What Is the Gospel?
The gospel is the story that Christians have to tell the world. It’s the message of salvation for a world that is spiritually adrift. As we speak the gospel to others, we act as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20).…
Remember Whose You Are
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15, NLT) Sometimes when I watch movies with…
One Thing
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8, ESV) The Apostle Paul had one all-consuming passion: to know Jesus Christ more. This one passion fueled everything in his life.…
Learning to Pray from Jesus
Nearly every Christian I’ve talked to would like to grow in their prayer life. And who better to learn from than Jesus of Nazareth? He wants us to pray with greater passion, persistence, and expectancy. According to Jesus, this kind…
How Teachable Are You?
“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:7, ESV) As long as we are still here on this earth, we need reminders. I’m 37 now, and I can still remember a…
The Living Hope of the Resurrection
It’s become popular for intellectual types to say things like “the resurrection of Jesus is a symbol of hope.” The problem for many is that it remains just that: a mere symbol, but not reality. In the film The Shawshank…
What Is Your Next Step?
One of the most familiar metaphors in Scripture is walking with God. From the earliest pages, we learn that Adam and Eve would walk with God in the garden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). We read about…
The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life
Americans are reportedly lacking in joy. A recent survey found that young Americans (under 30) have especially seen a decline in happiness. While nearly everyone would say they want to be happy, most people claim it’s something that seems to…
How Can I Be Sure I’m Going to Heaven?
It’s hard to trust every promise you hear these days. Most of us have had the experience of someone breaking a promise they made to us. I remember a time early in our marriage when Whitney was away at a…
Why Does Jesus Call Us “Sheep”?
“The sheep follow the shepherd, for they know his voice.” (John 10:4) One of my spiritual mentors who has discipled me while I was still in seminary is my good buddy, Matt MacCollin. He and I went through a book…