This article provides a great overview of this often overlooked book of the Old Testament. From Crosswalk.com…….
What You Need to Know About the Book of Lamentations
Keep Asking and Expecting
This article takes a cogent and uplifting view on Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount on prayer. Prayer is not just a “one and done deal!” God is good and loving, but He wants us to be persistent in our prayers. From the great writer and podcaster Adrian Warnock out of the UK…………………….
I Didn’t Think I Could Learn Much from the Puritans. I Was Wrong.
This article is from the Logos Blog, but the sentiments here reflect my own experience with learning about and growing to really love the Puritans and their hearts for God…………………
Will We Wear Clothes in Heaven?
Here is a fun article from Randy Alcorn, although I am not sure I agree with his idea that people in Heaven will wear the same type of clothes they were used to in life (would God make the Pilgrims wear those uncomfortable clothes for eternity?). From Eternal Perspectives Ministries……………
What are the Top 10 Old Testament Passages that Encourage Us Not to Fear?
This list is the author’s choices, but I believe they are pretty good choices! From In Christ…………
3 QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE “IN CHRIST”
To be “in Christ,” in union with Him is a vital Christian concept which is not taught nearly enough in most cases, in my opinion. Here is a brief article from Core Christianity that begins the process of bringing this concept some understanding and meaning……………
The Servant Songs of Isaiah
I love the Book of Isaiah! And in this article, the writer demonstrates how the portions of that book called “the servant songs” answer some of the most important questions asked about the Messiah in the New Testament. From Tabletalk…………………..
Acknowledge God’s Eternality and Omnipresence
Adoration 1.4 | NIV
Now that we are in the New Year, I thought it worthwhile to introduce again Matthew Henry and his work on praying through the paraphrase of Scripture. The first part of his suggested prayer is “Adoration of God.”……………….
Do Colors Have Special Meaning In The Bible?
Hint: Yes. Interesting info from The Christian Crier………………..
Six reasons Romans 7 is written from the perspective of a post-conversion Christian
This is one for us theology nerds! Romans 7 has been a controversial portion of the New Testament for a long while, and will probably not be settled on this side of eternity. Yet, it has an important message. So, here is one viewpoint (and one which I agree with) on how to interpret Paul’s message in that chapter. From Southern Equip………….
THE THREE MOST ENCOURAGING BIBLICAL WORDS FOR 2020 AND 2021
A very interesting article from Sam Storms. The three words are probably not what you think!! ………………………
Worship Leader Accused of Playing Well-Known Song
A little satire here…………………..
Why “Happy New Year” Wishes Can Be Realistic or Unrealistic
In this article, Randy Alcorn walks us through the connection between expectations, reality, and happiness. From Eternal Perspectives Ministries…………………….
Be still and know – a meditation track
Here is something a little different….but I really like it! From Adrian Warnock (in the UK)…………………..
Life-Giving 2021 Goals
There are some good ideas here for making goals (rather than resolutions) that bring spiritual, emotional and physical health into our lives. From GraceLifeInternational.com…………………………
The Drama of His Glory
One of the major themes throughout the Bible is the glory of God. Here is an article for all of us theology nerds — a little longer and meatier than what I typically post, but this is well worth the extra time and effort! From Desiring God…………………….
Rest for the Soul
The biggest takeaway for me in this article is that it is not my job to get rest for soul….that job belongs to Jesus! From Grace Alliance………………….
What does it mean to abide in Jesus Christ?
Some good information and insight on this important topic from Kevin Halloran at Anchored in Christ………………
Who Was Luke, The Beloved Physician?
I really enjoyed this article about Luke, written as if by Luke himself. From Fan and Flame……….
https://benjaminvrbicek.com/blog/2019/10/22/who-was-luke-the-beloved-physician?utm_content=5575
20 Uplifting Bible Verses to Encourage Your Daily Walk
The title says it all, so get over there and enjoy these verses! From Crosswalk. ….
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The Human Mind: Our Greatest Natural Resource
God is so amazing! And so are we humans He created! From Reasons to Believe…………
Source: Read
Haters Gonna Hate
Anyone who writes a blog, hosts a podcast, pastors a church, writes books and poems, etc. is going to eventually run up against some haters. Even little old, encouraging me received a comment on one of my posts because they did not believe in the Trinity! Frank Viola is an interesting man and writer, one of those “shoot straight from the hip” guys, but his views are thoroughly orthodox and biblical. Here he offers his experience and advice to deal with haters………………..
