Well, first, let’s look at this question a little bit. It makes a couple of assumptions, that if you really follow Christ, you’re going to become this boring, irrelevant person and your friends won’t be around you anymore. I’m not sure that’s true. But the fact of the matter is this: If you follow Christ, you’re going to probably not have some behaviors in your life, not have some relationships ...
Read MoreHave you ever felt just beaten down by all of the stuff that comes against us in life?  Maybe you’re worried about work, your family, or your health… then that certain praise song comes on The Fish, you start to sing along, and all of a sudden, that stuff lifts. There’s a reason for that: There is Power in Praise! Ephesians 6:12 reminds us about the spiritual warfare that rages around ...
Read MorePresent possession is declared. At this present moment we have the firstfruits of the Spirit. We have repentance, that gem of the first water; faith, that priceless pearl; hope, the heavenly emerald; and love, the glorious ruby. We are already made new creatures in Christ Jesus by the effectual working of God the Holy Spirit. This is called the firstfruit because it comes first. As the wave-sheaf was the first ...
Read MoreToo many Christians think victorious, abundant living is for someone else. But God wants all His children to experience the fullness and freshness of living as Paul did, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Read MoreThis week we will look at how to become a real influence for Christ in this world. There is one person in the Bible who perhaps, better than anyone, illustrates how to demonstrate deep conviction yet also wrap that conviction in genuine compassion.
Read MoreWhen you are a child, life seems to go so slowly. When I was in the third grade, it felt as though it lasted 20 years. Now decades go by. Today there are satellite radio channels for ’50s music, ’60s music, ’70s music and so on. It occurred to me the other day as I was looking for a good song to listen to on the radio that I have lived ...
Read MoreIf you find yourself watching the Olympic Games on television with some friends, here’s a piece of Olympic trivia with which to impress them:
Read MoreMore than 9 million children currently live in homes with an alcohol-dependent parent. And more than half of all American adults have a family history impacted along the way by alcoholism.
Read MoreSome invitations we desperately want. Others we don’t want, but are forced to respond to them all the same. God is also sending out invitations. In her book, Invitations from God, author Adele Ahlberg Calhoun explores these divine invitations—ones we all too often miss due to the distractions of our age, as well as our own fears of what will happen if we respond.
Read MoreAnother role of the godly parent is to cultivate compassion for others. Job trained his children to be generous, hospitable, responsible, kind, and considerate, and to be leaders when it came to building up others, building up the family, and building unity and harmony in the community.
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