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 10:31 (10-31-16)
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.— 1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... As humans, we are often quick to quibble over things we feel are important to us when others don't share our enthusiasm — especially food, holidays, and special events. This problem is often more a sign of insecurity than it is a mark of sincerity. We are to do what we do based on our commitment to honor the Lord, not because others do it ..Continue reading→
Faith in the God of Creation!
Sing praises on the harp to our God, who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth. Psalm 147:7-8, NKJVAlthough God was actively involved throughout the Creation process, in the beginning the “earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep” (Gen. 1:2,NIV). If you and I had been present at that time to view the earth, we might have had the impression that because we could not see any evidence of God’s activity, He was not doing anything. Yet at that..Continue reading→
1 Peter 5:8-9
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”Continue reading→
Proverbs 10:30 (10-30-16)
The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.— Proverbs 10:30 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... This promise is even truer for those of us who live on this side of Calvary and the empty tomb! As Paul said it, "our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious ..Continue reading→
Fixing What’s Wrong
By Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible, and invisible. Colossians 1:16, NKJV It can be mind boggling to contemplate the vastness of the universe, from the greatest star to the smallest particle. It is so vast that astronomers are now saying that it stretches beyond what we are capable of penetrating, even with sophisticated telescopes like the Hubble. And every bit of it was created by the Living Word of God, Who, even as He hung the stars in space, coun..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Proverbs 11:20 (11-20-16)
They that are... upright in their way are his [the Lord's) delight.— Proverbs 11:20 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... I am confident that the Lord will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Why? Not because I'm perfect, but Jesus has forgiven and cleansed me and the Holy Spirit is working to perfect my behavior to match my standing before God. I don't know about you, but I am thankful to know that we can bring the LORD delight. Just like our children can bring..Continue reading→
So Dry and Thirsty
"If you knew . . . who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." John 4:10, NIVWhile the woman of Samaria and I have many differences, we have one thing in common. I, too, find myself from time to time running on empty. In the busyness of ministry, the weariness of activity, the excitement of opportunity, I sometimes wake up and realize, “I am so dry and thirsty.” Invariably, when I examine myself, the reason for the dryness of spiri..Continue reading→
Psalm 95:1-2
“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”Continue reading→
Deuteronomy 11:19 (11-19-16)
And ye shall teach them [God's commandments] to your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.— Deuteronomy 11:19 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Moses gives us three crucial messages about God's commandments. First, as parents, it is our responsibility to teach them to our children — not the responsibility of the government, or of the schools, nor even our churches. Seco..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for October 22
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul? Deuteronomy 10:12, NIV Lord our God, our Father in heaven, be with us as we are gathered here. Through your Spirit let our hearts grow in understanding of how we can serve you rightly and live as you want us to live. Help us hold fast to all that is good. Free us more and more from everything that h..Continue reading→
Love Surpasses Knowledge
Passage: Ephesians 3:20-21 Prayer: Dear Father, transcendent in knowledge and wisdom,Grant that I may know the love of Christ, a love which surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled with the fullness which is yours.Now to you, my God, who by the power at work within your people are able to do far more abundantly than all I can ask or even imagine - to you be glory in the congregation of your holy people and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.In the name of Jesus Christ I hon..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for October 21
Then another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all God's people upon the golden altar in front of the throne. And from the angel's hand the smoke of the incense went up before God with the prayers of his people. Revelation 8:3–4, NEB Lord God, we come before you and ask you to turn our hearts and minds to you alone, to you who have power over the whole world and who can do everything in ..Continue reading→
Rooted and Grounded
Passage: Ephesians 3:14-19 Prayer: Dear Father, transcendent in power and fullness,I bow my knees before you, Father, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.According to the riches of your glory strengthen me with your might in my innermost being, that Christ may dwell in my heart through the trust I have in him.Root me and ground me in love so that I may have the power to comprehend - along with all your holy people - what is the breadth and length and height and depth of your good..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
Milwaukee Brewer Chase Anderson Finds Lessons to Live by in Grandmother’s Bible
Death of a parent is a life-changing experience. However, through our grief, we often have a closer encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. Chase Anderson, a starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, had one such spiritual experience. Chase grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas. His father went to the United Methodist Church growing up; and when he was young, Chase often went with his grandmother there. Later, as he got older, he would also attend the Colonial Baptist Church. When Chase was in middl..Continue reading→
What Does A Freewill Offering Mean?
