Children · Ephesians · Explaining · Grace · Parenting · Teaching

Having “Conversations of Grace” with Your Children

God calls parents to raise their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 4:6). There are key ways for us to do that. You can read more about that here (link to Oct 17th 2023 article). One way that should be implemented in raising kids God’s way is having “conversations of grace.” … Continue reading Having “Conversations of Grace” with Your Children

Common Grace · Fathers · Grace · Special Grace

God Gives His Children Extra Blessings

Common vs Special Grace As a dad, I love doing special things for and with my children. I love taking them out for ice cream or pizza, spending individual time with them. Although, one of my favorites is taking a ninja vacation. This is where my wife and I pack the bags without telling the… Continue reading God Gives His Children Extra Blessings

Galatians · Glory of God · Good News · Gospel · Grace · Paul · Peace

The Apostle Paul’s 5 Gospel Declarations

In the book of Galatians the apostle Paul spends most of the book talking about grace. He tells us how we receive it, the fact that we cannot earn it, and how we should live in light of the fact that salvation is by grace. However, in the first chapter of Galatians, he makes five… Continue reading The Apostle Paul’s 5 Gospel Declarations

God's Word · Grace · Love · Mercy

The Difference Between Grace and Mercy

Grace and mercy are major themes throughout Scripture. They are both such a blessing to us, but have very different meanings. Often people confuse the two terms because of their similarities. Let’s simplify them here. We are going to oversimplify the terms here, so note that this is not an in-depth study. GRACE: RECEIVING A… Continue reading The Difference Between Grace and Mercy

Bill Boekestein · Christians · Good Works · Grace · Guest Blogger · Jesus · Salvation · Serve

Why Good Works Aren’t Enough

For several years Bill Boekestein and I ministered in neighboring towns in Northeastern PA. I have always found Bill thoughtful and someone who attempts to be in line with Scripture. He is today’s guest blogger. This article was first published in “Core Christianity” June 16, 2022. Many of us struggle with gifts. We like receiving… Continue reading Why Good Works Aren’t Enough

Grace · Legalism · Love · Mercy · Pharisees · Salvation

What is Christian Legalism?

There is a lot we could say about legalism and how to define it. Legalism comes in many shapes and sizes and can’t be easily pinpointed. In short, legalism is man-centered, performance-based faith – and is not God-dependent. It says that everything is earned through keeping rules. Or we could define legalism as “adding” to… Continue reading What is Christian Legalism?

Grace · Marriage · Others First

Marriage Tips From I Corinthians Part 2

This is part of a series on marriage tips from the passage I Corinthians 13. As was stated in the first blog, I Corinthians isn’t a passage just in regards to marriage. The Christian philosophy of how to love others can easily be applied as well. Last time we listed three practical tips on marriage:… Continue reading Marriage Tips From I Corinthians Part 2

Bitterness · Cross · Forgiveness · Gospel · Grace

How to Get Rid of Bitterness

When we talk about bitterness, we need to first define it. We are not talking about a bitter cup of coffee or candy bar. We are talking about the attitude carried by some people. Bitterness often comes from feeling wronged. We get angry, disappointed, and become resentful of those who have hurt us. If we… Continue reading How to Get Rid of Bitterness

Cancer · Grace · Interview · Ken Davis · Suffering

How Faith Sustains Me During Cancer An interview with Ken Davis Part V

Ken Davis has been the director of Project Jerusalem, a church-planting endeavor out of Clarks Summit, PA,  for 20 years. More than that, Ken has been my pastoral mentor and personal friend for over a decade, I joined the Project Jerusalem team in the Fall of 2007. This is the last of our  five-part series… Continue reading How Faith Sustains Me During Cancer An interview with Ken Davis Part V

Cancer · Grace · Interview · Ken Davis · Suffering

How Faith Sustains Me During Cancer: An Interview with Ken Davis Part IV

Ken Davis has been the director of Project Jerusalem, a church planting endeavor out of Clarks Summit, PA, for 20 years. More than that Ken has been my pastoral mentor and personal friend for over a decade when I joined the Project Jerusalem team in  2007. This is part 4 of a 5 part series… Continue reading How Faith Sustains Me During Cancer: An Interview with Ken Davis Part IV