Category: Spiritual Growth
Jesus is the Only One Who Will Never Leave Us
Earlier this year, my family moved from our almost ten year home in Kansas City. We left our church, our friends, and a big part of our ministry. Until our move, I was privileged to serve alongside five other men on a team of elders in...
Remember
The first three chapters of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians contain only one imperative—that is, he only asks them to do one thing: remember. Other than that single instruction, mentioned in 2:11 and then repeated in 2:12, the first half of the letter is Paul’s list...
To Whom Shall We Go?
When it happened, it took everyone by surprise. Another well-known Christian writer and speaker publicly renounced his faith in Christ, letting everyone know he no longer considers himself a Christian. It was very discouraging news for believers, especially since, in addition to betraying Jesus and his...
Acceptance of Sin Isn’t Love
Many people who reject Christianity do so because of a perceived lack of love in churches. This rejection has caused a reactionary trend that seeks to soften God’s disapproval of sin and magnify a kind of love which isn’t really love at all. In order to...
What Kind of Older Man Will I Be?
I first heard pastor and author Alistair Begg talk about T.S. Mooney when I was in college. He gives some details about Mooney’s life in his book Made For His Pleasure: Ten Benchmarks of a Vital Faith (Moody Press, 1996, pp. 55-57). Begg first met Mooney...
Biblical Resolves for Every Christian, Every Year
If you’re like most people, January 1 brings to your mind the thought of New Year resolutions—using the changing of the calendar as an opportunity to review, and hopefully improve your life in various ways. Perhaps you will decide this year to improve your diet, or...
Jesus on Obedience
Did you know that your motive for obeying someone is just as important as the obedience itself? For example, if a child obeys a parent just to avoid punishment, or just to get a reward, it is not as meaningful as if the child were to...
The Stories in the Gospels: Why You Need Them, and How to Read Them
Ever seen a book about some event in history and thought to yourself, “That looks like a must read!”? And then, several dollars later, the book is yours. Was it a must read? Probably not. However, there are true stories about real people and events in...
What Is the Bible, Anyway?
We Christians spend a lot of time reading the Bible, hearing it preached, and meditating on its words. Why this commitment? We are committed to the Bible because of what it is and what it does. The Bible guides us to its purpose and power through...
Faith, Hope, and Love: Recovering the Essential Triad of Christian Living
We are called to be many things as Christians—generous, hospitable, disciplined, respectful. Each biblical characteristic is important and should be pursued wholeheartedly. But there is one set of characteristics—a triad of traits—that is foundational and essential: namely, faith, hope, and love. If we do not have...
