July 18, 2022
July 24 | Be Strong Through Trials
Paul gave the Thessalonians inspired advice about how to be strong through trials. It had to do with growing in faith and love, recognizing God’s judgment, and constantly praying.
Articles for tag: Grace
July 11, 2022
July 17 | Application (‘So What?’)
Ask Christians if they believe in Jesus’ second coming, and most will say yes. But if we believe in the return of Christ, we must dare to ask, “So what?” The second coming deserves more than a passing nod. In practical terms, how does our expectation of Christ’s return shape our lives?
July 1, 2022
The Rhythms of a Well-Lived Life: Being Healthy Is Your Responsibility
By Alan Ahlgrim Too many times in my life my “stinkin’ thinkin’” and substandard theology led me to patterns that failed to improve my well-being. A few examples: I once determined to read the entire Bible out loud over the course of a year. That drained me more than blessed me. I once committed to a schedule that included both evening appointments and early morning meetings. Burning the candle at both ends left me flamed out. I was depleted by weariness and self-pity. I once adhered to a daily jogging regimen in all weathers. That led to injuries, especially when
June 20, 2022
Boasting in Our Weaknesses
By Michael C. Mack As the apostle Paul told his story, he wrote, But [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9). Most of us are good at boasting about our strengths: our natural abilities, our giftedness, and the talents we have worked hard to develop. We have physical strengths, intellectual capacities, emotional competence, relational aptitudes, and spiritual giftedness. There are even assessments that measure our strengths.
June 20, 2022
June 26 | Application
The universe is headed toward a climactic end—the consummation of the ages orchestrated by the Lord himself. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. We live in the middle—believing what God has done in the past, trusting him in the present, and looking toward the future with hope. . . .
June 9, 2022
Why Doesn’t God Stop School Shootings?
A tragic event like the unthinkable massacre of schoolchildren generates an understandable emotional response. The faith community often responds with the words “thoughts and prayers,” which incenses secularists who consider them to be “do-nothing” sentiments. But God uses the thoughts, prayers, and actions of dedicated Christ followers to change troubled young men into godly leaders. I know, because he used them to change me.
May 23, 2022
May 29 | Application
I can’t comprehend the brilliant mind of God, fathom the depth of his love, or explain exactly how prayer works. But I know God treasures our communication with him . . .
May 16, 2022
May 22 | Discovery
Why would the father in the parable grant his younger son’s inheritance request and allow him to leave?
May 15 | Application
At first glance, "waiting" implies little more than passive, quiet expectation. But the word also refers to being ready for action—prepared to serve or obey.
May 8 | Application
I’m a sports fan, but I’m alarmed by the swift expansion of sports betting. Gambling is addictive and it threatens the integrity of athletic competition. . . .
Preaching the Gospel
By Chris Philbeck One of the “Core Four” strategies for living out the vision and mission of Mount Pleasant Christian Church, where I’ve been the senior pastor for the past 20 years, is “Serving others across the street and around the world.” A few years ago, that strategy gave birth to a unique multisite model focused on underserved and underresourced neighborhoods in and around Indianapolis. The Message paraphrase of John 1:14 says about Jesus, “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.”We have followed that example by expanding the ministry and influence of our church by acquiring two
April 4, 2022
April 10 | Application
They appeared to have nothing in common at all. People treated him like gold and they treated her like dirt . . .
March 30, 2022
CMF Working Through Church Partners in Ukraine (Plus News Briefs)
News briefs about CMF International, Great Lakes Christian College, Sunnybrook Christian Church, the 2022 Stone-Campbell Journal Conference, and more.
March 21, 2022
Focus
By Michael C. Mack Focus is vital for success in many areas of our lives. One place we see this illustrated is in sports. A wide receiver in football runs the right route and then focuses on the ball into his hands, regardless of all the other things going on around him, even to the point of getting hit once he catches the ball. A basketball player focuses intently on the front of the rim as she prepares to shoot a free throw. She has trained herself to ignore the screaming of the opposing fans and those waving wacky signs
March 21, 2022
March 27 | Living and Holy Sacrifice
After 11 chapters of doctrine in Romans, Paul shifted his focus to duty in this chapter. . . .
March 7, 2022
Different from the Herd
By Stuart Powell There is nothing strange about a herd of cattle in the farmland of Indiana. However, one herd contained a single member who stood out among the many. Amid the collection of four-legged bovine grazed a two-legged, feathered, web-footed, white goose. Nothing could hide the differences between the bird and the other grazing animals. Christians are called to be like that goose in the world. Just as a goose doesn’t belong in a herd of cattle, followers of Jesus don’t fit in with the ideas and priorities of worldly people. God expects us to intermingle with the rest
March 7, 2022
March 13 | Application
If you base your self-image on what others think about you—or pamper your ego with an inflated sense of self-importance—you’re looking at a contorted mirror.
March 1, 2022
The Power of Authenticity
When I was about 10 years old, I made friends with two brothers in my neighborhood, Tim and Jeff Ward. Perhaps because I didn’t have a brother living at home, or just for fun, I told them I had a twin brother named Mark. We would be playing Wiffleball, and I’d go home, change clothes, and come back as Mark. To help the ruse, I batted right-handed as Mike and left-handed as Mark. At first Mike was a better batter, but Mark steadily improved (which is how I became a decent switch-hitter). After several weeks, Tim and Jeff started getting
March 1, 2022
Healing Our Emotions After Two Years of Trauma
By Tyler McKenzie A pressing need exists for the church to focus discipleship efforts on emotional health, which is something the church rarely touches. It’s been over two years since COVID-19 first shut down the United States. Since then, leading a church has felt similar to being a frontline worker. I won’t pretend that our challenges have rivaled those of an emergency room doctor or a COVID-unit nurse. Still, pastoring a church has felt like a heavyweight boxing match that never ends. There has been heavy pressure, many needs, and relentless controversies. We have felt constantly embattled in fights we
March 1, 2022
Authentic Messiah
By Jerry Harris Belief has incredible power, doesn’t it? And to think, in some ways, we believe the same story of the Messiah the people of Israel have believed for thousands of years. It is quite revealing. Christ is a Greek term translated from the Hebrew word Messiah, and it’s more a title than anything else. It came from a compilation of Old Testament Scriptures like Deuteronomy 18:18. It means “anointed,” and it was reserved for prophets, priests, and kings. But this one person, this “super” person, would be all three. The Jews placed all their hopes and dreams in
