All Christians are called to pursue godliness—but how do we do so? In the book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, author Donald Whitney turns to 1 Timothy 4:7 for the answer: “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” This verse is the theme for the entire book as Whitney unpacks its meaning and helps us apply it in practical ways.
Read MoreAt the start of a new year, we sometimes feel ourselves to be on the brink of a new chapter of our lives. In some sense, crossing over from December 31 to January 1 is arbitrary; many of us begin the new year much as we ended the last. Still, there is something exciting about a blank page—the promise of a fresh chapter, as yet unwritten.
Read MoreIt would be quite odd if you showed up to a football game and heard a ref or a player ask, “Has anyone seen the ball?” But it would be even more bizarre if someone replied, “Forget the ball! Let’s get on with the game.”
Read MoreWhy do Christians worship on Sundays? The answer goes deeper than mere custom or convention. Indeed, it goes to the very heart of our faith.
Read MoreHe thought it was a one-night stand, a little midnight tryst. Who would find out? She was exceptionally beautiful. She was particularly vulnerable. And in the end—after he used her for a few moments of pleasure—she was, unfortunately, pregnant.
Read MoreWho among us could have imagined that the World Trade Center towers, those symbols of prosperity and freedom, could so quickly be reduced to rubble and dust against the blue-sky beauty of a Manhattan morning?
Read MoreJesus never promised His people a pain-free life. In a fallen world, we all experience physical breakdown and decay as we await “the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8:23). Sometimes, though, as James 5:13–18 describes, that future redemption breaks into the present, and God graciously heals what ails us.
Read MoreDear Friend, Is there humor in the Bible? I suppose it depends on what we mean. It is safe to say that the Scriptures do not contain funny stories. However, certain occurrences are recorded in such a way that they strike us as funny, or at least ironic.
Read MoreThe Gospel story doesn’t end with a distressed Christ. It doesn’t end with a crucified Christ.
Read MoreDid Jesus really die on the cross, or did He merely faint? Did He rise from the grave, or did His disciples steal His body?
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