November 1st is All Saints Day! This ceremonial event is a day that we praise all the saints — known & unknown! To honor All Saints Day, please join us in reading or saying this quick devotion:  Dear God, praise you for giving us the glorious example of the Saints. I aspire to meet their company, praising you forever in Heaven. Please help me to follow in their footsteps, and yours, Jesus Christ. Please help me to submit myself to Your call, seeking Your order in all things, just as the Saints did. Please help me to commit myself to Your glory, and to the service of my neighbors. Amen.    What is All Saints Day? All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, or Hallowmas, is a Christian celebration in honor of all the saints from Christian history. In Wester...

Try reading the book of Acts in the Bible and not getting excited about the growth of the early church. The disciples heard and obeyed the risen Christ when he commanded, “go into all the world and preach the gospel.” (Matthew 28:19)   Through that phenomenal growth, the Roman Catholic Church developed. It was the only official body of believers for hundreds of years until the great schism in 1054. At times there was discord among Roman Catholic leaders. But when one 16th-century priest publically disagreed with some practices, it was a turning point in church history.   In autumn,1517, the sound of a hammer was heard throughout the world and it did not come from a construction site. It originated in the heart and soul of a Roman Catholic priest who had...

For years, when I thought about prayer, I mostly felt guilty for my lack of a robust prayer life. Reading stories of great saints praying for two hours a day or more left me with a gnawing sense of defeat. I would often resolve to pray more. But the resolves didn’t last. One day I realized that something had changed. While not exactly satisfied with my prayer life, I knew that I had one. I’m sure that I still don’t pray as much as I should. But I pray a lot more than I used to. And I’ve tried to think about why. What changed? On one level, of course, whatever prayer life I have is the fruit of God’s grace. He gets the credit. But God uses means. The Spirit’s work doesn’t bypass our thoughts, feelings, habits, and desires. No, he works in and through all these aspects of our personhood. Whe...

Charles Spurgeon’s voice was said to boom when he preached, enabling thousands at a time to hear him without the aid of modern amplification. It seems fitting that such a voice was known for uttering weighty words. Imagine the mood at the Metropolitan Tabernacle as these words traveled past column after column, row after row, filling the ears and piercing the hearts of all who were present: “Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor. You either try to spread abroad the kingdom of Christ, or else you do not love him at all. It cannot be that there is a high appreciation of Jesus and a totally silent tongue about him. That man who says, ‘I believe in Jesus,’ but does not think enough of Jesus ever to tell another about him… is an impostor.” Of course, Spurgeon was not talking abo...

It’s a big question, no doubt. All too often we leap ahead to form opinions about the world around us without addressing how we should form them. We tend to take for granted that how we think through things is the right way to do so. But before addressing what we should think, we need to examine how we should think. In light of that, Romans 12:2 provides a helpful warning and exhortation to us. Paul says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Before becoming a Christian, all of us thought in ways that conformed to a pattern of worldliness. But now, by the power of the Spirit through God’s Word a...

My daughter is precious beyond belief. An exploding barrel of gunpowder, rainbow sprinkles, unicorns, and sarcastic Barbie Dolls is probably the best description of her personality. She’s a caring and compassionate soul who melts my heart with a funny phrase or hint of a smile. And, I want her to become a confident woman who leads with her personality, glorifies God, and demands the right attention with the right motivation. This message, however, is potentially contrary to what she will be hearing. Modesty is often taught to motivate not “offending others.” But I want my daughter to be compelled towards modesty for more than that.  Certainly, helping to keep men from the temptation to lust is noble. But whenever modesty is just about managing uncovered skin, there is generally a fail...

Every now and again it’s good to be reminded of the obvious. We need such reminders more often than we’d like to admit. I know I do. At various times in my Christian life I’ve been startled by the ease with which I can jump to conclusions, assume the worst, and demonize those with whom I disagree. In these moments the Lord has often reminded me, sometimes painfully, of a simple truth: don’t let your zeal for principle eclipse your love for people. Principles matter greatly, to be sure. I have zero interest in waving a flag that minimizes the importance of holding tightly to biblical principles. But I do wish to wave one that says, “Whatever our disagreements on secondary matters,[1] let’s make sure we’re viewing and treating our fellow Christians as what they are—family.” Hearts Exposed My...

A surprisingly difficult aspect of the Christian life is accepting and receiving compliments. It’s not that we don’t appreciate compliments or find them encouraging. But there is a danger of basing our identity upon them, or simply receiving them in the wrong way. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned how to receive compliments better. Here are 4 keys I’ve discovered: 1) Listen and Give Glory to God This can be challenging, especially when you are attempting not to sound dismissive or flippant. It is important to thank the person after they have given you a compliment, even if you don’t feel it is deserved. Clearly they made the effort to say something, so thank them for taking the time to do so. The second part can be a bit strange to say if you’re not used to giving God all the glory,...

One of the worst things a Christian can ever do is begin thinking their faith is their own personal private business. Shallow relationships with other Christians are one of the best ways to guarantee that you will become discouraged in your faith, drawn into sin, and compromised in your joy. In America especially, we’re drawn towards this hermit-like approach to our spiritual life. We intuitively believe the best way to grow spiritually is to go off into the woods by ourselves, or visit some monastery where no one talks. People who do those things are the really spiritual Christians. The ones who are most willing to deprive themselves of any and all distracting interactions with people are the ones most like Jesus, somehow. There is something right to that. We should remove the things that...

While doing a study on accountability I came across a few articles about the seriousness of friendship, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. We tend to use the word “friend” quite carelessly. Any person we have a few conversations with, work with, or “like” on Facebook we call “friend.” This is not necessarily bad, but through it, I believe, we are losing the real meaning of Biblical friendship. “To become another’s friend in the true sense—is to take the other into such close, living fellowship, that his life and ours are knit together as one. It is far more than a pleasant companionship in bright, sunny hours. A genuine friendship—is entirely unselfish. It seeks no benefit or good of its own. It does not love—for what it may receive—but for what it may give. Its...

Do you find it difficult to figure out how God’s mercy and wrath go together? Maybe you stumble over God’s wrath, wondering how a loving God could be wrathful. Perhaps you doubt God’s mercy, thinking God could never forgive you for the sins you’ve committed. It’s interesting to see how which you prefer affects how you behave toward others. Those who readily embrace the concept of God’s judgment often lack mercy, and become judgmental towards those who they regard as in the wrong. On the other hand, many who overlook sin in the name of tolerance lean toward relativism and hold less tightly to the objective truth of God’s Word. The problem is we think that God’s mercy and wrath are opposed to one another, when they actually serve the same purpose: to bring God glory. How do they fit together...