Conformity and peer pressure threaten to squeeze the individuality right out of teenagers. As they’re confronted with choices and expectations, kids are often terrified to be identified as different. Discouragement and hopelessness can leave teenagers even more vulnerable to unhealthy, unsafe pressures. In The Religious Life of Young Americans, George Gallup Jr. and Robert Bezilla … Continue reading Help Teenagers Form Their Identity in Christ
Devotional Thoughts
Death by Misadventure
Dear Parents of Teenagers, please speak to your kids about death by misadventure and pray that they would not long for and love the approval of their peers more than God's (John 12:42). http://learningmylines.blogspot.com/2011/10/she-drank-herself-to-death.html
The Rescue Story
The Rescue Story - Isaiah 60
When You Feel Guilty About Your Prayer Life
My physical and mental weakness dictates intermittent intercession. I grow weary in prayer and my mind often wanders. I sometimes fall asleep during the most important times of intercession. But not Christ! He ever lives to make intercession for us. His intercession is unending. Day by day, hour by hour, year by year, millennium by … Continue reading When You Feel Guilty About Your Prayer Life
Biblical Spirituality
At its core, biblical spirituality is about... embracing the Christ of God meditating on the Word of God connecting with the people of God engaging with the mission of God
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
In Acts 9, the Lord mercifully redeems a murderer and persecutor of His people. God uses a previously unknown man by the name of Ananias as a gospel messenger to Saul. Father, give me the spirit of Ananias that is ready to go where you send me and to do whatever you bid me. Thank … Continue reading Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
The Responsible Use of Gospel Freedom
Here are a few helpful quotes on how we are to use our gospel freedom responsibly. Remember that God's kingdom is not eating and drinking but living together in the righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; so serve Christ, not yourselves, with your eating and drinking. — Nelson Kloosterman A Christian is a … Continue reading The Responsible Use of Gospel Freedom
When Your Church Frustrates You… Remember
Ray Ortlund Jr. writes in his commentary on Isaiah that "every faithful church is a gateway into the future of the world." If we are honest, it doesn’t seem that way at times. We are quickly annoyed, frustrated, and challenged by living, worshiping and serving Jesus together as vital participants in the body of Christ. … Continue reading When Your Church Frustrates You… Remember
A Divine Appointment
Recently, I was studying Acts 8 and Philip's divine appointment with the Ethiopian eunuch and I came across this captivating story of a divine appointment. In 1985 Clarence Duncan arrived in Africa as missionary to the solidly Muslim people called the Yao who live mainly in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi. When he settled in his … Continue reading A Divine Appointment
Why do we corporately confess our sins in public worship?
Here's a excellent and brief explanation by Carl Trueman in his article entitled, "A Word to the Conscience." It can access the article in its entirety here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/themelios At some point prior to the sermon each Sunday in my church, the minister or elder leading the service will read a passage of Scripture designed to … Continue reading Why do we corporately confess our sins in public worship?
2Cherish2Commend 