A New Year is upon us and, for many, it’s a time to make some resolutions. While often these include things such as losing weight or exercising more, many of us recognize our need to be more consistent in Bible meditation, in exercising greater patience with our children, or in volunteering more at church or school. In other words, we set goals to help us accomplish things we know we haven’t been doing very well. While this exercise can help us reflect on ways we might grow in loving God and others, we must beware of focusing on all the things we “should” be doing, while failing to remember all that Christ has done on our behalf. The emphasis then becomes about what I need to do, (in my own strength and wisdom), rather than gratefully acknowledging the gospel grace that is ours through our Savior Jesus Christ.... continue reading
There is such a thing as unfaithful service. What does that look like? We’re given an example in the parable of the talents in Luke 19:11-27.... continue reading
Christians are those who confess Jesus to be Lord. But, not everyone who confesses Jesus to be Lord is a Christian. The crucial question, therefore, is this: does your life match your lips?... continue reading
Many of us struggle to balance our busy schedules with as much time in God’s Word as we’d like. Or we want to dive deeper into the text, but we’re not sure where to begin. If you’re like me, you struggle to develop Bible-reading habits without becoming legalistic about how much time you’re spending with God.... continue reading
Looking for a new book to dig into, or a gift to encourage a friend? With fall on its way, enjoy this sneak peek at what we’re releasing over the next few months.... continue reading
Have you ever been led to feel as though your pain is just a tool to God? Perhaps others have praised the fruit of any difficult times you have experienced, but your battle-scars are left unacknowledged and untended in the light of the good they have brought about. Maybe, you think, you shouldn’t mind them as much as you do. ... continue reading
There’s a funny thing about Christian language. We have all these phrases that we don’t necessarily think too much about. They’ve just always been there. “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is one of them. Another is “God can use you.”... continue reading
The first step in cultivating wise speech is by prayer. We also know that the best way of becoming wise is to saturate ourselves in God’s word. However, some practical tips can also help. What about in our moment-by-moment interactions? How can we train ourselves to say the right thing when difficult conversations take us by surprise? Or when we disagree with something a friend or co-worker says? ... continue reading
God can use what we're reading over the summer – not just to grow us in Him, but to point others to Him! Here are a few more recommendations for your summer reading list:... continue reading
We’ve all known people who seemed to face extraordinary adversity. For many, one catastrophic event marks their life for many years. Others experience difficult circumstances in waves. Nothing seems to work out for them. They nearly always end up disappointed, and those around them are perplexed as to why it’s happening... continue reading