What does it mean to give a freewill offering in the Bible? Is that something we can do in our day too? Freewill Freewill is the freedom to choose one thing over another or to do something or nothing. Even making no choice becomes a choice…all because of freewill. Jesus said “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16) so the “whoever” indicates that whoever chooses to believe in Jesus will be saved, al..Continue reading→
The Gospels Are Reliable Even With Many Redactions
I’m often asked to make the case for the reliability of the Gospels in spite of the presence of scribal variants throughout the text. Remember that criminal courts do not require eyewitnesses to be inerrant to be considered reliable. In order to illustrate the trustworthiness of the text, I typically offer the following hypothetical. First, allow the skeptic to identify all the textual variants in the Gospels based on a comparison of all available manuscripts. Next, to make the point more dramat..Continue reading→
Great KJV Bible Verses About Earth
God created the Earth and put man on it to take care of it. When He was finished with His creation He said that it was very good (Genesis 1:31). The Bible has lots to say about the land and the earth and how beautiful the creation is. Take a look at some of my favorite KJV Bible verses about earth. God Created the Earth and Everything On it Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 2:1-25 – Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of the..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Advent In The Deathworks
We could call this a culture war, except that it is a war between culture and anti-culture, a de-creation or de-culturalization. Legutko describes these people, despite their prestige and power, as “a homo novus, uneducated, vulgar, primitive, having nothing but contempt for tradition … for history, culture, and anything subtle, genteel, elegant, beautiful, or spiritual.” Ryszard Legutko observes in The Demon in Democracy that the cultured despisers of religion will not rest until they have lev..Continue reading→
Trueman, Kaiser, Vos and Christ-Centered Preaching
“Yes, Geerhardus Vos, whose biblical theological method is the bedrock for much Reformed Christocentric preaching these days, preached non-Christocentric sermons. At least three, at any rate. I have not read all his sermons, but it only takes a few counter-examples to prove that Vos was not the father of modern Christ-centered preaching.” My three-part series on Christ-centered or “Gospel preaching” (sermons that always have an explicit message of Christ as “integral,” the “climax”, and the las..Continue reading→
If You Don’t ‘Get’ Religion, You Can’t ‘Get’ America or the World
“In much coverage of American Christianity, this mindset is obvious: You believe that God ordained marriage as the union of a man and a woman? Well, that’s just bigotry in search of a belief system, religion wielded as a club against the marginalized.” Honesty is a wonderful thing. Last week, during an interview with Terry Gross, New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet made a welcome confession: I want to make sure that we are much more creative about beats out in the country so that we un..Continue reading→
Perseverance of the Saints: Receiving in Order to Continue
“This is why it is perhaps helpful to speak of the preservation of the Christian by God before speaking of the Christian’s perseverance. Yet, even as we do this we need to be clear about what the Christian is persevering in doing. Put another way, what does God’s preservation of his covenant people, the bride of Christ, the Church, result in them continuing to do throughout this lifetime?” “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” God is life. There is no life apart from God. Fo..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Hilarious Video of Kids Telling Christmas Story in ‘Bethle-ha-ha-ham’ Goes Viral — Again
A hilarious viral video on how a group of children re-enacted the birth of Jesus that was first released last year has resurfaced on social media and has been drawing raves, Today reported.Continue reading→
Find It Hard to Trust God? Here Are Some Tips
Even though God tells His children to trust and obey Him, they often fail to do so. Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church said the secret to following God is actually pretty simple - trust God one day at a time.Continue reading→
Texas Cuts Planned Parenthood From Medicaid Program Despite Lawsuit
AUSTIN — Officials in Texas have formally cut the abortion and contraceptive giant Planned Parenthood from the state’s Mediciad program in the midst of a year-old lawsuit challenging plans to defund the organization. According to the Texas Tribune, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) issued a final notice on Tuesday that Planned Parenthood would be defunded in 30 days. The organization had heretofore received $3.1 million in Medicaid reimbursement annually. Planned Parenthood..Continue reading→
Actress Lena Dunham Declares: ‘I Haven’t Had an Abortion, But I Wish I Had’
Lena Dunham of the sexually explicit HBO television series “Girls” said on a recent podcast that she wishes she had an abortion, a remark that even abortion supporters found to be outrageous. “One day, when I was visiting a Planned Parenthood in Texas a few years ago, a young girl walked up to me and asked me if I’d like to be a part of her project in which women share their stories of abortions,” she recalled on her program “Women of the Hour” last week. “I sort of jumped. ‘I haven’t had an ab..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→
What God Wants to Hear by Jonathan Cain
Jonathan Cain, longtime keyboardist and rhythm guitarist in Journey, co-writer of the No. 1 digital catalog song in history, "Don't Stop Believin'," as well as writer of "Faithfully" and co-writer of "Who's Crying Now," "Open Arms" and many more international hit songs, will release his solo album, What God Wants to Hear, Oct. 21 on Identity Records with The Fuel Music distribution. Cain, who continues to tour the world with Journey, one of the most popular American rock bands of all time, crafted his new solo album from his personal faith-journey that started in Chicago when, at a young age,[...]Continue reading→
American
Maryland Pro-Life Advocates Stop Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide
Maryland pro-lifers are rejoicing that the latest attempt to pass a Physician-Assisted Suicide law (PAS) has failed, the third time such proposed legislation has been rejected in as many years. The victory came despite early rumors from PAS supporters and the media that PAS would pass this year in Maryland. State Sen. Guy Guzzone,(D-Howard County), the Senate’s lead sponsor, withdrew the legislation and canceled scheduled hearings. In the House, state Delegate Shane Pendergrass (D-Howard Count..
