbs 11:4 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What is your primary investment? Only righteousness offers a truly long-term benefit! My Prayer... Holy God, thank you for valuing what is good, holy, and righteous. I praise you for empowering me to develop those qualities in my character. In Jesus' name. Amen.Continue reading→
God’s Power to Change
His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. 2 Peter 1:3, NKJV Do you know someone who is desperate for change? Someone who is: bound by anger? isolated by pride? depressed by worry? consumed by jealousy? panicked by fear? God’s Word has not lost its power since the beginning of time! The same power that transformed Planet Earth from that which was void, dark, without form, and in a fluid con..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Acts 11:24 (11-24-16)
For he [Barnabas] was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.— Acts 11:24 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Barnabas was a good man! Why? For many reasons. But, the key reason was that he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit. This shouldn't surprise us. When the Holy Spirit lives in us, he is at work producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and conforming us to the character of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). No ..Continue reading→
Facing Death
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. Revelation 21:4, NKJVIn the beginning, we were never intended to die. Death was not a part of God’s original plan. He created you and me for Himself. He intended us to live with Him and enjoy Him forever in an uninterrupted, permanent, personal, love relationship. But sin came into our lives and broke the very relationship with God for which we were created. When your loved one dies and your gri..Continue reading→
Colossians 2:6-7
“[Spiritual Fullness in Christ] So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”Continue reading→
1 Corinthians 11:23-24 (11-23-16)
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.— 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Remember Jesus! Remember his great sacrifice. Remember his incomparable love for you! Remember him through his Supper! Remember Jesus! My Pr..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for October 28
Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. Psalm 50:14–15, NIV Dear Father in heaven, we want to praise you together and to thank you with all our hearts for your goodness and your deliverance from our many needs. Accept our thanks, and help us go on our way with ever joyful hearts. Make us ready for whatever you have prepared for us, your children. Bless us in our individual lives and ble..Continue reading→
My Old Nature Put to Death
Passage: Ephesians 4:22-24 Prayer: Dear Father, righteous and holy God,Enable me to put away completely my old human nature - the former lifestyle corrupted by deceitful desires.Help me to be renewed in the spirit of my mind, to put on a new nature, created in your likeness in true righteousness and holiness.Father, make me holy like Jesus, righteous with his righteousness!In the name of the holy Jesus I pray for true holiness within me. Amen. Devotional provided by Heartlight® © 1996-2016. All righ..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for October 27
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:8–10, NIV Lord God, we thank you for your voice even when it is stern and we must go through hardship and suffering. Your voice speaks to us, and in your voice we can be glad and victorious in our life on earth. Come into o..Continue reading→
My New Nature Made Alive
Passage: Ephesians 4:17-21 Prayer: Dear Father, righteous and holy God,Help me never to be tempted to live as worldly people live: futile in their thinking - darkened in their understanding - alienated from you because of the ignorance within them - hard-hearted and calloused -given over to licentiousness - greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness.I did not learn of a Christ like this! I learned of a righteous and holy Christ.Help me ever to aspire to live as your holy people live: clear and dec..Continue reading→
Christian Quotes
Schaeffer: bringing healing
Thursday, June 16, 2016 Feast of Richard of Chichester, Bishop, 1253 Commemoration of Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, Moral Philosopher, 1752 Meditation: We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. —Romans 15:1 (ESV) Quotation: Only the one who has been hurt can bring healing. The other person cannot. It is the one who has been hurt who has to be willing to be hurt again to show love, if there is to be hope that healing will come...Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
7 Great Bible Verses For The First Day Of School
Here are seven great Bible verses that can help during that first day of school. Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” There is nothing more important for a student to know than the fear of the Lord is the very beginning of wisdom. It begins there and stays there. Students will be under a lot of influence in school and be exposed to a lot of different philosophies and theories. The student must guard their mind by staying firml..Continue reading→
