When we decide to follow Jesus, life is no longer about our liberties. It is about our responsibilities to Him. It is not about our cans. It is about our want-tos. And in that healthy relationship with Jesus, liberties live at peace with convictions; there is no constant war — we are still doing what…
How Are You Praying for this Election Year?
Since our nation’s very first days, God’s greatest movements in our midst have been fashioned and sustained by prayer, from the signing of our earliest documents, to our triumphs over days of darkness, to the spiritual awakenings that have sustained our faith and resolve over the centuries. Throughout Scripture and throughout our history as a…
Declaring Independence
Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence stated that the thirteen American colonies were “Free and Independent States” and that “all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved.” Our Founding Fathers acknowledged God as the source of our rights: We hold these truths to…
Trouble in Paradise: Tell the Truth
From the beginning of creation, God has asked for honesty — not perfection. I suppose it was easy for Adam and Eve to be honest with God at first, because they had not yet disobeyed Him. They had no secrets or hidden agendas, only full transparency with each other and with God. But after…
Liberty
The Liberty Bell Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me… to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives. — Luke 4:18 NKJV The Liberty Bell, one of the most familiar and beloved symbols of American independence and freedom, is now housed in the Liberty Bell Center in Philadelphia’s Independence…
Cultivating Joy
When I was young, I thought that following God and being a Christian would lead to a life that was kind of easy, filled only with happiness and free from pain and sorrow. Silly me. I’m not even sure where I got that idea, except maybe from teachings spouted by TV evangelists who espoused a…
It’s Time to Declare War
To be prepared for war is the most effectual means of preserving peace. — George Washington Welcome My guess is that you are facing a situation right now for which you don’t have the answers. Something that is making you feel terrified, trapped, or lonely. You feel as if you are a victim of your…
Knowing Peace Through Prayer
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. — Philippians 4:6 I confess: I have lost way too much sleep worrying about things I ultimately couldn’t control. Even now, I have to deliberately choose to let go of my anxiety, turn my…
We Get To Pray
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into Heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just…
The Daniel Dilemma: In the World but Not of It
Truth without grace is mean. Grace without truth is meaningless. Truth and grace together are good medicine. ~ Chris Hodges Getting Started “Does it really matter what this movie is rated?” “How should I vote on issues that contradict my beliefs?” “When is it appropriate for me to bring up my faith with my coworkers…
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