He Did Over 1,200 Abortions But Quit, Here’s His Tip for Encouraging Others to be Pro-Life Too
Dr Anthony Levatino is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist who performed abortions for eight years before he stopped in 1985. He went on to become a powerful pro-life witness to the truth about abortion and will be speaking at our youth conference in March about his journey from abortionist to pro-life campaigner. I had the chance to chat with Dr Levatino over the phone about his early days as a doctor who performed abortions. I started performing abortions in 1977 but never counted the number. I..
Media Bashes Ivanka Trump’s Jewish Faith; Is Fine With Catholic Nancy Pelosi Promoting Abortion
First Daughter Ivanka Trump and her family are quite possibly the highest-profile Modern Orthodox Jews in American history. Ivanka, who converted in 2009, has spoken about how her family observes the Sabbath, keeps kosher, and celebrates various Jewish holidays together. And now, for some reason, the media has taken it upon itself to become the “kosher police.” Take, for instance, this gem from the Washingtonian, where the writer took the mind-boggling step of phoning a chef to inquire about wh..
Made to Order Humans? Scientists Clam to Have Created “Artificial” Embryos
Using two types of stem cells (the body’s ‘master cells’) and a 3D scaffold on which they can grow, scientists at the University of Cambridge “have managed to create a structure resembling a mouse embryo in culture,” according to the University of Cambridge. The study, published in the journal Science, showed how Cambridge researchers “were able to grow a structure capable of assembling itself and whose development and architecture very closely resembled the natural embryo.” But even the headl..
Australia
Bring these dear children comfort and joy
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Friday 4 November 2016 Children in the Holy Lands and surrounding nations live under a cloud of violence, and they need Jesus’ radical message of hope to bring comfort to their lives. Almost half of the population of the region is aged under 24, and millions of children are unable to attend school because of growing tension. Many children have seen tragedy, horror and bloodshed, often in their immediate family. In a world scarred by fear, hatred, grief and violence, Bible So..
Focus still on the Bible for BSA’s 200th anniversary
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | John Sandeman Thursday 24 November 2016 “After 200 years, we’re here for good” is the Bible Society Australia’s campaign focus for 2017, to mark the bicentenary of the Christian organisation’s work in Australia. At a special launch event this week in Sydney for the 200th anniversary, Bible Society CEO Greg Clarke described BSA as “a mature-aged organisation with the energy of a teenager”. “We are Australia’s longest living organisation – one month older than the oldest ba..
Nurturing the Good Samaritans in South Sudan
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | United Bible Societies | Mary Frank Tuesday 18 October 2016 The Good Samaritan program is inspirational! I love its Bible-based material which encourages children to know God, have a good attitude and be a Good Samaritan to other vulnerable children who are victims of war and HIV. The program is relevant for everyone, not only children, because it gives hope and encourages someone who is infected, traumatised and marginalised by providing spiritual support. My parents di..
Australians Rally Ahead Of Same-Sex Marriage Referendum
A gay rights activist holds a placard during a rally supporting same-sex marriage, in Sydney, Australia, on May 31, 2015.Reuters Hundreds of supporters of same-sex marriage campaigners rallied in Australia's two largest cities on Saturday against a plan to hold a public vote on the issue, concerned it would cause an increase in anti-gay comments. Australia's centre-right coalition government introduced legislation to parliament last month to hold a public vote in February 2017 on whe..