7 Children’s Songs About Jesus
Here are seven great children’s songs about Jesus. 1. Jesus Loves Me The lyrics are soundly biblical because Jesus loved the little children and when the disciples once tried to prevent them from coming to Him, He rebuke them and said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 19:14) because “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” (Luke 18:17). That’s why this song is so special. The words f..Continue reading→
The Disciples Were Not Afraid to Worship Jesus (Even Though They Should Have Been)
The disciples of Jesus were raised in a first century Jewish culture and faith system, so they understood the universally accepted notion that God alone is worthy of our worship. This concept was central to the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:3-6) and was repeatedly taught throughout the Jewish scripture (see Deuteronomy 4:35, 6:4, 6:13-16, and 32:39, 2 Samuel 7:22, Isaiah 8:13, and Isaiah 43:10-11). The Old Testament was clear about this truth; Yahweh was the only God the Jews were to love, fea..Continue reading→
Yankee Reliever Adam Warren Commits to Jesus at a Concert
Life can be a roller coaster, at times, in the baseball world. Adam Warren, relief pitcher for the New York Yankees, was traded December, 2015, to the Chicago Cubs. Then recently, here in July ,2016, Warren was traded back to the Yankees, and that does not even count the number of times going up and down from major league to the minor league and back. However, Adam Warren is not on a roller coaster when it comes to his faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. That is rock solid. “I grew up in a Christi..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
An Open Letter to You in 2017: The Same Old Message for a Brand New Year
As we anticipate the challenges and opportunities of 2017, I want to repost an open letter that focuses on the most important realities in the world. And the addressee of my open letter is you. No matter who you are—whether young in the faith, a seasoned saint, or not a believer in Jesus at all; whether we’re good friends, have only spoken a few times, or if I don’t know you from Adam—I can think of nothing more profitable that I’d like to say directly to you. And perhaps the most interesting di..Continue reading→
Spiritual Depression is Coming for You
Spiritual depression is a part of the Christian life. Lloyd-Jones puts it this way: “You cannot isolate the spiritual from the physical for we are body, mind and spirit. The greatest and the best Christians when they are physically weak are more prone to an attack of spiritual depression than at any other time and there are great illustrations of this in the Scriptures.” If you’ve been a Christian believer for any amount of time, you’re familiar with the feeling: It’s like you’re . . . off. Fo..Continue reading→
Saying No to Church = Divorcing Christ from His Bride (Murray)
“We cannot think of Christ properly apart from the church. All the offices he exercises as head over all things, he exercises on behalf of the church. If we think of the church apart from Christ, or transfer to the church prerogatives that belong only to Christ, then we are guilty of idolatry. But if we think of Christ apart from the church, then we are guilty of a dismemberment that severs what God has joined together. We are divorcing Christ from his only bride.” Some people today believe the..Continue reading→
Are You Imagining Precious Moments Jesus or Warrior Jesus?
Jesus’ strength as a warrior was displayed in taking all the blows we could not. He went to the cross and won our salvation. And further, Jesus didn’t fully complete his mission either. Jesus came once but he promises that he will come again. And when he comes again he will destroy every enemy that he left undestroyed. He is both the infant in the manger and the rider on the white horse armed for battle in Revelation. There’s a version of Jesus we spend a lot of time with at Christmas, but ther..Continue reading→
Movies
Watch: Ben-Hur goes “epic” in a new featurette
With six weeks to go until the film’s release date, Paramount has posted a new Ben-Hur featurette. This one focuses on the film’s “epic” nature, and while it consists mostly of footage that we have seen before, it does have a few new bits. Here is the video, which features soundbites from producer Sean Daniel and co-stars Jack Huston and Morgan Freeman in addition to some snippets from the film: Note the audio clip in which Ilderim (Freeman) tells Judah (Huston), “Defeat your brother, and you’l..Continue reading→
Why is Jesus crying in this image from the new Ben-Hur?
Damaris Media in the UK has posted a set of community resources in connection with the upcoming release of Ben-Hur, including a church discussion guide and a youth activity pack, and along the way they have also provided some new photos from the upcoming film — including an image of Jesus shedding tears while he prays. What is happening in this scene? Two possibilities come to mind — neither of which have been depicted in any previous movie version of Ben-Hur to my knowledge. My first thought wa..Continue reading→
Ben-Hur news round-up: How big a success will it be?
