Category: CHRISTIAN LIFE

Surrender Where You’re Planted

Early in the summer as I was leaving my Dad’s farm I noticed a grouping of small plants near the edge of the cornfield close by the house.  In an area about the size of a tennis court, the plants were all about half the size...

From Achan to Zacchaeus

This is the story of a boy who could have been named Achan. You remember Achan, probably the most infamous example of coveting in the history of Israel. He was the man who, during the conquest of Jericho, coveted and took forbidden items from that city....

Pathetic Reasons for Little Prayer

I have spells when I don’t pray much. I’m so ashamed of that, but thankful to God that He is always faithful to bring me out of a prayerless stupor. Recently, I was contemplating these times of little prayer, and I asked myself, “What are some...

The Future of Crying

It’s okay to cry. Perhaps the most obvious verse to prove this is John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” And not only did Jesus cry, so did the the apostle Paul. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish...

Four Insights from the “One Another” Commands

This whole page could be filled with the “one another” commands in the New Testament. Here are just a few: “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10) “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in...

Jesus’ Counter-Cultural Love

How do you define love? In our age of indulgence, many define love this way: giving another person what he wants, regardless of what may be best for him. For example, if a 30-year old pregnant woman wants to murder her unborn child because she doesn’t...

The Necessity of Meditation: When Skimming Through Just Won’t Do

Do you ever find yourself scanning quickly through a lengthy email? Do you ever not do that? What about other reading in your life? Are you able to read and think about a subject for an extended period? Jon Bloom points to one of the reasons...

Three Keys to Achieving Christian Harmony

Imagine a group of young children playing together without selfishness or unkindness, without one child pouting and complaining if things don’t go her way, without another feeling bullied or excluded, and all without constant parental intervention. You’re probably thinking, “I’ve never seen that kind of natural...

Memorizing Scripture with a Sanctified Hissing Sound

Have you ever wondered what certain renowned theologians are like behind the scenes in the privacy of their homes? Justin Poythress, son of New Testament scholar Vern Poythress, reflects back on his childhood and takes us inside his house to share about his “different” and “godly”...

A Valentine Form Jimmy

Valentine’s Day brings back some strange memories for me. I’m especially haunted by the fact that after signing my batch of Valentines on the night before the classroom exchange I would invariably inscribe some with “Form Jimmy.” I hated that. I knew the difference between “Form”...