We sometimes make the mistake of thinking we must choose between knowledge and passion; but in fact the two feed each other, especially in relation to Jesus (2 Peter 3:11-18). The more we learn about Jesus, the more we will love and trust him; on the other hand, it is impossible to genuinely love or truly trust someone you don’t even know (Matthew 11:28-29; Romans 10:14). This is why knowledge is so important. And this is why every Christian should be a dedicated, life-time learner. A heart cannot be renewed by knowledge that the head never took in.
Spiritual Disciplines
Test Yourself, but Trust In Jesus
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). Paul’s exhortation to be regularly testing the sincerity and purity of your own faith is not given in order to make you doubt your salvation every other day. Faith in Christ is exactly that: faith in Jesus’ finished work, not in our own faithfulness. However, we are to be regularly doing the hard work of honest self-appraisal.
Is the Bible infallible (and what does that mean)?
Although the writing of the Bible spanned some 1,500 years and now even the most recent book of the Bible is almost 2,000 years old, the unashamed contention of historic Christianity is that the Bible is error-free from start to finish. The Bible makes numerous and uncompromising claims as to its own authenticity and divine origin (over 3,800 such claims).
Does Prayer Really Change Anything?
Every Christian knows we are supposed to pray. In fact, most of us would probably rate prayer as one of the top five things we are supposed to be doing as a believer. Yet many of us have doubt that haunts the back of our minds: “Does this really make any difference?” Why should we pray? What difference, if any, does prayer make? No question, or answer, could be more important.
Is the Sabbath Command Still Relevant?
The fourth of the Ten Commandments is found in Exodus 20:8-11, encapsulated with “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy…” Some well-meaning Christians contend that this command is no longer applicable to us today because we are “not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14), and because some see Christ as the fulfillment of this law per Colossians 2:16-17:
Lessons From Monastic Life For Quarantine
The present crisis has forced many of us into a cloistered life in our homes. For those of us with roommates or families, our residence has become something like a monastery. For those of us who live alone, our residence has become like a monastic cell. The cloistered life exposes our sins and weaknesses. Impatience, selfishness, pride, anger, laziness, indiscipline, anxiety, lust, and many other sins make themselves known when we’re confined to a small space for a long time. The revelation of such sins is a divinely appointed opportunity for repentance and revival.
FAQ: How Can We Improve Our Family Devotions?
This series of brief videos offers bite-sized, meaningful answers to commonly asked questions. We hope they will be a help to you! Please also share them freely. If you would like to submit a question of your own, please note the contact info at the conclusion of the video. We look forward to hearing from you!
FAQ: Should Christians Observe the Sabbath Command?
This series of brief videos offers bite-sized, meaningful answers to commonly asked questions. We hope they will be a help to you! Please also share them freely. If you would like to submit a question of your own, please note the contact info at the conclusion of the video. We look forward to hearing from you!
How Can I Finish Well?
Having begun the Christian race, how can I finish well? Can I be assured of God’s continued work in and through me, as I seek to follow and honor him? Or will I peter out, fall spectacularly, or fail in the end? Thankfully, the Bible does promise us that God will continue and complete his saving work in us. Yet, God does use certain means to establish and strengthen us to that end.
What About When God Doesn’t Answer Prayer?
While, as believers in Jesus Christ, we all have known marvelous periods of grace, deliverance, and unspeakable joy – most of us probably have also known moments (perhaps very long periods) of utter discouragement, grief, and unspeakable pain. In times such as these, we can sometimes feel as though God is not answering our prayers. In fact, He may not be granting the precise thing for which we are asking. Join us, then, as we consider this experience in the light of God’s perfect and reliable Word.
“Open My Eyes”: a Meditation on God’s Word
Here’s a brief meditation I wrote down from Psalm 119, a great text for Bible reading. You might find it encouraging as you continue looking for wonderful things in God’s law this year: “Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18).
Benefits of Reading Through the Bible
I recently finished reading through the Bible for the sixteenth time. While this is a personal milestone I’m thankful for, I certainly am not boasting about it. In fact, when I consider that George Mueller, who was converted at the age of 20 and died at the age of 92, read the Bible through 100 times while simultaneously caring for over 10,000 orphans—I am a bit embarrassed and reminded I have a long way to go!
Panning for Time: How I Finally Found the Gold Right In Front of Me
I am not what they call a math brain. Yet not long ago I stumbled upon an equation which thrills me now as much as it did when I first blinked at it with stupid awestruck eyes. It goes like this: 7 x 365 / 60 = 42.58. As I say, thrilling. Really, it is. Here’s why: Let’s say you do an activity for seven minutes every day—and keep it up every day for a year. That’s forty-two and a half hours every year!