Another week, another quick round-up of Ben-Hur-related news stories. Christian Retailing reports that a 20-minute preview of the film was shown at the Christian Booksellers Association’s Unite 2016 retail show last week: Another movie highlight at the show was an exclusive, 20-minute Ben-Hur preview that followed the Sunday Worship Him! service. The preview included comments from Roma Downey, executive producer of the film and president of LightWorkers Media. [Kevin] McAfee, founder of the Gold..Continue reading→
Popcorn in the pews
When I was in my twenties, my friends referred to the movies as my second church. I could be found there probably as often as I could be found at my regular house of worship, and I probably extolled some films with the same fervor I used when talking about doctrine. When I was asked to participate in the Patheos symposium on nontraditional worship, I was surprised that churches that meet in movie theaters were considered “nontraditional.” It’s been ..Continue reading→
Box office: Tarzan leads a pack of also-rans behind Dory
A Pixar cartoon just kept swimming at the top of the box office this week, while three new releases had openings that ranged from decent to disappointing. The Legend of Tarzan earned an estimated $38.1 million between Thursday and Sunday, which is either good or not-so-good depending on how you spin it. On the one hand, it’s a record for a Tarzan movie (beating the $34.2 million that Disney’s animated Tarzan opened to in 1999), but it’s also not as good as the studio might have hoped for a film ..Continue reading→
Review: Joy
The text at the beginning of Joy, the latest film from director David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook), says it is “inspired by the true stories of daring women . . . one in particular.” That “one” is Joy Mangano, play..Continue reading→
Review: The Revenant
One of the memorable (and most talked about) scenes in The Revenant is an epic fight between Leonardo DiCaprio and a grizzly bear. The bloody brawl occurs early in the film and is the plot’s inciting incident. Gravely injured by the bear, 1820s frontiersman Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is left for dead by his fellow hunters/fur-traders and must survive in the wilderness in the dead of winter. As if it wasn’t already hard enough to survive the Pawnee tomahawks and arrows, subzero temperatures, blizzards, dehydration, and treacherous men within his own group (most notably Tom Hardy’s villainous character Fitzgerald), Glass must do it all having been maimed, mauled, and flayed by a bear.Continue reading→
Review: Concussion
Concussion tries to achieve the depth and stakes of the Biblical story of Esther, without quite enough unchecked power or genocide to support the claim. The movie is based on real-life Dr. Bennet Omalu’s discovery of the danger of repeated brain trauma sustained by professional football players and his battle to publicize that danger. Oma..Continue reading→
Review: 45 Years
Much about 45 Years makes it clear that it’s adapted from a short story, but nothing more than the moment when Kate (Charlotte Rampling) is surveying the hall in which she intends to host her 45th wedding anniversary party at the end of the week. “So full of history, you see?” says the man showing her the room, wh..Continue reading→
Music
Jon Bauer Celebrates Eight Covenant Award Nominations
Singer/songwriter and recording artist Jon Bauer has received eight GMA Canada Covenant Award nominations, including nods for three of the highest honors Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, it was recently announced. In addition, Bauer's latest critically-acclaimed recording, The Light In Us, is nominated for Praise & Worship Album of the Year, while the project's "Say Something" is nominat..Continue reading→
Jean Watson Named NewReleaseToday’s Artist Of The Month
Internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter and classically trained violinist Jean Watson has been selected as an Artist of the Month for November 2016 by the influential music discovery portal, NewReleaseToday.com. The site features Watson on its front page, profiling her career and highlighting music from her new CD, WONDER, which released to retail Friday, October 14, 2016 from Suite 28 Records and Shadowlands Music through Naxos of America, ..Continue reading→
The Letter Black Teases New Music
The Letter Black has been relatively quiet since their previous album Rebuild released almost exactly three years ago. However, much to the delight of their fans, the band finally "broke the silence" regarding new music, confirming today on Facebook that they are in the process of working on a new album. Fans won't have to wait long to get a taste as the band also confirmed a sneak peak teaser for Friday, November 18th. Although not many details were revealed beyond that, the band promise..Continue reading→
Trip Lee Drops New Single
For the first time in just over two years, Trip Lee has dropped new music appeasing personal and Reach Records fans alike. The track 'Too Cold' has been gaining hype on Twitter for the past week while snippets and related artwork have been released. Get the single on iTunes by clicking here. Produced by GAWVI, "Too Cold" will appear on Trip Lee's forthcoming mixtape, The Waiting Room, which is set for release on Decem..Continue reading→
Dave Barnes and Porter’s Call Founder Al Andrews Team Up To Create Christmas Book
