Joy to the World

One of the most popular Christmas anthems is “Joy to the World.” But how in the world is joy possible? Literally, how in this world that is filled with such sorrow and pain do you experience true joy? Do you just need to pretend that bad things haven’t happened or won’t happen? Just try and ignore the pain or avoid the pain? In this world of great suffering, where do Christians get off with talking about the goodness of God and the joy of life? Has Jesus really brought joy to the world? And if so, how? That’s the question […]

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Seven Habits of Effective Prayer

Prayer is extremely important. But you probably already knew that. Most people don’t need to be convinced that prayer is one of the most important practices in a believer’s life. But what seems to elude a lot of people is the “how” of prayer. How do you maintain a healthy prayer life? How do you pray with any sense of satisfaction or effectiveness? Prayer is important, but prayer is hard. It can look like prayer comes easy for some people, but it doesn’t. Not right away anyway. An effective prayer life is developed over time through a series of habits […]

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The Peace of God

Is experiencing peace really possible in the real world? How do you have peace when you continually hear about the terrible things in the news, never mind the various emotional pressures of everyday life? It’s just so easy to get frustrated and agitated about a situation, worried about a problem, or anxious about the future. Is the peace you read about in the Bible or see in certain people actually possible? That’s the question. Because it’s not enough to just rest in peace when you die; you want to practically experience peace while you live. So how do you pursue […]

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The Greatest Treasure

I am a sucker for a great treasure story. Apparently I’m not alone. Treasure hunting films like The Goonies, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and National Treasure keep on being produced. Yet the popularity of these movies is not simply due to good acting. It seems people love to identify with the hidden treasure plot. It doesn’t matter that you know the main character will find the lost treasure in the end; you’re gripped by the tale of that one great treasure that’s been lost for centuries and the possibility of finding it. Why is that? Why do people […]

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Doers of the Word

One of the most frustrating things in the Christian life is wanting to change but feeling like you can’t. Have you ever wondered why you’re not growing as much as you’d like to? You believe the gospel and rejoice in God’s grace, yet you look at the practical descriptions of a Christian in the Bible and they often seem so out of reach. What gives? What’s the solution? The quick fix Christians often turn to is simply acquiring more knowledge. After all, Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth” (John 17:17). The truth will set you […]

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Learning To Read Your God Story

God loves stories, which is probably why most of the Bible is made up of parables and other kinds of stories. So what is the purpose of all these stories? Are they just interesting Sunday School lessons for children? No. Everything in the Bible is written for you. This is what the Apostle Paul refers to when he says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4,) Themes and chords By learning to faithfully read […]

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How to Reap A Harvest

Doing good for others can grow old. Doing the right things can become tiring, especially when you do not see any tangible results, and especially when it seems like the people who do not do the right things are the ones actually achieving success. In the final chapter of his letter to the Galatians, Paul wrote to Christians who were tempted to go back to their old way of doing things and give up doing the right thing. They were growing tired of supporting the church, helping the weak, bearing with one another’s burdens and doing good in the lives […]

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Overcoming Sexual Temptation

Sexual temptation is a tremendously difficult trap to overcome, but it is possible to overcome. Did you catch that? It is possible to overcome! Jesus Christ didn’t die on the cross and rise again just to remove the penalty of sin but to remove the power and practice of sin. Jesus died to set you free, and he lives to give you life as it’s meant to be lived. One of the ways he does this is through the life-giving power of his word. God’s word is full of stories, and God recorded every story in the Bible for your […]

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The Relevance of the Resurrection

Facing a difficult Monday after Easter Sunday is a great test of whether you actually understand the Easter message. When you are struggling to pay the bills, the kids are still sick, the dryer breaks, and suffering and loss seem more real than Jesus does, how do you respond? You may wonder, “Where did the joy of Easter go? Is the resurrection really all that relevant to my life? How does the message of Easter really change the way I face a job that I hate, a family member who constantly raises objections to my faith and a habit that […]

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Count It All Joy

Sarah couldn’t believe what her pastor said in church on Sunday. He was teaching from the book of James and she thought, “You want me to do what in my trials? Count it all joy? Impossible.” If you’re anything like Sarah, joy is the last thing you think is possible when you’re right in the midst of suffering and sudden difficulty. You frequently find yourself asking, “Why is this happening to me? Why now? Has God abandoned me?” In times of trials, joy can seem so out of reach. So how are Christians supposed to count it all joy when […]

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