For Zion’s Sake, Church Hopping and Anti-institutionalism

In recent days, I have spent time with people from various parts of our country who have a legitimate beef with the church of Jesus. They have been hurt or disappointed by the church. Church leaders have failed them. Pastors come for counsel who have been hurt and betrayed by their leaders. Church leaders have … Continue reading For Zion’s Sake, Church Hopping and Anti-institutionalism

Help Teenagers Form Their Identity in Christ

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

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

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

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