When the hustle, bustle, and expectations of the holidays were about to overwhelm him, Al Andrews decided to take a late night stroll. Turning up his collar and pulling his jacket a little tighter, Andrews set out to clear his mind--and ended up rediscovering the true meaning behind the Christmas season. His newly updated book, A Walk One Winter Night, is inspired by these real-life events. As he walked, Andrews passed by a nativity display in a neighbor's yard, and something caused him to..Continue reading→
JJ Heller Releases Debut Full-Length Christmas Project ‘Unto Us’ Today
Indie music and radio favorite JJ Heller is releasing her debut full-length Christmas album, UNTO US, today, November 11. Funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, UNTO US is a blend of traditional holiday songs and new originals that capture the memories and feelings of JJ's youth. "While researching other Christmas records, I was repeatedly drawn to the familiar old classics," she explains. "This music; these memories fill ..Continue reading→
Jason Crabb Partners With New Day To Distribute ‘Jase The Crabb’ Children’s Book Series
Grammy winner Jason Crabb has partnered with New Day Christian Distributers to make his "Jase® the Crabb" Children's book series available to the Christian retail market. Lifeway Christian Stores and independent retailers will carry the series along with the "Jase® the Crabb" plush figure. The ten-book series follows the Ten Commandments and is a perfect way to teach children the basics of the Bible.Continue reading→
Austin & Lindsey Adamec Release First Christmas Single
Radiate Music husband wife duo Austin & Lindsey Adamec premiere their first Christmas single, "Welcome To The World You Made," today (Nov. 11) from Radiate Music. Available now at iTunes, Apple Music and other major digital retailers, the song is also going for radio airplay and its lyric video can be seen on YouTube. While working on their full-length album, slated to release spring 2017, and following the release of their critical..Continue reading→
Yancy Releases New Christmas EP
Kid-friendly Christian singer-songwriter Yancy has released her first new Christmas music in 7 years. Little Drummer Boy, her new 3-song EP, is quickly becoming a holiday favorite for all ages and is available now via Syntax Distribution at iTunes. Along with the driving title track, Yancy has crafted unique new recordings of the seasonal standard "Silent Night" and the contemporary c..Continue reading→
World
Belgian Catholic nursing home has to pay damages for refusing euthanasia
A Catholic nursing home in Belgium is reported to have fallen foul of the country's courts after refusing to permit a resident to access euthanasia. The incident happened in 2011 when Huize Sint-Augustinus home in Diest refused to allow an elderly woman's doctor access to see her – when it was thought she was about to be given a lethal injection. The home has been ordered to pay €6,000 (approx $6,600 or £5,000) in damaged to the family of the woman. The civil court in Louva..Continue reading→
No more settlements on Palestinian land, Middle East Quartet to tell Israel
The West Bank Jewish settlement of Efrat is one of those deemed illegal by the UN. Israel should stop building settlements, denying Palestinian development and designating land for exclusive Israeli use that Palestinians seek for a future state, the Middle East peace Quartet recommended in a draft of an eagerly awaited report seen by Reuters. The draft report by the Quartet countries sponsoring the stalled Middle East peace process – the United States, Russia, the European Union and the..Continue reading→
Your Unchurched Friends Want to Know About Your Faith
And while they don’t want to go to church, they’re likely up for attending other church activities with you, LifeWay reports. Americans who don’t go to church are happy to talk about religion and often think about the meaning of life. They’re open to taking part in community service events hosted at a church or going to a church concert. But only about a third say they’d go to a worship service, if invited by a friend. Few think about what happens after they die. Those are among the findings ..Continue reading→
PCA Goes Back to Where It Started: Women’s Ordination
Meanwhile, the shrinking PCUSA makes plans to recover its identity. One of the reasons that the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) left the Presbyterian Church in the United States 40 years ago was because the new denomination opposed women in church leadership. Last week, the PCA General Assembly voted to form a committee to take up the issue again. The seven-person committee will look at the biblical basis and theology of ordination and of the office of deacon, then report back to the Gene..Continue reading→
American
Woman Complains About Body Image Issues After Late-Term Abortion of Girl With Spina Bifida
Missouri mom Jessica McCoy had a late-term abortion a few months ago after learning that her unborn daughter had spina bifida and a chromosomal abnormality. The mother of three born children has been sharing about her abortion publicly, both describing her grief at the loss of her daughter and justifying her decision to have her unborn daughter killed because of the girl’s disabilities. Several women’s publications picked up McCoy’s story this week after she posted photos on Instagram describi..