Law & Government
Alabama Governor Interviews Suspended Chief Justice Roy Moore for U.S. Senate Seat
MooreMONTGOMERY, Ala. — The office of Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has confirmed that Bentley interviewed suspended state Chief Justice Roy Moore for a potential congressional seat this week. The seat would replace U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, who was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to serve in his cabinet as attorney general. “He would consider it an honor if appointed to the office of U. S. Senate,” Moore’s wife, Kayla Moore, told the Montgomery Advertiser. Bentley spokesperson Yasam..
Oklahoma Supreme Court Strikes Down Admitting Privileges Law as ‘Undue Burden’ on Abortion Access
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Oklahoma Supreme Court has struck down a state law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at a local hospital, stating that the requirement places an “undue burden” on mothers’ access to abortion. “Under the guise of the protection of women’s health, [the law] creates an undue burden on a woman’s access to abortion, violating protected rights under our federal Constitution,” wrote Justice Joseph Watt wrote on behalf of the court. “Every woman in this coun..
Senate Judiciary Committee Asks FBI, Dept. of Justice to Investigate Planned Parenthood, Business Partners
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is asking the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct an investigation into the abortion giant Planned Parenthood and several of its business partners for possible criminal prosecution. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa issued a letter and report on Tuesday to both Attorney General Loretta Lynch and FBI Director James Comey, outlining the findings of the Committee that point to unlawful sales of baby body parts between both Planned..
Trump’s Pick for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, ‘Key Leader’ in Ending Boy Scout Ban on Open Homosexuals
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had selected ExxonMobil’s Rex Tillerson to serve as secretary of state, a move that some Christians have found to be concerning as Tillerson was considered a “key leader” in ending the ban on open homosexuals in the Boy Scouts and runs a company whose employee gift matching program includes donations to Planned Parenthood. “I have chosen one of the truly great business leaders of the world, Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of..
Entertainment
Scorsese’s ‘Silence’ is his most Catholic film
(Andrew Garfield, left, plays Fr. Rodrigues, and Shinya Tsukamoto plays Mokichi in the film “Silence” by Paramount) Shûsaku Endô (1923-1996) was a Japanese Catholic novelist whose extensive writings probed the conflicts and paradoxes of faith. He was born in Tokyo, lived in Manchuria, then returned to Japan and was baptized at about the age of 11. After university, he married, had a son and lived in France. The novelist Graham Greene, with whom Endo has often been compared, said he was “one of ..
The Best Scene in Manchester By the Sea is Funny, Painful and Spiritual
Comment countGrief challenges us in a way nothing else can. When we love and lose someone, it’s as if someone flicked off the lights. We can’t move. We can barely breathe. You’d think that faith would be a hard sell in times of grief. And yet, in those times of agony, faith often rescues us. We lean on that God, even if He feels distant. Our loved ones haven’t left us; they’ve gone home. But faith wraps itself in such strange, silly garb sometimes; a gift beyond measure wrapped in supermarket fl..
Nat Geo’s Emmy-Nominated ‘The Story of God with Morgan Freeman’ Returns for Second Season
Prophets, spiritual enlightenment and the afterlife — they are mysteries as old as time. National Geographic and Revelations Entertainment seek clarity on some of humanity’s biggest questions in season two of the Emmy-nominated hit series The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, premiering on Monday, Jan. 16, at 9/8c. _SOG20116DD920P (1)As host of the network’s most-watched series of all time, Freeman will again take viewers around the world on a quest for interfaith understanding and connectivity..
Stories that Stir the Soul: Talking adoption, foster care and faith with the author of Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins
Comment countThe following is a guest post from Jedd Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, who recently talked with one of my favorite authors, Katherine Paterson, about some issues pretty close to my own heart. I love what she has to say here. It’s well worth the read. *** Embed from Getty Images“No book made a greater impression on me before high school,” a 40-something magazine editor recently shared with me. My 10-year old daughter said much the same, “Oh, I just loved i..
Health and Science
And God Said “Let There Be Light” (RJS)
Genesis 1 is a marvelous passage – highly stylized literature if not technically poetry. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening,..
Chinese Scientists Look to Cure Lung Cancer With Genetic Engineering
There is a new tool in the biotechnology tool belt that may revolutionize the way medicine treats a host of diseases. It is called CRISPR-Cas9. CRISPR uses a bacterial enzyme to precisely edit DNA, and scientists all over the world are using it to transform cells in hopes that one day these genetically-altered cells may cure disease. Scientists in China are hoping CRISPR will successfully treat lung cancer, and they are launching a first-of-its-kind clinical trial in 10 patients who have exhaus..
