Blessing · Contentment · Context · Controversy · Faith · Following God · God's Word · Meditation · New · Plan · Seek God · Spiritual Growth · Strength · Stress · Trust · Truth · Unity · Wisdom

5 Verses to Start the New Year

God’s Word is powerful and encouraging. Here are five Bible verses that will remind you of this and carry you through the new year. All of these verses are best studied in their context, so take time to look at the surrounding verses. Psalm 31:23-24 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves… Continue reading 5 Verses to Start the New Year

Church · Fruit of the Spirit · Holy Spirit · Praise · Spirit · Truth · Worship

Basic Guardrails for Worshipping God

We tend to think that disagreements of how a worship service should look are modern debates. But worship styles and practices have changed throughout the history of Christianity and Israelite services. In fact, there was a worship war as far back as the days of King David, which can be found in II Samuel 6.… Continue reading Basic Guardrails for Worshipping God

Church Life · Communication · Confrontation · Gospel · Love · Truth

Why We Must Speak the Truth in Love

There is a modern cultural disagreement about the idea of speaking the truth in love. On one side we have people who do not believe in truth. (Well, they will say they believe in truth, but that truth is relative. If all truth is relative, there is no truth). On the other side you have… Continue reading Why We Must Speak the Truth in Love

Love · Nice · Speak · Truth

Being Nice is Not the 11th Commandment

A pervasive idea today is that being nice equals being Christian. It is used as a bludgeoning stick in today’s area of debate to attempt to control people in their thoughts, actions, and words. In some circles, even religious ones, being nice has become the 11th commandment. But if we look to Scripture, is it… Continue reading Being Nice is Not the 11th Commandment

Apologize · Confession · Guilt · Job · Satan · Truth

Apologize No Matter What?

Should we “apologize no matter what?” Some people live by this motto. Generally, they are perceived as people-pleasers with weak spines. Their chief end is to avoid conflict. Others were children raised to “just apologize.” Others are those who want to “just keep the peace,” so they apologize. Others live by the phrase, “happy wife,… Continue reading Apologize No Matter What?

Experience · False accusations · Lies · Truth

Does Experience Equal Truth?

Part III Consequences to Misunderstood Experience We have discussed how experience does not always equal truth in the first two articles. The first showed us how we need to test our experience to ensure it is true. The second looked at Cain’s belief that he experienced true worship, only to find that God rejected it.… Continue reading Does Experience Equal Truth?

Experience · Proverbs · Reality · Truth

Does Experience Equal Truth?

Part I: Testing Our Experience We live during a time when people have placed massive amounts of stock into the market of experience. Think about something as simple as shopping. We often don’t just want the duty of buying something, but “lifestyle shopping.”  A business friend of mine recently explained this concept to me. He… Continue reading Does Experience Equal Truth?

Anger · Communication · Conversation · Debate · Election · King Jesus · Kingdom of God · Love · Offense · Politics · Proclaim Jesus · Social media · Truth · Uncategorized · wrath

13 Commitments for Christians Talking Politics: An Overview

I have written a four-part series on how Christians should talk about politics. This is really a list of commitments I am trying to make as a Christian during an election season, and I ask that you would make it with me. With so many things covered, I thought it would be good to synthesize… Continue reading 13 Commitments for Christians Talking Politics: An Overview

Forgiveness · Politics · Social media · Speak · Ten Commandments · Truth

Commitments for Christians Talking Politics Part 3

This series of articles is intended to help the Christian wade through some of the biblical ethics for talking about politics God’s way. Many people, Christians included, merely think about politics, and not how we should speak or not speak concerning them. I hope that many Christians will take part in making the commitment to… Continue reading Commitments for Christians Talking Politics Part 3

Election · Jesus · Jesus First · King Jesus · Listen · Listening · Love · Politics · Speak · Truth · wrath

Commitments for Christians Talking Politics

I don’t think anyone would argue that politics have become more toxic over the last couple of decades. The divides between parties, the advent of 24-hour news, and social media have fed this beast. While our grandparents refused to talk about sex, politics, and money, it seems like that is all we talk about. Christians… Continue reading Commitments for Christians Talking Politics