Texas Lawmakers Initially Approve Bill to Ban Abortions on Babies Just Because of Their Race or Gender
Today, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 415, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban, on second reading. The bill was preliminarily approved by the Senate on a bipartisan 22-9 vote. In addition to every Republican of the Senate supporting the measure, two Democrats – Senators Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) – voted for the life-saving measure. Senate Bill 415 and House Bill 844, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban, outlaw the barbaric and inhumane procedure that ends the li..
More Patients in Quebec Killed in Assisted Suicide as Hundreds Request Lethal Drugs
CBC news reported (March 14) that the number of euthanasia deaths in Québec significantly increased in the second half of 2016. According to the CBC news report: A total of 461 patients were granted doctor-assisted death during the first year of Quebec’s medical aid in dying law, according to data obtained by CBC’s French-language service, Radio-Canada. The number of requests increased significantly in the second half of 2016. From December 2015 to end of June 2016, 253 patients requested the ..
Woman Was About to Have an Abortion When Something Incredible Happened to Save Her Baby’s Life
Two volunteers at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Pensacola spoke to a deeply troubled young woman who had conceived a child as the result of a sexual assault. “She was hurting and felt that abortion was her only solution to the recent trauma she had experienced,” said Ernie, the local coordinator. Counselors offered encouragement, assistance, prayers and tears. But still, she believed abortion was her only option … and she went inside the abortion center. The volunteers kept praying – and trust..
Australia
Bringing them up in the Lord
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Wednesday 21 December 2016 About 60 million children in China are “left behind” in their home villages, to be looked after by their grandparents or relatives because their parents are trying to find work in cities. This enormous group of neglected children – more than a quarter of the 215 million children in China – is in great need of hope, encouragement and care. These “left-behind” children are highly vulnerable to serious crimes such as sexual abuse and assault and suff..
Back where it all began
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Saturday 20 December 2016 Next year is a special year. Bible Society Australia will be celebrating its bicentenary, but 2017 is not only about thanking God for all he’s done in the past through his word. Bible Society Australia is calling upon you, your church and your community groups to help us continue the legacy of equipping our people with the life-giving word of God. Get The Word Out (GTWO) is Bible Society Australia’s year-long focus on providing one nation on earth ..
Everything you helped us achieve in 2016
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | Greg Clarke Monday 19 December 2016 Bible Society Australia isn’t about any one person. From the very start we’ve been a Society. Bible Society is the thousands of supporters and volunteers like you. And it’s through your generosity this year we’ve been able to: Train 30 literacy teachers in South Sudan under Professor Twong Yolong – so thousands of Collo people, traumatised by war, can read and write Translated the scriptures to the Tay, Nung and Muong people in Vietnam –..
Egyptian Christians killed in bomb attack on church
A bomb blast in St Peter’s church in Cairo on Sunday killed 25 people and wounded 49, mostly women and children. The bombing during morning mass was the deadliest attack on Egypt’s Christians since a 2011 bombing killed 21 people at a church in Alexandria. The Sunday bombing is the latest indication of how challenging it is for Christians living in Egypt, who account for about 10 per cent of Egypt’s 92 million people. The Bible Society of Egypt has requested prayers f..
Law & Government
Men With Scabies Arrested After Committing Homosexual Sex Act on Display Bed at Bed Bath & Beyond
(NorthJersey.com) – Two men were arrested and charged with engaging in lewd behavior on a display bed at Bed Bath & Beyond during regular business hours. Police officers responded to the Route 3 Riverfront shopping center at 5 p.m. Monday on a report from a witness that two men were engaged in a sex act, records show. Police arrested two 28-year-old men, one from Nutley and the other from North Carolina. Both were charged with lewdness, criminal mischief and possession of marijuana, according ..
