salvation

A Prayer to Put Jesus First this Christmas Season By Debbie McDaniel “And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” – Luke 2:7 No room for them. No vacancy. No place. Words that still seem to hang close, even today. In a world that seeks to crowd Jesus out, where busyness abounds, and hearts are stirred to focus on other things, it can be hard sometimes to choose to keep Him first. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the whole hurried dash of the holidays, and to give our attention to what seems more urgent. Our focus gets blurred; and the most important gets pushed aside. It takes an active and daily choice to put Christ first, especially in a culture that says you’re too busy ...

Ann Spangler Ann Spangler is an award-winning writer and speaker. Anyone who has ever been a parent knows how satisfying it can be to provide for the needs of their children. To give a child a home, food on the table, love, guidance, a good start in life—these are basic needs we love to provide. But even the best parent can’t meet every need—to be accepted by peers, to find a perfect spouse, to be healed of a serious illness. With our limited vision we cannot see even a millisecond into the future. And even if we could, we would likely misdiagnose many of our children’s deepest needs. Fortunately Yahweh Yireh (yah-WEH yir-EH), the God Who Provides, sees each of us clearly—past, present, and future.  Because of that, he knows what we truly need. Though most of us might love to be match...

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” – 1 Peter 2:23 Why Not Rather Be Wronged? by Lynette Kittle Have you ever been mistreated? Dealt with unfairly or experienced loss and hardships at the hands of another? Has someone cheated you out of a position, promotion, or items that should have rightfully been yours? If so, you’re not alone. Ever increasing lawsuits are evidence of a world of unfairness. Yet as a Christian, what is your response? Have you adapted the ways and methods of the culture or do you trust God in these types of matters, turning to Him to direct your reactions and make things right? 1 Corinthians 6:6 describ...

Editor’s Note: This blog is a favorite of the Church & Culture Team and has become a Thanksgiving tradition. Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving! The barracks where Corrie ten Boom and her sister, Betsy, were kept in the Nazi concentration camp Ravensbruck were terribly overcrowded and flea-infested. Corrie and Betsy had been able to miraculously smuggle a Bible into the camp, and in that Bible they had read that in all things they were to give thanks and that God can use anything for good. Betsy decided that this meant thanking God for the fleas. This was too much for Corrie, who said she could do no such thing. Betsy insisted, so Corrie gave in and prayed to God, thanking Him even for the fleas. Over the next several months a wonderful, but curious, thing happened: They found that the guar...

A Prayer for the Long Walk of Faith By Karen Ehman “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Genesis 5:24 (NIV) Is there a person in the Bible whose story you simply love? One who encourages you, challenges you or with whom you share a similar life circumstance? Perhaps it’s Moses and his keen leadership skills? Or, Esther — the compelling queen, both beautiful and brainy — who used her quick thinking to help save an entire nation? Maybe Joseph is your favorite, as you contemplate how someone so mistreated could continually take the high road which led him not only to political power but also to family forgiveness? All of these are fabulous choices, but I choose Enoch. I first heard of Enoch as a teen, and he fascinated me. Not ...

Thursday, November 28, 2019 (Thanksgiving) Courageous Gratitude Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 nkjv) Jesus, who is God, knows all things. And there in the Upper Room, He knew what was about to happen. He was about to identify His betrayer, Judas Iscariot, and said, “What you do, do quickly” (John 13:27 nkjv). He also identified His denier, Simon Peter, telling him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times” (John 13:38 nkjv). And then Jesus gave thanks. Mark’s gospel tells us, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them an...

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). Before we answer the question, “What is an Advent calendar?” we should answer the question, “What is Advent?” What is Advent? Advent normally refers to a special time (a period of 24 days, or the four preceding Sundays) of anticipation as we wait for the commemoration of the birth of the Christ child. Many people throughout the western world know and celebrate Christmas, but Advent isn’t always observed the ways Christmas is. The word Advent was borrowed from the Medieval Latin word adventus, and it means “coming” or “arrival, appearance.” The four weeks leading up to Christmas is a very special time as we prepare for the celebration of the first coming of Christ. (...

Ann Spangler Ann Spangler is an award-winning writer and speaker. Early in their seminary training, many pastors-to-be learn a curious phrase. Their professors instruct them that they are called to be a “non-anxious presence,” that is, the one person in the room who maintains a peaceful presence when everyone around them is losing it. When a child has died, when a couple is on the verge of divorce, when someone is in despair, when the church is threatening to split, they are to be present in a way that reorients the emotional and spiritual atmosphere. Their leadership can make all the difference. But this, of course, is far easier said than done. Here’s how one woman dealt with her own anxiety while trying to help a family in crisis. Amy Butler had spent an anxiety-filled...

Dr. Ray Pritchard Author, Speaker, President of Keep Believing Ministries Three quick notes:1. Our brand-new Advent ebook is called Letters to Our Grandchildren. 2.The ebook costs $2.99, but it is FREE for five days starting this Friday, November 29! 3. You can help us greatly by posting a brief review on the Amazon page because Amazon uses those reviews to boost where a page shows up in their search engine. The more reviews, the higher the book ranks, and the more people see it. PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

A Prayer for Gratitude and Thanksgiving By Debbie McDaniel “O Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”  – Ps. 95:1-3 We have so much to be grateful for in this life. Each and every day. But reality is that sometimes constant life demands, struggles, and worries give more room to defeat than to a heart of thanks. Or we forget, in the midst of busyness and pressures, just to pause and give thanks, for all that God has done, and continues to do in our lives. Sometimes it really is a sacrifice to offer praise and thanks. We ...

In life’s struggles, we often wonder how circumstances can change. A simple phrase such as “This Too Shall Pass” can bring comfort and sometimes resolution. But why do we find peace and comfort in such a simple phrase? Most people believe that this phrase came directly from the Bible itself. Unfortunately, that is not the case at all. History and Origin  According to Rabbi Lisa Rubin, “King Solomon was trying to humble his wisest servant, so he asked him to perform a seemingly impossible task: to find something that did not exist. He requested a magic ring — one that, if a sad man wore it, he would become happy and if a happy man wore it, he would become sad.” The story suggests that the servant could not find anything of such nature. So, King Solomon decided upon himself to go to a j...

Money is a touchy subject. It’s been said that the last thing that gets converted in a Christian’s life is their wallet. But we also know that the Bible teaches generosity, and specifically, to the local church of which we are a part. Many do give. Many don’t. Why is that? Here are four reasons for each, beginning with why people do give: 1. They want to obey out of love. The commands to give are clear and unambiguous. Obedience in the Christ life is always about the heart. It’s wanting to find out what God wants, and then wanting to do it. It’s the wonderful dynamic of having Him as both Forgiver and Leader. It’s like being in love with your spouse and wanting to do things that you know would please them. Giving is always a reflection of where your heart is positioned. 2. They want to exp...