Category: Spiritual Growth
Five Hard Questions for Bible Discussions
Can you start a lively Bible study that would be a great benefit to those who participate? The answer is “yes!” This is a simple Bible Discussion Guide for any group. Using this approach, your study can be as deep as you wish to make it,...
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 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...
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”...
What Are Lies, and Where Do They Come From?
A lie is an intentional misrepresentation of the facts with the goal of deceiving another person for personal benefit. Lies are usually spoken (or written), but words are not necessarily required. The sin of lying can be committed using silence, feigned ignorance, deceptive facial expressions, or...
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...
