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
2 Samuel 7:22
““How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”Continue reading→
Deuteronomy 10:14 (10-14-16)
To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.— Deuteronomy 10:14 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... It all belongs to God! The multifaceted and creative side of our heavenly Father's nature is revealed in the astounding beauty and variety in our universe. This is not our world, but our Father has chosen to share it with us as one of his many gifts to us. Our Creator chose to provide us with the changing seasons in each year a..Continue reading→
A Spiritual Implant
I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5, NIV The only people who go to heaven are those who are born of water. But those who go to heaven must also be born of the Spirit. Just as the virgin Mary conceived the physical life of the Son of God, you and I conceive the spiritual life of the Son of God when we are “born again.” From that moment on, we are essentially two people on the inside. We have the mind, emotions, and will ..Continue reading→
Romans 12:2
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”Continue reading→
1 Corinthians 10:13 (10-13-16)
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.— 1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... In the face of temptation, God has promised us two things: (1) a way out, and (2) the power to stand up under trial. Can we truly believe this? Yes, of course, because Jesus demonstrated this pow..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
1 Timothy 2:1-2
“[Instructions on Worship] I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”Continue reading→
Hebrews 11:6 (11-06-16)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.— Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... And just why do we serve God? ... Fear? ... Sense of obligation? ... Because our parents did? How about because we want to please God and bring the Father joy? How about because of we believe in what God has done and will do for us? We believe that God sent his Son Jesus to di..Continue reading→
Forgiveness for ALL Our Sins
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9, NIV The blood of Jesus is sufficient for the forgiveness of any and all sins because the Cross was two thousand years ago and all of our sins were still to come. Therefore, all of our sins, whether we committed them yesterday or today or have yet to commit them tomorrow, are covered by His blood – past sins, present sins, future sins, big sins, small sins, or medium-si..Continue reading→
Ephesians 1:9-10
“he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”Continue reading→
Prayers
Exhortations
Passage: Hebrews 13:1-5 Prayer: Dear Father, hospitable king,Fill me with brotherly love. Make me a generous provider of hospitality to strangers. Let angels find provision under my roof, even when I don't know who they really are.Help me remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since I am also in the body.Help me hold marriage in honor. May my own marriage bed remain forever undefiled.Keep me from the love of money. Help me be content with..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for October 2
In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Psalm 31:1–2, NIV Lord our God, give us your Spirit, we beseech you, that we may find your paths on earth and live in the hope and certainty that everything is in your hands, even when we see much that is unjust and evil. May we remain under your protection, living by your commandments and in your Sp..Continue reading→
Light that Burns Away Sin
Passage: Hebrews 12:29 Prayer: Dear Father, who dwells in indescribable light,Living God, consuming fire, burn the sin from my life. Purify my heart's desire in the smelter of your holiness.I want to do your will, Father, so that whatever I do, in word or deed, it will be done in the name of the Lord Jesus.I give thanks to you, God, my Father, always for everything.In Jesus' name. Amen. Devotional provided by Heartlight® © 1996-2016. All rights reserved.Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for October 1
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer...Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:12,15, NIV Lord our God, we thank you for your gospel, the great, good tidings we may carry in our hearts to give us joy in this present time, even though on all sides people are in anguish and agony. We thank you that your gospel fills our hearts with compassion, enabling us to help carry what many have to suffer. Show us our need of you so that we can receive you..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Bishop: Church Must Keep Hard Line On Gay Relationships Even If It Risks Institutional Status
A conservative bishop has accused the Church of England of "being oblivious to the obvious" over the links between theology and growth.Continue reading→
Pope Francis Ends Holy Year Of Mercy Amid Rifts And Division
Pope Francis ended the Roman Catholic Church's 'Holy Year of Mercy' on Sunday but closing the 'Door of Mercy' in the Vatican.Continue reading→
Pope’s Horror At Prostitute Tortured And Forced To Work Until She Gave Birth
Pope Francis has spoken of his horror at the stories of prostitutes he met during a visit to a rescue centre as part of the Church's Year of Mercy.Continue reading→
10 Characteristics Of An Amazing Leadership Team
Last night I walked out of the room shaking my head. God, I don’t know how you pulled this off, but this team is simply amazing. Unified. Visionary. Encouraging. Fun. Passionate. Gifted. Transparent. Gracious. These are just a few of the words I’d use to describe the people who faithfully serve on CCV’s Leadership Team. Your church may use a different name – Leadership Council, Governing Board, etc. – we simply use the phrase “Leadership Team” to describe the group of people called to serve t..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
Feelings Are Real, But Are They Always the Truth?