Alabama Man Charged With Capital Murder for Killing Unborn Child in Beating Girlfriend
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An Alabama man has been charged with capital murder for allegedly killing his unborn child while beating his girlfriend. According to reports, Reginald Sharp, 27, knocked his girlfriend to the ground in a domestic incident last July and then beat her with his fists and a belt. She was 26 weeks (six months) pregnant. The woman was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where her baby was stillborn the next day. The county coroner listed the child’s death as “intrauterine feta..
Trump Mocks Schwarzenegger, Jokingly Asks for ‘Prayer’ for ‘Apprentice’ Ratings at National Prayer Breakfast
(ABC News) — President Trump jokingly requested prayer for Arnold Schwarzenegger as he addressed attendees at this morning’s National Prayer Breakfast. “They hired a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place, and we know how that turned out,” Trump said at the top of his remarks. He continued, “The ratings went right down the tubes. It’s been a total disaster. And Mark [Burnett] will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those rat..
Boy Scouts to Allow Girls Who Identify as Boys
(New York Times) — Reversing its stance of more than a century, the Boy Scouts of America said on Monday that the group would begin accepting members based on the gender listed on their application, paving the way for transgender boys to join the organization. “For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America, along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual’s birth certificate to determine eligibility for our single-..
Entertainment
Martin Scorsese talks Spirituality and Silence
Comment countSilence was one of the most provocative, moving bits of cinema I saw last year. It’s complex and murky and inspiring and troubling and beautiful–all of which, in a way, reflects how I interact with faith itself. Perhaps, when we attempt to understand and embrace the transcendent, it can be no other way. The movie is arguably one of Martin Scorsese’s most overtly religious works. But as many have noted, almost every movie that Scorsese has ever done is about, in some way, faith. Scor..
Why Silence Deserved Oscar’s Love
Comment countAndrew Garfield and Yōsuke Kubozuka in Silence, photo courtesy Paramount PicturesWhen Academy Award nominees earlier this week, plenty of Oscar’s snubs made headlines. No Amy Adams? No Sully? Where’s Hugh Grant? But the Academy reserved its biggest oversight for one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors: Martin Scorsese. Silence, the film that Scorsese spent 26 years planning and making, earned just a single nomination—for Rodrigo Prieto’s gorgeous cinematography. Nothing for Andr..
The Story of God: Is There Anybody Out There?
Comment countMorgan Freeman from National Geographic’s The Story of GodFor two seasons, National Geographic’s The Story of God With Morgan Freeman has taken us behind the curtain to see the world’s religions, both great and small, at work. This Monday in the second season finale, Freeman and his crew tackle the biggest question of all: Is there a reason for all this religion? In other words, is there a God? But proof of God, as Oxford Theoretical Physicist Ard Louis says on the show, is impossib..
The Story of God: Finding Heaven in Hell
Comment countMorgan Freeman from National Geographic’s The Story of God.What is heaven? What is hell? And how do they impact how we live right now? “Heaven and Hell,” the latest episode of The Story of God With Morgan Freeman (airing Jan. 23) grapples with those questions. They’re questions that have fascinated me, too. They always have, ever since I was a little boy. In the episode, Freeman and others take an interfaith trip through the Good Place and Bad Place. The show takes us to a cave in T..
Health and Science
Is Genesis History? New Film Affirms Truthfulness of Biblical Record
A soon-to-be-released documentary-style film, featuring footage from around the U.S. and interviews with over a dozen scholars and scientists, will provide visual evidence and scientific arguments for the Bible’s accounts of Creation and the Flood. On February 23, hundreds of movie theaters across the U.S. will participate in a one-night showing of the film “Is Genesis History?” The film, produced by Compass Cinema and structured as a documentary, features interviews with respected Christian sc..
Researchers Experiment Creation of Human-Pig ‘Chimera Embryos’ to Address Shortage of Donor Organs
LA JOLLA, Calif. — A team of biologists at the Salk Institute in California has reportedly created the first-ever human-pig chimeras in an effort to test the idea of growing organs in animals that can later be used in human transplants. “This biomedical advance has long been a dream and a quandary for scientists hoping to address a critical shortage of donor organs,” National Geographic writes. “Every ten minutes, a person is added to the national waiting list for organ transplants. And every d..
