Ministry is often not as tidy as we would like it to be. It is redeemed sinners called to minister selflessly, and model Christ to other redeemed sinners. and to reach out to those who need the redemption that is only available in Christ Jesus. Because we live in a sinful world, and because Christians…
Read MoreIf a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 2 Timothy 2:21 The Bible tells us that sanctification is God’s will for our lives and soul (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Sanctification is the process of becoming more…
Read MoreEarlier this year, I read a fascinating autobiography of evangelist, pastor, and educator, Ed Nelson. Published just after Nelson’s death at the advanced age of 98, A Sinner Saved By Grace, catalogued a long, broad, and interesting life.1 One chapter was particularly sad. An adult son asked for a private meeting with Nelson just two…
Read MoreKnown for his life of faith, power in prayer, and service to orphans, George Muller (1805-1898) was a man whose depth with Christ stands in stark contrast to the shallowness that pervades our Christian landscape. Recently, I took the opportunity to read Muller’s autobiography again. If you’ve never read it, I would highly recommend that…
Read MoreBut I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:28 If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and…
Read MoreOpening paragraphs of our FrontLine article: My wife, Tricia, and I have been in an interesting and important phase of our lives for the last few years—caring for aging parents. In 2020 Tricia’s parents, Larry and Nancy, moved in with us, and we became their primary-care providers. Just over five short months after they moved…
Read MoreThis is the fourth in a series of four posts. Click here for previous posts: part 1, part 2, part 3. If you are a Christian you have been given a worthy ministry: to share the gospel. Yet, we all find this hard because of the opposition that we face. If you are to faint…
Read MoreAn Abandoned Pursuit When was the last time you heard someone talk about godliness? Frequently, I hear Christians talk about being more faithful, loving, or active in church. But I can’t remember the last time I heard someone say, “ I want to be more godly.” Why is there so little interest in godliness? Perhaps…
Read MoreWe recently took our kids fishing. Taking four young, inexperienced children to fish for the afternoon is a lot of work, just ask my husband. I’m not too helpful when it comes to catching literal fish. There are hooks caught deep under fallen trees in the water, there are hooks snagged high overhead in still…
Read MoreSomeone has observed that one sign of a nation’s moral degradation is the fact that conservatives find it increasingly difficult to parody its culture. Seth Dillon, CEO of the popular Babylon Bee, claims that nearly 100 of their news parodies designed to identify real issues through ridicule have actually come true (Fox News). In 2019,…
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