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
Ephesians 4:2
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”Continue reading→
Psalm 22:5 (01-29-17)
They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. — Psalm 22:5 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... This Psalm of despair, referred to by Jesus from the Cross, is also a Psalm of hope and faith. The history of God's faithfulness with his people Israel is an ongoing reminder that we can trust him to deliver us. While in our human reckoning of time God's answer may be slow in coming, his track record in history reminds us that he will an..Continue reading→
Do You Know Him?
Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations. Psalm 119:89-90, NKJVThe One Who called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees, promising to fully bless him if he would follow Him in a life of faith is the same Person Who today calls us out of the world and promises to bless us if we follow Him in a life of faith. The One Who delivered His children from bondage to slavery in Egypt with a titanic display of power is the same Person Who was crucified then rose from the de..Continue reading→
Mark 9:35
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.””Continue reading→
Psalm 1:4 (01-28-17)
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. — Psalm 1:4 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... No matter the temporary apparent benefits of wicked schemes and evil power, all these efforts end at the grave and are swept away leaving the wicked with nothing to show for their efforts as they stand before the righteousness and justice of God. My Prayer... Dear Father, please help me resist the temptation to idolize or exalt those who succeed t..Continue reading→
Hope
Turning an Enemy into a Friend
Many people remember the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II. Very few remember the bombings of Brookings, Oregon, that occurred in September 1942. A Japanese submarine traveled to the U.S. coastline carrying a small plane with folded wings. Once there, the crew used a catapult to launch pilot Nobuo Fujita in the reassembled plane to drop two incendiary bombs on a wooded area near Brookings. His attempt to start a forest fire failed due to rainy weather and quick action by first respond..Continue reading→
Don’t Give in to Your Fears
“From such terrible dangers of death he saved us, and will save us; and we have placed our hope in him that he will save us again” (2 Corinthians 1:10 GNT). God is watching over you, so don’t listen to your fears. This is a choice: Trust God, and don’t give in to your fears. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1:10, “From such terrible dangers of death he saved us, and will save us; and we have placed our hope in him that he will..Continue reading→
God Can Use Dark Times for Good
“We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8b-9 NLT, second edition). Did Jesus suffer? Was he sometimes lonely? Was he tempted to be discouraged? Was he misunderstood, maligned, and criticized unjustly? Of c..Continue reading→
Learning to trust God again
If you faced one devastating event after another, would you still be able to trust in God’s goodness? On the next Words to Live By, hear the story of a pastor’s wife whose faith was tested to the limit leaving her questioning whether or not God is trustworthy. Discover how Charity’s faith was renewed as she allowed Jesus to heal her broken heart.Continue reading→
How Do You Forgive?
“God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others. What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you t..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”Continue reading→
Psalm 84:11 (01-31-17)
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. — Psalm 84:11 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... God doesn't hold back on his goodness! In fact, the Father loves to give his children gifts. These gifts are all encompassing. These gifts are gladly given. How do I know? Three ways: 1) I've been repeatedly blessed; 2) I've seen what God has done to bless his people through the centur..Continue reading→
A Suitable Helper
Wives, submit to your own husbands. . . . Husbands, love your wives. Colossians 3:18-19, NKJVGod created them male and female. The primary reason for woman’s creation was not to produce children or provide sexual satisfaction or to keep the home but for the mutual happiness of man and woman. Like the Father of the bride, God Himself brought Eve to Adam. There is not only an equality but a diversity between men and women. Eve was as different from Adam as Adam was different from Eve. But the dif..Continue reading→
Psalm 86:5
“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”Continue reading→
Prayers
Chosen for Glory
PassageRomans 9:21-24 PrayerDear Father, ruler of the ages,You, O God, are the potter who has the right over the clay to make of it whatever you please. What if you, desiring to show your wrath and to make known your power, have endured with much patience the objects of wrath made for destruction? What if you put up with sin in order to make known the riches of your glory to the objects of mercy prepared for glory?Thank you for selecting your chosen ones from every nation of the earth. And thank..Continue reading→
God’s Sovereign Choice
