Christian Living

I don’t think any serious, observant American Christian denies that our culture is on a fast downhill slide.

The question has often been asked, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” That question should make you think. You cannot earn your salvation by works. However, your works and lifestyle can indicate whether or not you have truly been saved. A person who has been born again will manifest that change in the way he lives.

Have you ever wondered how some Christians have remained faithful for many decades? Some of the most influential men in my life have been saved for well over twenty years. So how does someone stay the course for so many years?

In the summer of 2013, during a much needed getaway trip with my wife, God revealed the truth of this wonderful promise in Scripture to me in a new and fresh way. We were at a point of decision. God had began to work in my heart about becoming a pastor.

The word panacea means “a cure-all for problems or difficulties.” It has the idea of an effective remedy or solution for all problems regardless of their dimensions, difficulties, or dismay. Trials and afflictions are part of the Christian life. Without them, we can’t grow in the Lord.

Many people who reject Christianity remain convinced that Jesus did exist. E. P. Sanders has shown that the core facts of Jesus’ life are accepted by the majority of historians, regardless of their religious beliefs. In fact, some former atheists like Dr. Michael Bird cite the evidence for the historical Jesus as a key reason for their conversion to Christianity.

The Epistle of James could be classified as a wisdom book of the New Testament, similar to the “wisdom books” (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon) of the Old Testament. It is also a book that has an emphasis on prayer. In the blessed promise of James 1:5 we find both themes combined.

On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse crossed the continental United States, an event that had not happened for nearly a century. Tens of millions of people, crammed into a 70-mile-wide path that crosses our country from Oregon to the Carolinas, stood looking up at the sky.

In this Psalm, young David is running for his life from King Saul. God providentially preserves him, and he has a message for all who come behind him: there is a God in Heaven who hears the cries of His children! No matter why and how far we run, God is only a prayer away.

We are bombarded with error. Newspapers, television, billboards, radio, and magazines all try to fill our minds and hearts with philosophies and ideas that are completely contrary to Scripture. Here are some thoughts to help strengthen the Lord’s people against these attacks.

The early “infancy period” of the church is fascinating to read about in the book of Acts. In just a few years’ time, local churches of baptized believers were established in dozens of cities in the Mediterranean region.

The principle or practice of separation has never been popular. It was not popular in ancient Israel, and it certainly is not popular for many Christians today, yet it is a crucial factor in living for God.

Abraham was a principal figure in God’s plan to redeem mankind, and his story is central to the record in the book of Genesis. One of the most striking and important events of his story is the offering of Isaac, described in chapter 22.

The existence of God has been the subject of debate for hundreds of years. The fact that the number of non-church goers, skeptics, and atheists is on the rise is not surprising. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

The typical American attitude about summer is that it is a great time to kick back and relax. But could there be more to it? As a parent, when our children were young, Terrie and I saw summer as a time to invest in their lives in ways that were not as possible during the school year.

The miraculous history of the United States of America is due in part to the sacred fire of the American pulpit. It has been the preachers who have unashamedly preached the whole counsel of God’s Word.

One of my favorite of the American founding fathers is Patrick Henry. I remember visiting his estate at Red Hill several years ago in Eastern Virginia. In the museum, was a copy of his last will and testament.

The picture above illustrates an important truth about priorities and relationships. It’s a multi-tiered fountain. Imagine, if you would, your life as a fountain, and each of the levels are your priorities.

Summer is almost as good as a new year for the fresh energy it gives us in setting goals and planning times of renewal. Of course, summer means different things to different people. To students, it means “freedom.” To farmers, it means “work”!

Recently, in my personal worship, I came across two great truths that stirred my heart and caused me to contemplate some meditative thoughts. The verses are in Psalm 111 and 112, they are both incredibly rich with significant truths about the kind of experience God wants each of His children to enjoy with Him while they journey through this life here and now.