A Grand Canyon (RJS)
For many years a book, Grand Canyon a Different View was sold at the gift stores in the National Park. This book tells the story of the Grand Canyon from a Young Earth Creationist viewpoint of flood geology. I don’t know if it is still being sold at the National Park or not, but it is available on Amazon. According to the description on Amazon the book invites readers to “explore the majesty and beauty of one of God s greatest creations” and “see the canyon from a ..
Harvard Professor Who Touted ‘Gospel of Jesus’ Wife’ Now Believes Papyrus Is Likely Fake
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A Harvard professor who made headlines in 2012 when she unveiled a papyrus scrap that she touted as potential evidence that Jesus was married, now believes that the inscription on the papyrus is likely fake. “If you ask me today which direction am I leaning more toward—ancient text or a modern forgery—based on this new evidence, I’m leaning toward modern forgery,” Karen King told the Associated Press this week. King was referring to allegations that Walter Fritz, the Florida..
US
Trump’s immigration edicts
President Trump has issued executive orders that provide for the building of a wall on the U.S./Mexico border; will cut off federal aid from “sanctuary cities”; and that will beef up border control enforcement. He has also prepared an executive order that will temporarily halt the admittance of immigrants from countries with a history of terrorism (specifically, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia). The current refugee program is being frozen until “extreme vetting” procedures can..
The problem with crowds
In a column in which he explains why he didn’t go to the Inauguration, Jonah Goldberg says that it wasn’t because he is a conservative never-Trumper. He says that also doesn’t like to go to sporting events or arena concerts. He just doesn’t like crowds. But from there he raises some bigger points: Crowds can become mobs. The unit of American politics is the individual, not the crowd. The experience of being in a crowd is losing one’s individuality in a bigger corporate unity. And then he quotes ..
Fake News
Both sides of our political divide are accusing the other of spreading “fake news.” Rev. Tim Pauls, writing for LCMS News & Information, says that of course making up facts and believing whatever we want to is going to be a problem in a culture that rejects objective truth. He gives some striking examples and some insightful analysis from a Christian perspective. He then gives some Biblical texts that address this issue and suggests how Christians can handle it. From Tim Pauls, Fake News – LCMS ..
China pushing Communism to replace failing Democracy
China says Western democracy has reached its limits and has started to deteriorate (alluding to Donald Trump’s victory without saying so). Global Communism will take its place, with China supplying new universal values. When I have referred to “still-Communist China,” some readers have said, in effect, are you kidding? China has become capitalist, what with all of their entrepreneurs and wealth-building. But orthodox Marxism teaches that societies must go through a capitalist phase in order for ..
Church & Theology
4 Reasons You Can’t Find Rest
One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 6:16—“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls….” I’ve heard many messages from this text that emphasize everything under the sun except “rest for your souls.” But that is the promise of the verse. Picture the prophet Jeremiah pleading with a rebellious nation to seek out the old paths of righteousness, put away their idolatry, and walk in t..
5 Traits Common to Leaders Who Continue
The challenges to Christian ministry continue to mount. Between a cultural shift toward intolerance of truth, the decision fatigue of pastors, the opinion overload of society, and a host of other challenges, it’s no wonder that so many pastors and spiritual leaders are falling out of the ministry. Although I’m aware of and experience these types of challenges, I want to finish my race still serving the Lord. And I don’t want to stagger across the finish line—depleted and embittered toward the p..
4 Ways to Develop an “Everywhere Mentality” for Sharing the Gospel
I believe the Great Commission is worthy of—and even calls for—purposed times and strategic plans for spreading the gospel. Thus, we have several times and locations each week available to members of our church to meet up with a partner for the purpose of saturating our community with the gospel. And yet, there is a danger in using only those times for sharing the gospel. In reality, we are surrounded by people who need the Lord—some of which are our family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. ..
5 Ways to Help Your Children Walk in the Truth
One of the easy traps for parents to fall into is having shortsighted goals for their children. If I can just make it through today… (particularly in the preschool years) My child’s greatest problem is to change _______ behavior. If he can just make a higher grade… If she could just have more friends… While it is good to make it through another day(!) and behavior, grades, and friends do matter, 3 John 4 gives one of the greatest goals any Christian parent can hold: “I have no greater joy than ..