PassageRomans 9:19-20 PrayerDear Father,All who are descended from Israel do not belong to Israel, nor are men counted as Abraham's children by mere physical descent. You, O Sovereign Lord, have chosen, according to your own desire and purpose, those you want to continue your work in the world.Thank you, dear Father, that your choice and mercy has reached to me. Thank you for all that you are doing in my life. Thank you for teaching me to love the descendants of Israel by the flesh. May my ..Continue reading→
God’s Children, Israel
PassageRomans 9:1-18 PrayerDear Father,Keep me and all who are related to me from any hint of hatred toward Israel, your ancient people.Let us love them and pray for their good always, longing so much for their salvation that we, like Paul, should have sorrow and unceasing anguish because of their alienation from you.Father, you gave such honor and wonderful gifts to them: You called them by your name; they are Israelites. To them belong the sonship, the glory, the worship, and the promises. To ..Continue reading→
Empowered by Love
PassageRomans 8:38-39 PrayerDear Father, faithful God,Fill my heart with the deep conviction that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love which you have for me in Christ Jesus.Amen. Let it be so for me! Fill me with the joy and peace of so believing! I praise your holy name and the name of Jesus through the Spirit for your precio..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
What the Case Looks Like When Young People Are Your Jury
When I was a new Christian and my two boys were still very young, they were hesitant about sitting in the children’s ministry class during our weekly church service. I decided to join them for two or three weeks until they got comfortable. You know what happens when an adult sits in a children’s ministry class for more than one week? That’s right, you become a children’s ministry volunteer! It wasn’t long before I was asked to help out and become a teacher for 1st-3rd graders. I eventually enter..Continue reading→
How Can You Love the Unlovely (Unlovable): A Christian Study
Throughout the years I have been challenged on several occasions to “love” someone who was truly unlovely. Why love them, you may ask? Over and over again in God’s word He tells us and even sometimes admonishes us to love. True, there are times when we might choose to hate someone rather than love them, but when we choose hatred over love we might just miss out on some blessings. In this Christian study walk with me through some Bible examples of how you can choose to love the unlovely. Love Go..Continue reading→
The Thing That Justifies You Is Your God
As Christians who ought to understand the role and importance of worship, most of us have limited our view and experience of worship to the singing of songs on Sunday morning. The New Testament Greek word most frequently translated as “worship” (proskuneo) means “to fall or bow down before”, but worship (as described in Christian scripture) is more than an occasional activity. It is an attitude of the heart. For this reason, each of us can (and ought to) possess an attitude of worship that trans..Continue reading→
Will All Israel Be Saved?
The Bible says that “All Israel will be saved” but does this mean every single Israelite or Jew will be saved? Saved from What? Many who are critiques of the Bible and of God don’t see why they need saving? They ask, “Saved from what?” They might believe they are being saved from hell but whom or what are they (and we) actually saved from? Surprisingly, we are saved by God but saved from God. In other words, when we are saved, we are saved or spared from the wrath of God which abides on every p..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Trump Reinstates Pro-Life ‘Mexico City Policy’
In Mexico City at a United Nations conference in 1984, the Reagan Administration introduced what became known as the “Mexico City Policy,” which required nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) receiving U.S. aid to sign agreements that they would not perform abortions. Just as former President Bill Clinton blocked the law when he took office in 1993, former President Barack Obama again overturned it in 2009. (WNS)–President Donald Trump followed in former President George W. Bush’s footsteps on J..Continue reading→
Don’t Waste the Sunday School Hour
It is appalling today how so little is known by teenagers about biblical doctrine in conservative churches. Many cannot define the doctrine of the Trinity. They don’t know the difference between justification and sanctification. They don’t know what the ordo salutis is. If our children grow up without knowing basic Christian doctrine, then we are failing them. Bland and generic non-denominational Sunday School literature will not suffice. There is nothing particularly biblical about a Sunday S..Continue reading→
Judge Neil Gorsuch: A Worthy Scalia Successor
As for the “liberty” language of the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment, which later abortion cases made the basis for the supposed right to abortion, Gorsuch, in his book on assisted suicide and euthanasia, seems to reject using the 14th Amendment “liberty” language to justify heretofore unknown rights, like abortion. Otherwise, liberty becomes a broad charter for the arrogant judicial creation of what is, in effect, a new Bill of Rights. Gorsuch argues that judges have no Constitutional ..Continue reading→
Joy when life is hard
Life is hard. But as you think about the wonder of the Lord’s salvation, even when life is hard, especially when life is hard, there are times when pure joy should erupt in your soul. Psalm 126 records the journey of Israel going up to Jerusalem to worship. This psalm captures this joy. Laughter and praise flow freely in the psalm. This psalm is one that brings perspective. God has indeed rescued you from the pit. You are not treated as your sins deserve. You will know the joy of eternity with ..Continue reading→