As believers we live by faith, not by sight. Our circumstances may appear to indicate that God is not for us or that he is giving us too much to handle. Yet we live by faith in God’s word which says despite our circumstances God is for us and is not giving us too much to handle. So it is with our feelings. We live by faith in God’s word not what our feelings tell us. We may feel hopeless. We may feel like we can’t go on another day. Anybody remember James Brown, or his hit song called I Got Yo..Continue reading→
Despair at Work
Despair, in other words, is only remedied through faith in Jesus Christ, “through whom we have now received reconciliation” with God (Rom 5:11). Even those united to Christ through faith continue to struggle with despair–to live and act as though the grace of God is not enough–insofar as their faith remains imperfect in this life. For this reason, despair is as universal as sin and not to be reduced to or confused with mere consciousness of despair, since the consciousness of despair may be abse..Continue reading→
WCF 15: Repentance Unto Life
Concerning how we understand repentance, Bible-believing Christians should be wary of at least three major errors. First, the Roman Catholic Church has turned repentance into a sacrament, where in the sacrament of penance, it is believed that penance is actually a meritorious work by which sinners make real satisfaction for their sin (add to the work of Christ). Second, and similarly, Arminianism believes that repentance is a work on the part of the individual that is a necessary precursor to re..Continue reading→
A Tale of Two Sexual Assaults on Jennifer Lawrence
When it comes to violations of conscience, however, our hypersexualized culture is not so quick to respond. We’ve become acclimated to sex as an entertainment tool, not realizing that mainstream actors are routinely coerced and manipulated into performing sex and/or nude scenes. In the face of overwhelming societal pressure, they often submit to things they otherwise wouldn’t do. The first assault against Jennifer Lawrence was heavily discussed in the news and on social media. The second has re..Continue reading→
Music
Canton Junction Releases ‘A Canton Christmas’
A Canton Christmas, the highly anticipated full-length holiday debut from Dove Award-winning quartet Canton Junction, bows October 21. Produced by Garry Jones (Ivan Parker, Brian Free & Assurance), the Difference Media/Capitol Christian Distribution release features 10 arrangements of classic carols and timeless favorites. Drawing from Canton Junction's range of influences--including Southern Gospel, country and Texas swi..Continue reading→
Matthew Parker Releases New Album ‘Adventure’
Electronic Pop artist, Matthew Parker releases his second studio project, Adventure. His first single, "Adventure" recently debuted on the Billboard Christian Hot AC CHR chart at No. 27 and is currently No. 4 on the Hot CHR chart and No. 12 on the Australian Christian Chart. The project was produced by Parker and features various guest vocalists ranging from Spencer Kane to Rapture Ruckus. "I'm incredibly excited about my new..Continue reading→
Ginny Owens Releases ‘Love Be The Loudest’ Nov. 18
Award-winning singer-songwriter Ginny Owens releases her ninth studio album, Love Be The Loudest, Nov. 18 on her indie label, Chick Power Music, with The Fuel Music distribution. Prior to the release, two brand new Apple Music and Spotify SuperSingle tracks from the album, the reimagined version of Owens' No. 1 hit song "If You Want Me To" and "The Loudest Voice," will be available beginning today (Oct. 21). The full pre-order of the album is to begin Nov. 4. After more than a million albu..Continue reading→
NRT EXCLUSIVE Love & The Outcome’s Jodi Premiers Cooking Video
