prosperity

A Prayer to Find Your Mission at Home  By Jennifer Heeren “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” (Mark 16:15) You could be called a missionary any time that you go into an area that is made up of mostly unbelievers. Your school, your workplace, your neighborhood—all of these places are filled with not-yet-believers. Basically, every place that you go has the potential to include at least one unbeliever. So, missionary type work needs to be carried out. Missionaries in foreign countries prepare by learning a new language, finding out about that country’s culture, and researching the physical needs of the area. You can do the same thing wherever you are. Immerse yourself into their culture. Unbelievers have a different way of living t...

Most churches will have an advent wreath, holding four candles on the outside, and a candle in the center. Churches will light a new candle each week, leading up to Christmas, and on Christmas or Christmas Eve, light the center candle. Each candle tends to represent something such as hope, joy, etc. This article will highlight the first candle of advent: the candle of hope. The History of the Advent Wreath The Catholic church adopted this tradition during the Middle Ages, as a way to prepare the hearts and minds for Christmas. The word advent itself comes from the Latin word “adventus” meaning “arrival.” We prepare for the arrival of Christ. The wreath itself represents eternity and everlasting life, a circle that never ends (John 3:16). Some have traced the origin of Advent as far ba...

If you feel like you blinked and another decade has come and gone, you’re not alone. It’s hard to believe that we have come to the end of the 2010s. As with all milestones, it’s important to assess what happened. Or, in our increasingly fast-paced world, what “just” happened, as seismic changes seem to happen in… well… a blink. The New York Times ran its own cultural assessment, listing 33 dynamics of the last 10 years. Nine stood out to me: 1. We Were Supersaturated with Superheroes. It seems like the Avengers have been around forever, but they only “assembled” in 2012. Throw in the DC Universe with Marvel and we’ve been a very spandex world. 2. Gay Culture Took Center Stage. “Moonlight” won the Oscar for best picture after “Carol” was a six-time nominee. “Will & Grace” came back and ...

Dr. Ray Pritchard Author, Speaker, President of Keep Believing Ministries Here is Day 5 of Letters to Our Grandchildren: “The Promise.”  Christmas reminds us that God always keeps his promises! Check out the Cradle Hymn by Elizabeth Mitchell and Friends. PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

A Prayer for Those Mourning A Loss this Winter By Meg Bucher It takes a strength that we don’t humanly possess to move through a season of sadness and despair. The Winter months can carry a blue perspective, especially when the snap of gray winter skies extends beyond our ability to cope without sun-light. God’s Spirit rests upon the frigid air, to comfort those saying earthly good-byes and facing the impossible return to life as usual without someone they held dear. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 Refuge is a shelter or protection from danger, trouble. (dictionary.com) The original Hebrew root-word means to seek or flee for protection; to put confidence and trust in God. (Strongs 2620) God’s character assures us that though our lives bend...

The word “love” is a flexible term in the English language. A person can say, “I love tacos” in one sentence and, “I love my husband” in the next. It has several different meanings in our culture, but there are four unique words in ancient Greek that describe the range of meaning the English word love conveys. History and Origin Eros: Eros is the word often used to express sexual love or the feelings of arousal that are shared between people who are physically attracted to one another.  Storge: Storge refers to natural, familial love. Storge (a word not found in the Bible) refers to the type of love shown by a parent for a child. Agape: Agape is defined as a self-sacrificing love. It is the love that focuses on the will, not the emotions, experiences, or libido. It is the love God sho...

“Would you like to do a study on Christology?” Such a question might seem intimidating. However, all it really means is, “Do you want to learn more about Jesus?” Like many terms relating to theology, “Christology” sounds like a term that will be difficult to approach. However, at the end of the day, it is just the study of our Lord Jesus, and it can be of great spiritual benefit. Definition of Christology The word “Christology” comes from two Greek roots. The first, “Christ,” is derived from the Hebrew word “Messiah,” meaning “anointed one,” the promised deliverer of Israel. The second, “-ology,” comes from the Greek “logia” and is now used in English to mean “the study of.” Thus, Christology is the study of the anointed deliver, the Christ. In Christianity, Christ is equated with the pers...

Dr. Ray Pritchard Author, Speaker, President of Keep Believing Ministries Here’s Day 4 of Letters to Our Grandchildren: “Leaping for Joy.” The letter goes to Eli, our eight-year-old grandson who lives in Missoula, Montana. Here’s a link to All Sons and Daughters singing Come to Save Us. Enjoy! PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

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Not What You Wanted? by Alex Crain “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?” – James 4:1 A holiday edition of the TV show “America’s Funniest Home Videos” showed various children opening their presents on Christmas morning. Apparently, it’s hard for many kids to see humor in getting an unwanted gift. Most of their reactions were, well… downright childish. When the ribbons and paper were torn off, one child pulled out a new pair of socks, threw her head back and erupted in an angry sob. A matching outfit given to another child produced a tantrum across the floor followed by stomping footsteps up the stairs. Other children glowered with frowns and snarls. One even screamed at the parent holding the video camer...

Dr. Ray Pritchard Author, Speaker, President of Keep Believing Ministries This is Day 3 of Letters to Our Grandchildren: “Angels Everywhere!” Today’s letter is written to Niko, who is one year old, which means he won’t understand it right now, but we hope he’ll watch the video and read the letter when he’s a little older. Here’s a link to Mandisa singing “Angels We Have Heard on High.”  Enjoy!  PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” – Hebrews 6:19 Heaven is Real: 3 Reasons to Have Hope in a Hard World By Debbie McDaniel Heaven is real. And many of us would agree on that fact. We believe what the Bible says is true. We know that God has prepared us for so much more than we can fully see here in this world. And He has greater things still in store than we could ever even know. But how does the reality of heaven help us in the day to day of life’s struggles? How can it offer us real hope and strength right now? 1. In the midst of life’s storms, we have the hope of eternal life. One way that heaven offers us great hope and joy is that we can be assured, no matter what we may face now, it won’t last forever. This world i...