“One Another” Ministry for the Homebound (Part 2)[1] From 2020 to 2022, Christians faced Covid-19 lockdowns and connected online from separate homes. Many worldwide still faced harsh governmental restrictions or the threat of persecution. Yet these circumstances do...
“One Another” Ministry for the Homebound In 2020-2022, many churches faced Covid-19 lockdowns, and Christians connected online from their separate homes. Yet circumstances did not excuse the church from obeying Scripture's “one another” commands. We needed fresh ways...
The Proverbs 31 Woman The Proverbs 31 woman has what seems like an endless list of expectations—the A to Z of spiritual etiquette. This list of virtues appears unrealistic for any mortal to accomplish, causing some women to feel inadequate. Yet this must never be the...
In the Garden of Eden, there lived a man whose name was Adam (Gen 2:20). The Creator had formed Adam from the dust of the ground (2:7), and the man was made in the image of God as a reflection of God’s glory (1:26-27). He was loved by God and given the task of...
Dear first-time dad, As one dad to another, let me speak with you, some truths I believe are universal for fatherhood. I share my own stories of failure and success in Hope for New Dads. Words of Advice First, congratulations! It is a joy to bring a child into this...
Can a Christian ever be carnal? The category of carnal Christian has been commonly used by certain biblical counselors and was popularized by a previous generation of evangelists. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade (now Cru), describes the carnal Christian as...
The Knowledge of the Holy Proverbs 1-9 are like the dining table in a palace, and chapters 10-31 are like the spreading of the banquet. With her own strong hands, Lady Wisdom has hewn a mansion with seven magnificent pillars (9:1-6). Thus, every Proverb we discover is...
The Gospel Beginning in Proverbs We can summarize the good news of salvation in four words: God, Man, Christ, Response. God is holy and Creator of all (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:11). Man is sinful and deserving of God’s judgment (Rom 6:23a). God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to be...
Breathe, pastor. You’ve made it this far. So don’t collapse when the adrenaline wears off. Remember Adam, formed from dust, whose first gasping breath came from God. “Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of...
If anyone ever needed counseling, it was the Old Testament prophets who often spoke and acted strangely. Isaiah walked about town barefoot and naked (Isa 20:1-6), while Jeremiah strapped a wooden yoke around his neck (Jer 27). Ezekiel chopped his hair and scattered it...
Prayers in Ruth One of the best ways to learn how to pray is by listening to the prayers of others. Children learn from the prayers of godly parents and older saints in the church. New believers are both encouraged and exhorted in prayer meetings with the fellowship...
Ruth in the Context of God’s Covenants As with all of Scripture, the book of Ruth was written in the context of the biblical covenants. Therefore, we cannot grasp God’s romance of redemption apart from a knowledge of his covenantal love. The Noahic Covenant God shows...
Everybody loves a good story, from Grimm’s Fairy Tales to Scheherazade’s Arabian Nights. We are narrative people who gather like moths to a flame whenever we hear the words, “Once upon a time” or “This reminds me of a story.” Telling stories helps us make sense of our...
In the Beginning, God The first verse of the entire Bible establishes the foundation for the rest of Scripture: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 declares a transcendent yet personal God who created all things. He is greater than...
God, Where Are You When I Need You? When bad things happen, some deny God’s compassion: “Even if I pray, it won’t change a thing.” Others diminish God’s sovereignty, demanding answers: “Why, O Lord? You owe me an explanation.” The prophet Habakkuk, however, humbly...