Blessed by Trials

Occasionally I get the privilege of preaching at my church. I have been preaching through a series on James, so recently I opened my Bible browser online to look at the next passage, and it was this: Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the…

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Three Marks of a Real Man

We live in a society that seems low on doses of masculinity. Moreover, the occasional representations of masculinity we do encounter often twist and pervert God’s biblical intention for men. What, then, is masculinity according to Scripture? In the book of Ruth, Boaz demonstrates three qualities every man needs. He provides: When Boaz discovers his…

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Well the Pastor Gets Paid, So…

It’s a common assumption; you and I have heard it before. We get tired of the exhausting work of ministry and, understandably, we want to take a break. If the church members can’t carry the load, then there is always the pastor and his family. “I mean, he gets paid, right? It’s his job!” To…

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Redeeming the Culture (Part 2)

Since posting part 1 of this discussion, I have had the opportunity to listen to others, dig deeply, and gather a bit more insight into the concept of “redeeming the culture.” I even stumbled across a website where a guy had posted recordings of a video game he was playing. At different points in the…

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Redeeming the Culture (Part 1)

I’ve had conversations with Christians, and heard missionaries or public speakers, who champion the idea of redeeming the culture. As best I understand, they mean that we as Christians can take elements of our culture that men created (or perverted) for evil purposes and transform them into tools for use in the service of Christ.…

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Trusting God Alone

Great leaders spend their lives pursuing clearly stated goals. William Wilberforce, for example, said, “Almighty God has set before me two great objectives, the abolition of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.” I am finishing up a biography on the life of George Müller. He, too, had a clearly stated goal in life.…

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Crucial Reasons Why Abortion Is Evil

It is impossible to escape moral judgments. Even in our post-modern, increasingly secular society, where many believe all truth is relative, we cannot escape making moral judgments. Words loaded with moral meaning appear in the headlines repeatedly. Reporters write about the “redemption” of Tiger Woods or about the evil of school or church shootings and…

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