Wait for It….
I really like this short devotional from Susan Lafferty……………..
Psalm 103 And The Compassion of God
This is a beautiful and uplifting look at Psalm 103 and how it extols the Fatherhood of God. From Christian Crier……………….
6 (Non-Controversial) Ways Christians Should Deal with Disagreements about the End Times
Nothing seems to get believers in a lather more than views on the end times. Brothers and sisters, this should not be! Instead of “majoring on the minors,” let’s emphasize the things that Jesus said to focus on. Some great wisdom and insights in this article from The Gospel Coalition………………..
How to Master Any Subject by Making it Interesting
Everyone should be a life-long learner, but this is especially true for the Christian. But sometimes, certain subjects, books or topics just don’t excite our interest. But it is possible to maximize your learning by learning how to make a subject interesting and engaging to you! From Redeeming Productivity……………….
Devotions for Men by Men
BOOK REVIEW: STAND STRONG by Our Daily Bread Ministries (2020)
This is a devotional designed for men that provides a short Scripture passage, followed by an applying devotion — enough for each day of the year. The contributors to this devotional are all seasoned pastors, seminary teachers, and writers for Our Daily Bread. Men will find this devotional full of bite-sized wisdom a help to start their days in line with Jesus.
10 Artists with Worship Albums Based on the Psalms
For the care of our souls and spirits, here are some suggestions on some Christian artists with albums that focus on the Psalms. Give them a listen! From Anchored in Christ……………..
Godly Optimism
In this article, Randy Alcorn displays a portion of a sermon given by Charles Spurgeon when he was ill. In fact, he would succumb to this illness about 6 months later. But Spurgeon shows us that for the Christian, there is always a reason for optimism! From Eternal Perspectives Ministries…………….
Face Conflict by Standing for Good
And the good referred to in this article is biblical good. “These are the times that try men’s souls……” From Faith & Finance………………
The Human Ear
I am often amazed at all the hoops that atheists have to jump through to try to explain the wonders of the human body without God. But for you Christian science/biology nerds, you will love this article on the ear! From Creation.com……………
Grace and Peace: How These Two Terms Summarize Christianity
“Grace” and “peace”….two of the most wonderful words in the English language, and in the Bible. Here are some encouraging thoughts on these two words from Looking at Christ…………………
Source: Grace and Peace: How These Two Terms Summarize Christianity
Soul Care in a World Fixated on Physical Fitness
This time of year, a lot of us want to get physically healthier, to lessen pain and to prolong and improve our quality of life. This is a good thing, and God wants us to take care of the bodies He has given us. But too many of us stop there (if we even start or keep it up). But our souls are even more precious than our bodies, so we need to also resolve to take better care of our souls. Here is a brief article on this from Core Christianity…………….
Grace: Now and Not Yet
There is a lot about the gospel and the Christian life that is true now, but will be fully true later. But because we are not fully yet what we will be does NOT detract from what we are now in reality. This article focuses on the now and not yet of grace. From Place for Truth…………..
Joseph
Little-known fact about me: Besides Jesus, the person I most want to meet in heaven is Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Maybe I identify so much as a fellow adoptive father. But there is no doubt in my mind that God picked the best possible dad for Baby Jesus. From Eidos……..
Calming Your Mind in an Age of COVID-19
How do we get calm? By remembering the Lord and all He has done. From Adrian Warnock…….
Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs (and Why Should We Read It)
Proverbs is a unique book in the Bible, but besides the great source of bumper stickers and memes, who wrote and and why is it in the Bible? Here are some answers from Crosswalk. ……
Top 10 Posts of 2020 — Written in 2020
Knowable Word is a great site with a lot of good info on understanding our Bibles better.
Proactive and Reactive Bible Intake
What is the difference between these two motivations for Bible reading, and why are they both important? This article from The Apollos Project explains it…….
20 Powerful Bible Verses to Help Motivate You
Life is hard, and actually, we are not meant to go through life all on our own. These verses remind us that God has a plan, and He is powerful enough and loving enough to carry us through! From Crosswalk. ……..
There’s No Greater Question Than Who Jesus Really Is
Jesus and Randy Alcorn….there are your reasons to read this article! From Eternal Perspectives Ministries……………….