Why Our Body Destroys Itself
The science and spirituality behind the latest Nobel Prize in medicine. With every patient I treat, I hear myself echo the same sentiment: I know this hurts. I’m sorry. It will be over soon. In the emergency department, healing rarely comes without pain. It may be the wrenching of a joint back into place, the lancing of an abscess, or the administering of antibiotics through the business end of a large needle. But with the exception of the few who decide at the first flash of my scalpel that pe..
Perplexed Scientists Think C-Sections During Childbirth Are Affecting Human Evolution
Photo Credit: Lisa EspinosaWhy is obstructed labor such a common complication during human childbirth? A team of evolutionary scientists thinks recent human evolution and the modern practice of childbirth via C-section contribute to the problem. Obstructed labor happens when a baby is unable to smoothly pass from the mother’s womb through the birth canal. A major cause of both maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, obstructed labor is especially common in poorer countries and results in ..
US
The Superbowl and vocation
The Superbowl is this weekend, time for the obligatory polls about whether or not God gets involved in the outcome of sporting events. One-quarter of Americans believe that he does. About a half believe that God rewards faithful athletes with health and success. Certainly, the easy answer is that of course God doesn’t care about a sporting event because He has much more important things to do. But if God attends to the fall of a sparrow, why wouldn’t He attend to the fall of a pigskin? The real ..
The anti-Trump “resistance”
French Resistance fighters, 1944 Democrats have gone into full resistance mode, with Democratic Senators boycotting confirmation hearings to prevent a vote on President Trump’s candidates. (Republicans suspended the rules and approved Treasury Secretary candidate Steven Mnuchin and HHS Secretary candidate Tom Price anyway. See this.) Meanwhile, a self-described “alternative left” has emerged that is pressuring Democratic elected officials not to co-operate with the Republicans. Notice how the us..
Trump’s Supreme Court nominee
President Donald Trump has nominated Colorado appeals court Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Antonin Scalia. Reportedly, Judge Gorsuch is from that same mold: eloquent, learned, articulate, and an “originalist” when it comes to interpreting the Constitution. He is the author of a book against euthanasia and supported Hobby Lobby in its suit against the Obamacare birth control mandate. An Anglican, he would be the only Protestant on the bench, joining the 5 Ca..
“Pregnant people”
The British Medical Association has issued guidelines saying that to avoid offending the transgendered, health workers should not refer to “pregnant women.” Rather, say, “pregnant people.” After all, a biological female–no, that wording is forbidden too; we must say “assigned female”–who identifies as a man can have a baby. And since we must go by self-identification, that means that men can be pregnant. The Transgender movement has at least destroyed feminism. Now that men can claim the identit..
Church & Theology
“Enlightenment” and True Freedom
“I think, therefore I am.” René Descartes penned this popular line in his 1637 treatise, Discourse on the Method, and it’s a good summary of the book itself. Heralding the importance of scientific discoveries and the necessity of doubting one’s own view of the world, Descartes’s work is often considered the first domino to fall in what is now called the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment, with its explosion of scientific discoveries and philosophical arguments, had one task:..
New Book — Rooted: Theology For Growing Christians
As you may know, my friend Jeff Medders and I wrote a short, accessible book on the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. It’s called Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians, and it released this weekend from Rainer Publishing. As two men who’ve served in church leadership in various ways, we kept running into laypeople who were accidental Universalists, Arians, mystics, and even worse. We’ve found that it’s often not their fault; rather, they spent most of thei..
Church Grammar: Theology as the Language of Christianity
If you’re anything like me, you’ve had your favorite dinnertime evangelists, the local Jehovah’s Witnesses, show up at your door. They’re kind. They smile. And they even tuck in their shirts. To top it all off, they speak Christianese pretty well. Or do they? Though they sound like Christians, they come bearing bad news–an anti-gospel that denies the divinity of Jesus and only offers the possibility of Heaven for a select few people. Their gospel sounds so close to the bib..
Jesus Hanging Out with Wild Animals
The Temptations of Christ, 12th century mosaic at St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. On a recent episode of Word Matters, Trevin Wax and I discussed Mark’s rendering of Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness, particularly the unique insertion of the phrase, “He was with the wild animals” (Mark 1:13, HCSB). After discussing the prominent views of this passage throughout church history, Trevin and I both landed at the same conclusion: Mark is recapitulating the temptation scene of Ge..