christianity

In the Scriptures there is practically no effort made to define faith. Outside of a brief fourteen-word definition in Hebrews 11:1, I know of no Biblical definition, and even there faith is defined functionally, not philosophically; that is, it is a statement of what faith is in operation, not what it is in essence. It assumes the presence of faith

Reflective. The path to implicit aspects of the gospel of grace that are imbedded in every biblical passage does not require tortuous expeditions of logic or theological safaris to remote mountains of higher learning.

Puberty, for instance, became more than just a passing moment of physical transformation. It also became a key moment of manhood instruction and challenge, celebrated by a ceremony that would leave an unforgettable mark on each son as to who he was becoming and where he was going.

Affirm Progress

The last sixty seconds are typically the most dynamic moments in excellent sermons.

Since Scripture as a whole is God’s revelation of his redeeming activity in Jesus Christ,10 a preacher needs only to demonstrate where and how a particular text functions in the overall redemptive plan in order to show its Christocentric focus.

Get awake. Maybe you need to make a pot of coffee first or take a shower.

What a charmer. Lamech's behavior is a textbook example of what Augustine calls the libido dominandi, variously translated as the "desire to dominate" or the "will to power." Libido dominandi is raw violence-unprovoked, unrestricted, unconflicted. It is the characteristic driving force of the earthly city, "which, when it seeks mastery," in an

Sooner or later, a man must find that he cannot do enough, give enough, serve enough, or work hard enough in church or ministry to make God love him more. He can only allow himself to be loved freely. That’s what the Father is looking for — not performance but a receptive heart. The one leads to burnout. The other leads to burning bright.