NRT has an exclusive video premiere of Love & The Outcome's Jodi's first cooking video. "In The Kitchen With Jodi" shows Jodi teaching how to make Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies with just a few simple ingredients. Using her 'prized possession' red KitchenAid Mixer from her grandma, she mixes dark chocolate, almond flour, honey, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt and baking powder to create these delicious looking cookies. Continue reading→
Chrildren of God Acoustic Sessions by Phil Wickham
Track Listing 01. Better Than Life (Acoustic) 02. The Secret Place (Acoustic) 03. Divine / Sailing / Time / Hymn (Acoustic) 04. Your Love Awakens Me (Acoustic) 05. My All In All (Acoustic) 06. Starmaker (High Above the Earth) [Acoustic] 07. At the Foot of the Cross (Acoustic) 08. Spirit of God (Acoustic) 09. As It Is in Heaven (Acoustic) 10. Here With Me (Acoustic) 11. Children of God (Acoustic) 12. Doxology / Amen (Acoustic) 13. Wide Awake (Acoustic) 14. Body Mind & Soul (Acoustic) 15. Stand in Awe (Acoustic) Continue reading→
Newsong Heralds The Holidays With Christmas Recording and Tour
The Best Christmas Ever!, the third full-length holiday release from GRAMMY®-nominated NewSong, is set to bow October 21 from HHM Records/Word Distribution. Featuring 10 favorites from the group's best-selling projects The Christmas Shoes (2001) and The Christmas Hope (2006), The Best Christmas Ever! also showcases five newly recorded songs the title-cut and lead single (co-witten by NewSong's Eddie Carswell and Matthew West), a duet with Love & The Outcome's Jodi King; "This Chri..Continue reading→
HeeSun Lee Releases Third Project ‘Beauty For Ashes’
HeeSun Lee dropped Beauty For Ashes on October 14, her first release since 2014. You can purchase the new album here. This time around was personal for HeeSun Lee, with the meaning behind the tracks reopening the doors to females to stand strong within the hiphop genre. She stated, "Everyone has changes that they go through in life that can either make them or break them. I'm showing the world, through my lyrics, that the changes that went on in my life have made me into a stronger, more i..Continue reading→
Dee-1 and Sallie Mae Partnership Spawns Tour and Giveaway
The Knowledge for College Tour began on October 10th in Cincinnati Ohio, sponsored by Sallie Mae. With each school tour stop, Dee-1 is blessing one student in attendance with a $5,000 scholarship check towards their collegiate studies. This tour has also opened other doors and opportunities. Per the Washington Post publication, Dee-1 has collaborated with the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to help train and educate students to manage student loan repayment effectively. He has tra..Continue reading→
let there be light. by Hillsong Worship
let there be light is Hillsong's Worship 25th live album. The theme of the album is centred on Genesis 1:3, featuring some of its internationally recognised worship pastors including Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Ben Fielding, Dave Ware and Annie Garratt. Track Listing 01. Behold (Then Sings My Soul) 02. Love So Great 03. Look To The Son 04. Crowns 05. What A Beautiful Name 06. Your Word 07. Let There Be Light 08. In Control 09. Grace To Grace 10. Elohim 11. I Will Boast In Christ 12. As It Is (In Heaven) Continue reading→
American
Heartbreaking Video Shows You What 58 Million Babies Killed in Abortion Looks Like
Pro-lifers are nothing if not creative. Over the decades, they have produced thousands upon thousands of “visual aids,” from the simplest black and white one-sheeter to full-blown movies—and everything in-between. The common denominator is—to adapt a cliché—to help the public get its collective head around both the humanity we share with the unborn child and the sheer magnitude of the loss of lives since January 22, 1973. Although I scribble for a living, I really do believe a picture–or in th..
