Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Last June, I sat in the hospital with one of my children alone. Only one parent was allowed at a time, and there was no cell service there. It was a fear-filled time with so much still unknown. It was a time to …
So the Next Generation May Know
There are so many ways to study God’s Word. We live in a blessed generation with a variety of options at our fingertips. There are apps for phones, free computer programs, and old-fashioned pen-and-paper methods. A quick computer search offers hundreds of companies that create Bible studies and journals. If you have not found a …
Do You Believe in Easter?
Do You Believe in Easter? Grief grips our hearts and draws us to wonder why there is so much suffering in this life. If God exists, many ask, why does He allow so much sorrow on this planet? The very fact that we believe there should be a better place with no suffering is the …
Pursuing Glory
You may not have ever heard his name. He lived a scandal-free life, above reproach. He was married and faithful to the same woman until her last breath just a few years ago. If you do not attend an independent Baptist church, you may not know who he was. But Jesus knows his name. …
Freedom’s Expectation
When he signed his name at the bottom of the Declaration of Independence, John Hart knew the cost would be high for him and his family. John Hart was considered a "man of great modesty and benevolence, and his highest ambition was to serve God and promote the best interests of his countrymen." (A …
Not All Who Wander Are Lost; Sometimes They’re Just Obstinate
A farmer tries to lead a resistant donkey along a dirt path on a rural farm. The Israelites' Red Sea moment celebrated the greatest victory they had ever seen in their lifetime. For four hundred years since Joseph's reign, God's people lived outside the land He had promised to Abraham. For at least a …
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Letting God
Christian cliches make me cringe. If it fits on a T-shirt or a social media meme, it is probably too simplistic to convey the full truth of God's Word. "Let go and let God" fits into the cringe category of Christian cliches, no doubt, but there is truth to unpack within the statement. It's a …
Advocating for Real Change in the Pro-Life Movement
A young woman sits tearfully in a car on a rainy evening, deep in thought. Imagine with me a 15-year-old girl who realized yesterday that she has not had her cycle for two months in a row. When she tells her boyfriend, he readily steps up to pay for her abortion. When the girl protests, …
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What Does the Bible Say About Pastors?
A woman speaks passionately from a pulpit during a church service The Old Testament prophets and priests functioned as the spiritual leaders of God's people. Jeremiah 23 frames the dismal picture of what that role had become. Truly, it does not sound far off from many of those in spiritual leadership today. 11 For both …
The King’s Return
From my devotional, His Song in the Night Jesus returning for His followers. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up …
The Blood-Stained Path of the Kingdom
Jesus carrying a wooden cross surrounded by onlookers and Roman soldiers Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and …
A Kingdom of Peacemakers
Two women happily reading and discussing a Bible together in a cozy living room Life is a bit crazy right now for me, so I am using the introduction of this week's study as the blog post this week. As usual, the pdf will be attached to download, and last week's answers will be linked. …
The Heart of the Kingdom: Pure Motives
A preacher passionately delivers a sermon to a diverse congregation inside a church. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 Watching so many of those who claim to be spiritual leaders fall from grace leaves my heart searching for answers. This week, the topic of legalism or …
His Song in the Night 