Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth
“Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors.” – Psalm 119:24
Yesterday’s post was based on 1 Peter 5:1-5 and explained two of three duties of church shepherds. Today, we will look at the third duty as well as the reward that awaits those who are faithful. 3. Not lording it
Continue readingTwo previous local-church-related posts have received much attention in recent weeks: 6 Reasons to be a Faithful Member of a Local Church 8 Responsibilities of Church Members to their Leaders Today and tomorrow we will take a brief look at
Continue readingPink ribbons and grocery bags are everywhere because it’s National Breast Cancer Awareness month. But perhaps you don’t know there is an excellent mini-book that addresses this topic from a biblical perspective. HELP! I Have Breast Cancer, written by survivor Brenda
Continue readingFor the past couple weeks I’ve been meditating on the book of 1 Peter during my morning devotional time. One passage in particular that “drew me in” for two days is 1 Peter 3:1-6, a passage that is often turned
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According to the New Testament, the members of a local church have at least eight ongoing responsibilities to their shepherds. We find the first two in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church. Responsibility #1: To appreciate them (1 Thessalonians
Continue readingIn 8 days, my wife and I leave for Russia. I’ve lost count of how many trips I’ve made, but this one will be extra-special since it will be Karen’s first time in the former Soviet Union. The day after
Continue readingAsking Good Questions – Counseling one another well requires that we learn to ask good, thought-provoking, heart-searching questions. This article gives us some good pointers. The Sin of Insecurity – It may be counterintuitive, but according to the Bible, insecurity
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Cherishing our pet sin is like craving to eat our own, warm vomit. I’m sorry to be so gross, but that is biblical imagery. Proverbs 26:11 says, “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats
Continue readingWhen I read this book a few weeks ago, I was so moved by its thoroughly biblical focus that I just had to order a bunch to give to others (2 dozen, in fact), and they are already gone! I
Continue readingOur culture’s pre-occupation with self-esteem has been knit into the fabric of modern day Christianity for so long that, though some in the world now consider it fallacious, many within the church still do not see it for what it
Continue readingThree months have already passed since the birth of this blog. We’ve been very encouraged by your response and trust this resource will become increasingly helpful as you reflect more intentionally on God’s truth and grace and, consequently, become increasingly
Continue readingA frequent question posed to biblical counselors concerns whether or not we believe there is a place for medical research and legitimate medical intervention when it comes to addressing man’s problems and needs. The answer is absolutely yes. The riches
Continue readingTo some degree, an abundance of professional counseling exists within Christianity because passionate, expositional, theological preaching that relentlessly exhorts its listeners to obey Jesus Christ does not. This sounds like a sweeping statement and runs the risk of laying all
Continue readingIt was a couple years ago, while finishing up my own book on grief ministry, the Lord brought a wonderful book across my path. From Grief to Glory [Banner of Truth Trust, 2008] is a masterful work written by a
Continue readingCherishing our pet sin is like craving to eat our own, warm vomit. I’m sorry to be so gross, but that is biblical imagery. Proverbs 26:11 says, “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats
Continue readingSin is not only willful independence from the Creator, but it is also utter self-centeredness. The human heart demands its own way and demands it now, regardless of the consequences its choices may bring on itself or on others. But
Continue readingIn times of weakness we discover just how strong the strength of God is. This is a lesson God taught Paul by permitting Satan to afflict him with a “thorn in the flesh,” which the apostle repeatedly pleaded with God
Continue readingHere’s some solid counsel from J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) concerning 8 practical ways our love for Christ should express itself. I’ve taken liberty to trim back the word count a bit. Read the full article, “Loving Christ…Practically” here. 1. If we love
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By God’s grace, I’m a husband, dad, grandpa, and a pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Mayfield Hts, OH. I love Christ because He first loved me.
