In the heyday of Tim Tebow doing interviews after football games, there was an ever-present “I just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” that we all came to expect. It was exciting to hear someone who seemed to hold to the faith proclaim Christ publicly. Later in his career, I recall a […]
discipleship
Tips for (Raising) Toddlers
I have raised three people through the toddler years and I’m working on the fourth now. Over the years I have discovered some things that seem to work really well—some of them are things I wish someone had told me. So with that in mind, here are a few tips for raising toddlers: Give ‘Em […]
Book Review — Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health by Donald Whitney
I’ve read one other Donald Whitney book in my life, and I’m sorry to say it was not very good. It is — I think (I’m not sure) — his most popular book. I don’t want to slam a faithful brother here, so I won’t mention the title, but I will say that it did […]
Dad, Are We Going the Right Way?
It may not sound all that fancy but our family of 7 once took a Mother’s Day drive in our then 9-year-old Dodge minivan on some back roads here in Perry County Arkansas. It was a fun time of singing, enjoying each other’s company, and seeing some of the beautiful scenery that is almost literally […]
Discipleship is Not a Luxury – It’s a Necessity
If you could cut me and examine my blood, I imagine aside from the physical components, you would find four elements in there. You’d find love for Christ, love for my wife, love for my football team (or soccer for my American friends), and a love for making disciples. Disciple-making is something near and dear […]
No One Understands Like Jesus
The idea that a shared experience is necessary for someone to be truly able to help another person is a pretty commonly held belief. It seems to be a truism that someone who has “been there” is able to empathize with an affliction you are suffering in a way others may not. But the idea that […]
When Prioritizing Family
In today’s Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon, the morning reading touched on the tendency of some men to withhold their finances from the work of God, in order that they may take care of their families. You can read the entire devotional here (and I recommend you do): BibleGateway.com – Morning and Evening It starts […]
When You Sense That “Nudge”
It’s a universal human experience: a thought pops into your mind unexpectedly. Or suddenly you sense that you should do something. For the Christian who is led by the Spirit of God (Gal 5:25), the question naturally arises, “What (or Who) is that?” Is it God? Is it the Devil? Heartburn? How do we explain these experiences? And how do we use these moments for the glory of God?
Bread and Butter
There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to a baker. One day the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting a pound, and he found that he was not. This angered him, and he took the farmer to court. The judge asked the farmer what he was […]
Quick Thoughts on Greetings
Why does the Holy Spirit tell us to greet one another throughout the New Testament? I believe that the Lord wants us to greet one another, and, like all Christian virtue, we are apt to forget his command or disobey it, as long as we are on this side of glory. I’ll let you in […]
Who’s the Weaker Brother, Here?
The Premise Are those who are in opposition to the current SJWCROWD rhetoric concerning racism simply weaker brothers? A kind Christian on Twitter thought maybe that is how the SJWCROWD thinks. His point was that the SJWCROWD obviously considers themselves the stronger/more mature brother. He then applied Romans 14 to the discussion. I disagree with […]
Soft Chauvinism
It seems we have ventured into a time in Christianity where every time we write about or exhort women, it must be qualified in such a way as to soften any offense or blow to the reader or hearer. We live in a time of ‘soft chauvinism’ by the way we treat women in the […]
A Letter to a New Believer
I received a question about how to grow as a Christian and what advice I would offer to someone who was recently converted on how to “practically” mature in the faith. The person specifically stated “I need a literal path, not just read your Bible, attend church, etc.” My response is below. Feel free to […]
Everyone is an Evangelist
Christianity seems to be marked by a divide between people who actively evangelize and those who do not. Clearly, some folks are particularly burdened about and gifted concerning the dissemination of the Christian gospel. But it is also generally understood that ALL CHRISTIANS are expected to be ready to make a defense for the hope that is in them […]
Christian, Stop Saying You’re Sorry
One of the core tenets of Christianity is the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47;Colossians 1:14). To put it another way, without the forgiveness of sins, the gospel of Jesus Christ would cease to make any sense at all. In that respect, the forgiveness of sins is an essential component of the gospel, and Christianity in general. […]
Advice for New Seminary Students, Part Two — The Theological
Having just finished a seven-year career in the military back in 2014 before moving to the Dallas/Fort Worth area to attend Dallas Seminary full time, I admit that I had been deprived of a great number of life experiences that Americans otherwise get between the ages of 22 and 29. One quite notable example is […]
A Guide to Family Worship
I did not grow up in a Christian family, so family worship was not something that was modeled for me when I was growing up. Additionally, my first decade as a Christian didn’t include a lot of teaching or discussion on the topic of family worship. So a few years ago when I became convinced […]
Making the Best Use of the Time
The Will of the Lord In Ephesians 5:16, Paul instructs the church to make the best use of the time (commonly known as redeeming the time). The Apostle reminds his readers that the days we are living in are evil, and that only a fool would live in such a way that he is not […]
Review: The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible
The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible is an excellent resource for parents of small children! Positive Review This book is THICK and HEAVY. The pages are strong, able to withstand the awkward turning of toddler hands, which is essential for a book for small children. Each page is a full color illustration. The book is divided […]
Watch Your Mouth! James’ Counsel for the Verbally Challenged – Part 1
I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels – John Calvin If there is one problem I have with modern Christians, it’s how we use language. I am not much for conversation – by nature, I have a knack for offending people and that penchant for offence usually […]