What The Bible Says About Caring For Animals
I have often contended that the animals that serve and bless humanity are all gifts from God. He made certain animals — horses, cows, dogs, cats, etc. — to serve us and give us joy and companionship. This article points out how God feels about animals, and how we should treat animals as God’s children. From The Christian Crier………….
Seeing the good and not just the bad
This brief article outlines another what I call “Christian life skill”…. to be able to focus on the good and not let the bad be the determiner of our experiences. From Written for Our Instruction……………….
Sharp Eyes, Soft Hearts, and Sanctified Minds: Evaluating Christian Books
I suspect a lot of you read a lot of Christian books like I do. Here is an article with some cogent thoughts on how a believer should evaluate Christian books and determine if they are in line with God or not. From Veritas et Lux……………….
Play-Doh, Flannelgraphs, and Teaching Kids Biblical Theology
For those of you with children, I believe this is a helpful and insightful article on the importance of tying the stories of the Bible together so that your kids will begin to learn about the one Great Story the Bible is telling. From Crossway……………..
WHY THE CHURCH STILL NEEDS MALACHI (AND NOT JUST FOR THE TITHING VERSE)
I have been drawn to learn about and spend more time with books of the Old Testament thaat tend to be ignored or forgotten in our churches. And Malachi is one of those books. Here is an interesting article that argues for the importance of studying the Book of Malachi. From HistoricalTheology.org……………………
And Yet…Hope
This is a lovely piece of writing from In All Things Love. Advent is nothing if it is not about God’s love come down, and the hope that brings to all of humanity.
Handel’s Messiah and the Secret of Advent
One of the emotional and spiritual highlights of my life has been the occasions that I had the pleasure of singing Handel’s Messiah in a community choir and a number of community sing-alongs of this great choral masterpiece. Here a Christian music scholar goes into the some detail about what Handel accomplished with this musical/spiritual composition. The video embedded in the article is worth the price of admission alone! From Alleluia!…………
When Prayer Can Make Anxiety Worse
I have often been guilty of running to God in prayer when anxious, pouring out my worries and fears to Him. This is right and good, but the problem is I stop there. This article makes the argument that we need to go to the next step in our prayer, and pray to God while recognizing His love, faithfulness and care for us. From Anchored in Christ……………..
A Law-Keeping Redeemer is Born
Nick Batzig is a great writer and Bible scholar. As a great example, look at this article from Place for Truth…………….
Bible Contradiction? Who hardened the Pharaoh’s heart?
For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who hardened the Pharaoh’s heart?
Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
God did.
“The Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.” (Exodus 4:21)
“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 7:3)
“Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.” (Exodus 7:13)
“And the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.” (Exodus 9:12)
“Then…
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No Strings Attached
God is a Giver, and so should we be!
It is uncommon to meet a genuine giver.
My grandfather was one: happy to delight others. One bright March afternoon, on my tenth birthday, he surprised me with an enormous teddy bear. This was no ordinary stuffed animal, but a Gund: soft, stitched to perfection, and created to last. Grandpa embraced quality: no cheap gifts on his watch.
One day, he invited me on an errand to the local feed and hardware establishment. He loved to tinker in hardware stores. Never mind that he was far from handy and could fix nothing without the use of duct tape. It was the comradery he enjoyed with the other fellows, who were clad in tired jeans and worn tool belts, wandering the aisles, assisting customers with a clipped: Morning! while sipping their steaming coffee.
As Grandpa chatted, I meandered the aisles, suddenly drawn to the cheeping sounds from the far corner…
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Seth Lewis is a good writer, and in this article shares the good advice he received from an experienced fisherman to weather rough seas…….
Evidently I don’t have a strong stomach, because the last time I went fishing at sea I got sick. I know fishing trips are famous for being exaggerated, but I’ll be honest with you: there was no storm. It was a normal day, with normal waves, and we didn’t even go far out to sea. Still, as the boat continually shifted, my insides rebelled against me in slow motion. It was getting harder and harder to focus on my fishing line or the conversation going on around me. I felt bad. All I wanted was for the floor to stop moving—was that so much to ask? Thankfully, I was with an experienced fisherman who gave me helpful advice: “Look at the shore,” he said, “it will give you a reference point, and help you be able to roll with the waves.” I could tell he knew what he was talking…
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