Christian Life

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 1

To Embrace All of Christ, Steer Clear of Quashing Him and Cherry-Picking His Teachings

To Embrace All of Christ, Steer Clear of Quashing Him and Cherry-Picking His Teachings

During young adulthood, Mark, who was uninterested in Christ, worked as a laborer painting houses. He often worked alongside another young man, who was a strong believer in Christ.

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 2

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 2

In part 1, we discussed the first of two erroneous ideas many Christ-followers have: I must pay for certain sins in spite of what the Bible says to the contrary. In part 2, we will look at the opposite side of the spectrum, where many do not fully understand the full weightiness of their sins, and in return make an equally dangerous mistake.

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 1

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 1

Do you remember the old village stocks? They were wooden structures positioned in the village square. Many had a hole through which the head was placed, and two holes for the left and right hands. Some had holes for the feet.

Does Your Self-Image Match God’s Image of You?

Does Your Self-Image Match God’s Image of You?

For those who follow Christ, believing in “God’s image” of us means we stand on this truth: God sees us as those He loves, accepts, and values. In fact, this is why He sent Christ to die for us—to demonstrate His unconditional love, to enable absolute acceptance forever, and to reveal thereby our intrinsic worth to Him.

Embracing Optimistic Realism: Finding Middle Ground Between Naive Optimism and Cynical Pessimism

Embracing Optimistic Realism: Finding Middle Ground Between Naive Optimism and Cynical Pessimism

Have you ever met someone so optimistic that you considered them more naive than realistic? Because they believe everything to be hunky dory, they blind themselves to the red flags leading to bad decisions and painful consequences.

Does Your Self-Image Match God’s Image of You?

Embracing Optimistic Realism: Finding Middle Ground Between Naive Optimism and Cynical Pessimism

What Does Regularly Playing the Lotto Do to the Soul?

What Does Regularly Playing the Lotto Do to the Soul?

What would it be like to win $1.5 billion in the lotto and end up taking home over $930 million after taxes? This week Powerball reached that amount. TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE BUY LOTTO TICKETS. On the one hand there are those who exclaim, “Wow, I would love to win! I will buy a ticket! I have done this a couple times before over the years. The odds are against me, which is why I never play. It is more likely that I will get hit by lightning two times than win. I have 1 in 292,000,000 odds against me! Yet, I have some discretionary cash and, besides, somebody will win, so why not me? You have to be ‘in it to win it'! It will be fun, like in the office when we make a wager on who will win the football game."

What’s the Point In Trusting God When Life Gets Worse?

What’s the Point In Trusting God When Life Gets Worse?

Joni Eareckson breaks her neck as a teenager but as a quadriplegic she entrusts herself fully to Christ. She makes herself available to the Lord for His purposes, launching a ministry called Joni and Friends. On the other hand, another person in a similar diving accident turns bitter toward God and everyone else. For decades this person remains wheelchair bound with no real friends.

Three Questions to Filter Your Words With

Three Questions to Filter Your Words With

A filter is any device that removes unwanted material. For example, an oil filter for a car lets the good oil pass through while blocking the crud and removing impurities. The muck and guck are detrimental to the engine and undermine the effectiveness of the motor. Some of us need a filter on our speech when we communicate. When we lack a filter we undermine our effectiveness in communicating with people, whether those are family and friends, coworkers and neighbors, or acquaintances and strangers. What is this filter? It consists of asking three questions before communicating in person, over the phone, or in writing.

Losing Makes Us a Winner! The Resolution: Lose the Weight

Losing Makes Us a Winner! The Resolution: Lose the Weight

From third grade to eighth grade I was overweight. I wore Husky pants. My legs rubbed together when I ran. My belly hung over the front of my pants. Sometimes people called me “fatty.” I cried. Iempathize deeply with people who struggle with their weight.I chatted last night with a good friend who told me that when she was in the fifth grade, she weighed 240 pounds, and in college over 300 pounds. My heart felt nothing but compassion.