The Da Vinci Code is not alone in claiming that in the fourth century, the Emperor Constantine changed Christianity to further his political agenda. Historians or false teachers who deny Christ’s deity sometimes suggest this event as a possibility. The truth is, Christians regarded Jesus as both God and man from the very beginning. In […]
Read MoreTag Archives: Philippians
A Tradition You Can Trust
Near the end of his life and ministry, with martyrdom looming before him, the apostle Paul dictated a letter for one of his closest ministry assistants—a young man named Timothy. In that letter, Paul encouraged Timothy to hold on to what he had been taught, to guard believers from harm, to stand firm against temptations, […]
Read MoreMy Advice This Christmas
If I may borrow from Charles Dickens’s famous opening line, Christmas can be “the best of times, and the worst of times.” We have them both, don’t we? Who hasn’t cringed in early-October as stores drag out the artificial Christmas trees and put them on display? Who doesn’t dread the extra traffic and the gaggle […]
Read MoreA Gift Too Wonderful for Words
Long ago in a quiet, crude place where animals sleep, Mary gave birth and felt the soft, human skin of her firstborn. The humanity of this scene appropriately pulls us in for a closer look. We can identify with Joseph’s confusion, with Mary’s wonder, and with the shepherds’ amazement about the Son of God’s quiet […]
Read MoreAct Medium
The children worked long and hard on their little cardboard shack. It was to be a special spot—a clubhouse, where they could meet together, play, and have fun. Because a clubhouse has to have rules, they came up with three: Nobody act big. Nobody act small. Everybody act medium. Not bad theology! In different words, […]
Read MoreA Reason to Smile
Joy—it makes people wonder at your secret. Yet joy is no secret to the trusting Christian. When we choose to grow closer to God, resting in His character and provision, joy spills over into our lives so that others can’t help but notice. Do you want to be a person of joy? Silly question, isn’t […]
Read More30 Days to Handling Your Fears
This article is designed to help you better understand how to handle fear. For the next 30 days read the questions and allow them to spark deeper personal reflection and life change. Fear is an instinctive and even healthy response to keep you safe, sometimes prompting you to necessary action. In that sense fear is […]
Read MoreBurning Ourselves: The Tongue’s Hidden Hurt
“Remember,” Smokey the Bear warned millions of television viewers, “only YOU can prevent forest fires.” But what if Smokey had faced the inferno we carry around with us daily—in our mouths? Maybe his warning wouldn’t have centered on misused matches but on combustible conversations. In fact, his public-service announcement may have sounded a bit like […]
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