A striking scripture and stance Jesus takes. How are we to take it?

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Sell All and Buy Christ 

“Jesus is not demanding that you literally hate your family. He is using hyperbole to illustrate the steep cost of following him. Any prospective follower must be glad to give up everything, to love him unreservedly—to sell all in order to have him as your highest treasure (Matt. 13:44–46). Our affections for Christ must be of such an intensity and quality that, by comparison, all other loves seem like hate.

This is the first of three sobering warnings in Luke 14:26-33 against making a hasty decision to follow Jesus. A genuine disciple must:

1. Love Jesus even more than your earthly family (v. 26).
2. Take up your cross and follow him (v. 27).
3. Be willing to lay down everything—even your life—and go hard after him (v. 33).”

Read the full article here.

That does not mean a life of prayer is not perplexing. My aim is to encourage you in your prayers by answering three especially difficult questions: (1) What does it mean to ask God for things “according to his will” (1 John 5:14)? (2) Why are we not told to pray for the forgiveness of “sin that leads to death” (1 John 5:16)? (3) What does “whatever” mean in 1 John 3:22, when it says, “Whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him”? I think a text-based answer to each of these questions is a great encouragement to pray.

John Piper’s article on prayer can bring encouragement to begin and persist in making 2020 a year of powerful prayer. It is reliance on God and an act of faith to turn to a father that we cannot see, but trust in. A father who hears us and blesses us with every spiritual blessing!

You can read the full article here.

This article, written by Scotty Smith, can help you enter the new year with a reminder of your great need for God, and His great willingness to give it!

“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”

Read the full article here

Each year, much of the buzz about Christians from the church’s perspective comes to demystify tradition and correct some of the fluff and additives that got mixed in with the biblical story. This article is in that camp. It is a good reminder and view of the Christmas story.

This is the real story of Christmas, the heart of Christianity: brokenness and new birth. The same God who birthed life into Sarah’s dead womb had now breathed life into Elizabeth and Mary. And Mary’s child’s life, death, and resurrection would breathe new birth into God’s people through the ages.

You can read the full article here.

When I hear Jesus say, “fish for people,” the mental image in my mind is this; one. Who is that one I’m searching for? The one I have bait for. The one I have time for. Who is my one? In fact a couple years back that was the drum I was beating… “Who is your one?”I think this is a more accurate picture of what Jesus might have been going for because the men he was talking to weren’t using a single rod. They were using a net.

Fishing for people is our mission. To fulfill the words and commands of Christ. To follow in the footsteps of those who followed him. This article by Stan Rodda helps us zero in on some practical steps and reminds us of some essential truths.

How are you casting your net today? Are you in a part of the sea where there are many fish? The market isn’t filled with fish from the local pond.

Consider taking the One Year Challenge, going to places where there is great need, and seeing how God will use your faith.

So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered. He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

John 21:5-6

You can read the full article here.

As the end of the semester or quarter draws nears, there may be some students beginning to look past final exams and on toward what will come next…

What to do after graduation?

It’s a big question, and there are certainly many roads and paths to consider. An important factor, perhaps the most important factor in this decision is what role does God’s word play in this decision?

There are a lot of lies Satan scatters into our minds and culture, when it comes to little decision, we should be mindful of these, how much more then, ought we consider the word of truth against the lies of Satan in big decisions!

This article lays out 7 of the common lies Christians in college fall into believing. Below the 7 reasons are listed, read the full article for deeper explanation and direction for facing these lies.

1. “I have to do what I feel is right or genuine.”

2. “I must do something extraordinary with my life.”

3. “I’ll stop feeling lonely if I get married.”

4. “My porn addiction will stop if I get married.”

5. “I’m too busy for church this week.”

6. “I’ll tithe when I get a real job or after I pay off my debt.”

7. “Church membership is optional for college students.”

What do you think of when you hear the word “satan” or “devil”?

My guess is, there is likely a red figure, maybe horns and a pitchfork are included. This image is drawn directly from fan fare and modern imaginings. If we look to the Bible, we see Paul point out that “Satan himself masquerades as an angle of light” (2 Cor. 11:14).

This is an example of the many things we can slowly divert from truth on because of the imagery around something or even the language.

In this article, centered around the Apostles Creed, ancient in its reciting by Christians all over the world and in wide use today, the same issue is present. As disciples today, we need to do some digging to cut to the truth, and make sure that what we teach and store up in our hearts is in accordance with sound doctrine.

One point requiring absolute clarity is that “descended into hell” did not mean, until Calvin, “descend into the place of torment.” The creedal Latin varies between ad inferna (“descended into hell”) and ad inferos (“descended to the dead [ones]”), but these are synonyms until the Reformation.

You can read the article here.

From Stan Rodda’s article “Our Apologetics Must Surrender to the Transformative Power of Jesus Christ!”

If you’re thinking about taking the One Year Challenge and being on mission for God, you are thinking of how you can lead people to Christ, let this man’s insight and experience enter the discussion!

Tyler (not his real name) is an environmentalist, evolution believing, democrat voting, self-identified “none.” He and I started having faith conversations around six months ago. As he explored, he immediately jumped to the common questions. “Well, if I talk to you about this, am I going to have to change my beliefs about evolution? And what about how I vote? I have deep convictions about voting to save the environment from climate change.”

What I heard was, “If you tell me that following Jesus means I have to vote Republican and suddenly believe the earth is 6000 years old, I’m out.”

Where would you begin with a person like Tyler? Likely with some sort of argument beginning to break down evolution. And if you went after how he votes first thing, you’re probably going to lose the opportunity to share Jesus. I don’t know anyone saved who was argued out of how they prefer to vote. Even a guy with no current framework for religion or faith in his life, was expecting our conversations to be somewhat confrontational and to debate these deeply held convictions and beliefs.

I think my response to Tyler took him by surprise. My first response was, “Tyler, I believe that someday you will stand before God. And when you do, He won’t ask you how old the earth is. He also won’t ask you how you voted. He will ask you what you did with Jesus. Are you open to discovering Jesus with me?” He said, “Yes.”

Read the full article HERE.

At a meeting of Baptist leaders in the late 1700s, a newly ordained minister stood to argue for the value of overseas missions. He was abruptly interrupted by an older minister who said, “Young man, sit down! You are an enthusiast. When God pleases to convert the heathen, he’ll do it without consulting you or me.”

That such an attitude is inconceivable today is largely due to the subsequent efforts of that young man, William Carey.

You can read the full article here.

William Carey had an impact on India and the world that is still very much alive today. He and his team faced countless trials, fruitless years and extreme opposition as they brought the gospel to the people of India. In a time filled with prejudice, the caste system and division, their living according the the eternal word completely defiant to the status quo and current.

Today, the status quo and current might be less rapid in the other direction, and it may look different, but the world is certainly not aligned with God’s will. So we must ponder what it means for us today to be transformed in the renewing of our minds, and not conforming to the world.

https://mailchi.mp/6bd77b69f445/gods-word-comes-alive

Scholar Douglas Jacoby’s weekly newsletter has just concluded a 20 part series on “Old Testament Passages Good for Everyone to Know”, this is part 20.

If you’re thinking of taking the One Year Challenge, knowing your bible is key, and we shouldn’t neglect the Old Testament. Become more familiar with the story God is telling and has told, you wouldn’t be content to just watch the last few seasons of a tv series and skip the first few, right?!