Women
A Tale of Two Thighs
A Tale of Two Thighs DEAN DROBOT / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM I have to whisper. My thighs are onto me. For years we have had an amicable-enough agreement: I will continue feeding them raw cookie dough, and they will do their best not to make a ruckus when we walk down the street. But the jig is up. They've noticed that I've been trying to break up their happy union. The decision to declare war on my thighs happened on an unsuspecting Tuesday morning at the gym. I was engaged in my normal r..Continue reading→
In the Valley of Postpartum Depression
Why is it so hard for Christian women to seek help?Continue reading→
A Healthier Year, Body and Soul
A Healthier Year, Body and Soul What is magical about January 1st that gives us renewed hope and energy to imagine visions, create missions, and sketch out new goals? For me, it’s the “New” in “New Year,” which reminds us to take a pulse on our lives and to evaluate how closely we are living the life we feel we are intended to live—the life God wants us to live. It all sounds fantastic—spiritual even. So how does this moment to reflect on our lives turn into us being on diets, feeling frustrat..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Bishop Angaelos Condemns Refugee Policies That Discriminate
Bishop Angaelos, leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK, has spoken out against refugee policies that discriminate. He warns of the dangers of seeking revenge.Continue reading→
Federal ‘Sanctity of Human Life Act’ Introduced In U.S. Congress
WASHINGTON — A Republican representative from Georgia has introduced a resolution that would recognize the unborn as being persons from the moment of conception. Rep. Jody Hice, former pastor of Bethlehem First Baptist Church and The Summit Church, presented H.R. 586 days before the 44th year of Roe v. Wade, also known as the “Sanctity of Human Life Act.” “[T]he Congress declares that—(A) the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being, and is the paramount and m..Continue reading→
Baptist Minister Challenges Franklin Graham Over Donald Trump Refugee Policy
A Baptist minister has challenged support for Christian humanitarian charity Samaritan's Purse, because its chief executive Franklin Graham defended US President Donald Trump's refugee policy.Continue reading→
Washington State Lawmaker Proposes Bill Allowing Coaches to Engage in Post-Game Prayer
OLYMPIA, Wash. — A lawmaker in Washington State has proposed a bill that would provide allowance to athletic coaches and others to pray at the end of a sporting event without obstruction or punishment. Rep. Jesse Young, R-Gig Harbor, introduced H.B. 1602 last on Wednesday as a response to a situation involving a school district that fired a high school football coach in the midst of a battle over his desire to pray at the 50-yard line. As previously reported, Joe Kennedy, the former assistant ..Continue reading→
Persecution
Authorities in Sudan Arrest More Christians in Takeover of School
(Morning Star News) – Two pastors and seven other Christians in Sudan were detained for four days last week after trying to stop a group of civilians and police from taking over their school, according to one of the arrested pastors. Local police on Oct. 6 arrested Samuel Suliman, headmaster of the Evangelical Basic School in Madani, Al Jazirah state, and Zakaria Ismail, both of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical church, along with the seven other school staf..Continue reading→
Husband Killed His Wife, Hung Her From Ceiling Fan After She Refused His Demand to Have Abortion
Another case linking domestic violence to abortion is being reported in India this week. According to First Post, police in India arrested a man on Monday after he allegedly murdered his wife and unborn child when she refused to have an abortion. The wife, Pratibha Gautam, 30, was three months pregnant when her body was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her house in Kanpur, India, according to the report. Her husband, Manu Abhishek, said he found her body after returning home from a trip; ho..Continue reading→
Muslim Cleric Beats Up Nigerian Pastor, Threatens to Pour Acid on Him
LAGOS, Nigeria (Daily Post) — A 40-year-old Muslim cleric, Saheed Gbadamosi, was on Tuesday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly threatening to bathe a pastor with acid and destroying his church property. The accused, a resident of Aboru area of Iyana-Ipaja, is being tried for breach of peace, assault and threat to life. The prosecutor, Insp. George Nwosu, said that the accused committed the offences on September 4 at his residence. Continue reading this story >> A special ..Continue reading→
Burning of Pastor’s House in Tanzania Leaves Family of 11 Homeless
(Morning Star News) – A pastor, his wife and their nine children have been sleeping on the floor of their small church building on the island of Zanzibar since Muslim extremists set their house on fire in August. Pastor Damson Maonesho has seen his 9-month-old baby contract pneumonia since his family had to take refuge in the 42-foot by 21-foot structure outside Zanzibar City, on the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania. “Sleeping on the cemented floor, which is very co..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..