What Is Faith?
Faith in Christ as we walk through this life can easily be mistaken for optimism. Don’t misunderstand, faith is not some worldly pie-in-the-sky glee. It is instead, a thoughtful confidence that our God is in charge of everything in our lives and his sovereign purpose for us will prevail.
The words of Romans 8:28 (“God works all things together for good”) are not a license to live recklessly, but a reminder that the twists in the road “for those who love him” are adjustments that God has ordained to take us where he intends. We can be confident that God not only “called us according to his purpose” but he is actively using a variety of means to accomplish it.
Where does that leave us? Looking pretty optimistic! We love him, he directs our lives and we entrust the outcome to him. So shun the temptation to fret or complain, and keep trusting our King!
Boldness
When we think of what it means to be a godly person, several virtues are likely to come to mind…
Idolatry
The challenging New Testament letter of 1 John ends with the poignant summation to “keep yourself from idols” (5:21). While our minds may revert to flannel graph images of…
Suffering and Openness
When we encounter tough times we tend to want to isolate ourselves. Because of the pain, fear of embarrassment, or doubts regarding others’ understanding, we often choose to…
Shine Your Light
Jesus was clear that he has no interest in “covert Christians.” He expects our commitment to him to “shine” forth in everything we do. He has no tolerance for…
Anxiety
When we are gripped with anxiety, we are good for nothing! The Greek word the New Testament uses for this vice paints the picture of a mind that is scattered and divided, having trouble concentrating…
That Uncomfortable Feeling
I recently read an article based on the stated premise that “the Bible should be read for one’s enjoyment.” With that objective, it was no surprise that the rest of the piece consisted of the author aggressively…
Earthly Jobs
The Bible calls all Christians to see their daily work at their so-called “secular jobs” as a series of sacred acts of service to our King. We must look beyond our earthly bosses…
Exchanging Our Expletives
Words reveal the heart. Jesus said, “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Mt. 12:34). In our culture, expletives—words blurted in moments of frustration, shock, or excitement—often expose what fills a person’s heart. While many Christians avoid crude and obscene language, there is a more subtle problem we must face: the misuse …
Perspectives on the Unseen
To hold a biblical perspective on reality is to affirm that there is more to reality than what meets the eye. In fact, what you don’t see matters far more than what you do see. Paul writes…