Good Deed of the Month
Kim Norvell: JOHNSTON, Iowa — An anonymous donor has paid off lunch debts for 148 Johnston elementary school students whose accounts were in the red by $10 or more. The donation, totaling $13,250, was made Jan. 9. It benefited students in kindergarten through fifth grade in all five Johnston elementary schools, said Laura Sprague, director of communications. “This donation is quite critical for families who need some extra help,” she said. ” … When the belly is full, the kids can have a much bet..
World Vision Letter to President Trump
Dear President Trump and Vice President Pence, As evangelical Christians, we are guided by the Bible to be particularly concerned for the plight of refugees, individuals who have been forced to flee their countries because of the threat of persecution. Evangelical churches and ministries have long played a key role in welcoming, resettling, and assisting in the integration of refugees from various parts of the world. As such, we are troubled by the recent executive order temporarily halting refu..
Why Be Anglican: Prayers of the People
No question about it, but in many churches there is not a designated time for the people to pray. Some churches are just too big for that, and even too big for a pastoral prayer. Others are so focused on the sermon that there is not time left for what we Anglicans call the “prayers of the people.” In our liturgy, every Sunday, we have a time where we are led by a lay person in prayer. It’s called “intercession” or “intercessory prayers” when we pray for others, and when we do it in public it nee..
Entertainment
Watch the Trailer for ‘When The Game Stands Tall’
When the Game Stands Tall opens in theaters everywhere Friday.
Zach Bates Is Engaged!
Man, has it been a busy fall for relationships with kids from huge reality TV families! Jessa Duggar is the first Duggar daughter to enter courtship, which means she should be getting engaged fairly soon unless something major happens, and Erin Bates and Chad Paine are getting hitched in November. But Erin isn’t the only Bates kid settling down – her brother Zach Bates just proposed to his girlfriend Whitney. As is typical with the Bates clan, mom Kelly Bates announced the big news on the family..
US
Gift ideas: Reading Romans with Luther
Let’s start a series of posts on ideas for Christmas presents! Here is a good one: Reading Romans with Luther. It’s by R. J. Grunewald, a sometime commenter here at the Cranach blog. Luther’s greatest theological works are his commentaries on Scripture, such was his concern to adhere closely to the text of God’s Word. One of his greatest works is his commentary on Romans, the epistle in which St. Paul explores the Gospel of salvation through the work of Christ in its depths. Here is the Law & Go..
Problems with the EXXON CEO as Secretary of State
(3) The appearance of plutocracy. There are people on both the left and the right who say that our democracy is a sham because our country is really run by the big corporations. Trump’s packing his cabinet with billionaires, Wall Street tycoons, and corporation CEOs plays right into that.Trump hammered Hillary Clinton for giving speeches to Goldman-Sachs. But he has appointed three Goldman-Sachs executives to his administration. He owes his election to blue-collar workers the Democrats have igno..
Update on Ohio’s anti-abortion bills
The Ohio state legislature has passed two abortion bills that Gov. John Kasich has now acted on. He refused to sign the “heartbeat bill,” which would have banned abortion after the developing child’s heart begins to beat. That can be as early as six weeks, which is before many women even realize they are pregnant. Kasich said that bill would certainly have been struck down by the courts. That’s probably right, but that the child develops such a universal sign of life so early should surely tell ..
Hotels without Gideon Bibles
The Gideons do great work in distributing Bibles. For many decades, virtually every hotel room had a Gideon Bible on the nightstand or in a drawer. But today, less than half do. A survey has found that only 46% of American hotel rooms include religious material. Ten years ago, nearly three-quarters did. Of course, what the Christian Gideons did, representatives of other religions did. Hotels that have Bibles in the rooms often also have Books of Mormon. I suspect that the decline of hotel Bibles..