fisher of men

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24) Many in modern church congregations may know the words of “Amazing Grace” and understand the saving power wrote about “Power in the Blood,” but they may be more attracted to the energy and style of modern worship artists: Hillsong, Lauren Daigle, Chris Tomlin, and Casting Crowns.  Others in church congregations bemoan any music or song labeled Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) because they have been taught this kind of music deceives the masses with emotional drumbeats and tones to mimic the true spirit found only in the old-time hymns...

A Prayer for Unity in Our NationBy Debbie McDaniel “I in them and you in me–so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:23 Often in times of greatest need, we may find ourselves giving way to the stress and strain by battling one another, and forgetting who the real enemy is. Harsh words spoken, friendships broken; we choose sides and draw lines. Feelings get hurt. Betrayal runs deep. It gets harder to forgive and keep moving forward. And sometimes we get stuck, right there in the muddy mess of it all. Yet it’s in those very times of tension and struggle, that we need, more than ever, to come together as one, unified, and strong. And we can be assured, it’s in those times, that Satan ...

We read the famous words in the American Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance upon the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” And we ring the Liberty Bell. But did you know that on that Bell are the words of Scripture, which planted a divine idea of freedom in the hearts of so many who devised those words in the Declaration? Inscribed on the Liberty Bell are the words of Leviticus 25:10: “And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and...

American Christians should no longer view themselves as a “Moral Majority.” One of the reasons I say that it is good for American Christianity to no longer think of itself as a “moral majority” is that such a mentality obscures the strangeness of the gospel. When a vision of Christian political engagement hinges on building a politically viable network of ideologically united voters, Christ and him crucified will tend to be a stumbling block, not a rallying point. I’m sure that if a journalist had been present when Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone,” the headline the next day probably would have been, “Religious Leader Calls for Pullback from Agriculture Policy.” The call to a gospel-focused engagement is not a call to a retreat. On the contrary, it’s a call to a m...

EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re happy to announce that, coming soon, this devotional will be available in audio version as the Your Daily Bible Verse Podcast! Stay tuned for updates… BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.” (Acts 3:19) A Call to Return Home By Becca Stevens At Thistle Farms, it is our mission to heal, empower, and employ women survivors of trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. Our community believes that in every mistake, there is potential for healing. Nothing a person can do will close the door forever with God and with a loving community- even if that person feels beyond redemption, is put back in prison, or cannot find sobriety in this life. Our practice is simple: take a step back, apologize, make amen...

Angels, spiritual beings, appear in the Bible more than 200 times. They have aided prophets, saints, and God’s people through the Old and New Testament and throughout the history of the church. They have been known to praise God (Luke 2:13-14), fight spiritual battles (Daniel 10:13), and deliver God’s messages to humankind (Luke 2:10). But do these beings have free will? Do angels and fallen angels (demons) have a will to choose to follow God and carry out His commands? Or do they have no choice whatsoever? What is free will? Free will, in essence, allows for a being to make choices without being coerced or forced to do so. If a being does not have free will, an outside force controls his or her actions. Free will makes us accountable to what we say, do, and think. If, for instance, we did...

Noah was an obedient servant of God in the Old Testament who found favor with God amidst a sinful world. He is most well-known for building an ark that preserved himself and his family, as well as representatives of every land animal, from a great flood that God unleashed in judgement upon the earth. What is the meaning of Noah? The name Noah means “rest.” It derives from the Hebrew נוח (nuah), to rest. What is the story of Noah? When God saw how wicked and corrupt man had become, He regretted creating them and decided to destroy all of mankind (Genesis 6:7). However, God gave Noah favor because he saw that he was righteous (Genesis 6:8). God commanded Noah to build an ark to house and preserve his family, as well as every male and female species of land animal, from His punishment of a fl...

Every church longs to grow. That’s the way it should be. “The Great Commission” was not “The Small Suggestion.” But many churches are stuck in neutral. They can’t seem to break through their current plateau to the next level. So what is keeping many of these churches from reaching their full potential?  In many cases, I think it’s something as simple – but decisive – as the Shepherd-Rancher divide. This is based on the premise that these are the two basic kinds of church leaders—Shepherds and Ranchers. Shepherds are oriented toward providing primary care to their sheep. They are the ones in the trenches with coffees and funerals, discipling and weddings, one-on-ones and late-night calls. They are not usually leaders so much as they are chaplains. I cannot begin to tell you how much I ...

“Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’” Mark 10:49 (NIV) “Action Amy,” a nickname I earned on a mission trip for my constant drive for activity, didn’t begin as a compliment, but I’ve certainly lived up to it. It describes me exactly — I’m always planning what to do next. Because of my “doer” wiring, I’ve often mistaken my highest calling as something I’m supposed to do rather than some place I’m supposed to be. The very word “calling” is fraught, isn’t it? It feels like a word saved only for special people and those paid to do ministry. One dictionary definition of calling is “a profession or occupation,” but the one we most commonly think of is “a strong urge toward a particular way of life or caree...

A Prayer for Strength against Spiritual WarfareBy Jack Graham “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:12 Two brothers came home drunk one night for what must’ve been the 20th time. They had been warned by their parents not to do it again, but the warning didn’t seem like it was deterring them at all. So when the father heard them come in this time, he didn’t confront them but let them go to bed to sleep it off. The next morning when the two brothers awoke, their dad was sitting at the kitchen table with two pistols. He handed one to each of the brothers. They asked him, “Dad, what’s this all about?” The dad re...

The name Josiah in the Bible means “Healed of the Lord” or “The Lord will Support,” according to Easton’s Bible Dictionary. In his day the Lord did indeed bring healing and restoration to the people of Judah. Josiah was only 8 years old when he became king of Judah. His father had been wicked, as had the Jewish kings and culture for generations before him. “In the eighth year of his reign,” Scripture records that Josiah began to seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 34:3). In his seeking, he set about restoring the house of the Lord. The workers found the lost and forgotten Torah. When it was brought to Josiah’s attention and the words read aloud, he wept, tore his clothes, and grieved deeply for the ways he and his people had turned away from the Lord. He sought the counsel of the Lord through Huld...

While jogging early this morning, I found myself humming the tune Bob Hope immortalized during several wars. I can still remember his tailor-made lyrics, fitted to each occasion. He sang them to lonely soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines from steamy jungles to frozen reservoirs . . . from the decks of aircraft carriers to makeshift platforms on windswept sand dunes. As guys and gals in uniform laughed and cried, screamed and sipped Coke, they always anticipated Hope’s finale as he took the mike and crooned, “And thanks for the memories . . . .” I remember it well: Christmas of ’58 on Okinawa. I was homesick, missing my wife, and counting the days. So when the veteran entertainer sang his closing song, I sang along with him in a flood of memories. I recall how gra...