Bearing the Fruit of Peace
God calls followers of Christ to live in peace. That is, since we are made to be at peace with God through the saving work of Jesus, we have a gospel obligation to be pursuers of peace. As we learned
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“Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors.” – Psalm 119:24
HOPE + HELP for Loss and Grief
In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews me about my newest book, A Small Book for the Hurting Heart: Meditations on Loss, Grief, and Healing. We talk about how the gospel of Jesus Christ offers
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Bearing the Fruit of Joy
Joy is a settled state of mind and heart produced by the Holy Spirit, resulting in contentment and hope-filled confidence in God’s trustworthy character and good purposes. It’s a settled state, not a passing feeling, of mind and heart; that
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Avoid Two Distortions of Grace
The heart motivation behind Jesus’ teaching ministry was His love for God and others. This explains why, when He saw how the external, law-keeping approach to spirituality placed unbearable burdens upon others, He spoke against them (Luke 11:37-46). But He
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Bearing the Fruit of Love
Surely the apostle Paul’s description, or definition, of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is the most well-known of all. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogantor rude. It does not insist on
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Nuggets
Lessons from a Pastor’s Wife on Suffering – “Becoming a pastor’s wife brought the awareness of suffering to a whole new level. When you watch faithful followers of Jesus lose loved ones, lose health, suffer abuse, face wrong accusations, lose
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Four New Lifeline Mini-Books
Today, I’m thrilled to make you aware of the four newest members of the Lifeline mini-book family, which are now available for pre-order and will ship late March or early April. HELP! I’m Addicted – Everybody knows somebody who is
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Presence Is the Program
What do you think of when you think of “the church”? Some people, of course, think of a building. They equate the church with the classic stained glass windows, and pews. Others know that the “right answer” is people, the
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GRIEF SEMINAR: Hope and Healing for Life’s Hurts
Loss comes in many forms: loss through the death of a spouse, child, or other loved one; loss of relationships through conflict, betrayal, estrangement, divorce, or a move across the country; loss of financial security due to business failure, foreclosure,
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Bearing Fruit in Christ
When God saves a sinner He begins a new work of transforming grace, which results in the production of good works for His glory. Ephesians 2:8-10 gives this full picture: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And
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A Small Book for the Hurting Heart: Meditations on Loss, Grief, and Healing
I’m pleased to let you that New Growth Press has informed me that my new 50-day devotional is available for pre-order. In March 2019, when I turned in the manuscript, I had no idea that we would lose a father
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Pastoral Prayer Is an Important Part of Corporate Worship
As evangelical churches become increasingly user-friendly in an attempt to reach their world for Christ, one of the aspects of corporate worship that has fallen on hard times is what is customarily known as the pastoral prayer. This longer time
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We Must Work Out Our Own Salvation
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both
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3 Podcasts to Listen to this Week
Almost every morning, I go to the local high school to use their indoor track to walk. When the weather is nice then I walk outdoors, but this is Ohio…and it’s winter. Here are three recent podcasts that blessed me
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Equipping for Life: A Guide for New, Aspiring, & Struggling Parents
What’s the goal of parenting? is the most important question parents should ask, but, sadly, that is not always the case. “Truth be told,” the authors write, “many—even those who have been parents for many years—never take time to formulate
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NUGGETS – Modesty, Sexual Exploitation, and the Super Bowl
As in past years, so I did again. As soon as halftime arrived, I grabbed the TV remote and switched to another channel. So, I’ve not seen the halftime show described in these first two links, and will not watch
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The Family of God Is Everything
The family of God is the only family that will last forever. For this reason, the Scriptures exhort us to do good to the household of faith. The “household of faith” is a phrase that is used in the Bible
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A Rehab Center for Weak and Broken Sinners
One of my dreams and goals for our church is that we become a hospital and rehabilitation center for sinners—a place where sinners like each of us may live in an atmosphere of grace, where we love and worship Jesus
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