Why We Sometimes Prefer to Keep God at a Distance
The Lord pursues and offers forgiveness of sins to those who want their own way, who want to have their own kingdom.
Articles on The Christian Life
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7 Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Discipleship
As you get going in discipleship doing spiritual good to others, consider a couple of pitfalls you should avoid. The following list isn’t exhaustive, but hopefully it will help you approach the discipling task with wisdom.
How to Pray When Your Heart Feels Cold
Many Christians experience seasons of spiritual apathy when the heart seems miles behind what we know to be true in our minds.
Why Is Temptation So Hard to Withstand?
Why do we need a shield to live the Christian life? The Bible is clear: because we have an enemy, who is poised ready to attack us.
2 Common Mistakes in Interpreting Scripture
The point of interpreting Scripture is not to rob us of the joy of the journey but rather to protect us from wrong turns and unnecessary repairs that will slow us down.
9 Tips for Making the Most of Your Bible Study
As you read the Bible devotionally, seek to complement this with time in which you also build a basic knowledge of Scripture. Here are nine suggestions to help you make the most of that time.
What Does It Mean to Flourish?
As counterintuitive as it sounds, flourishing is a slow and progressive death that brings abundant life.
How the Love of God Helps Us Walk in Holiness
The testimony of Scripture is clear: if we want to walk in the way of holiness, the love of God is indispensable to our progress.
Disguising Ungodliness as Righteous Anger
Christopher Ash, Steve Midgley
Sometimes our imitation of God slides, ever so subtly, into replacement of God. We do that thing that we do. We take his place, and soon it is our honor that we are concerned about.
At Christmas, God thunders into our lives in his flesh and beckons us to behold in him the glory of God, full of grace and truth.
What Would the Apostles Do? How and When to Use Acts as a Guide for the Contemporary Church
We cannot and should not always do what Jesus did. Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead, exceptional gifts which we have not been given. We live in a different period of redemptive history.
What Not to Do in Your Relationship with the Holy Spirit
A relationship is a two-way street; that means that there is a role for us to play with the Holy Spirit. We need to think about what we need to do in order to enjoy and live out our communion with him.
How to Respect the Dignity of Loved Ones with Dementia
God has made us social people; we thrive in the context of relationships. So do many of those with dementia, who are often desperate for human companionship and an escape from loneliness.
6 Basic Realities about a Man's Identity
What gives a man his identity? On what foundation are you building your sense of self? Your answer, whether true or false, defines your life.
Do You Ever Question Your Digital Habits?
Habits such as reading Scripture, prayer, and faithful membership in a local church are integral to growing as believers. But the importance of habits goes beyond the typical spiritual checklist items.
What Does It Mean to Be Your True Self?
Expressive individualism, like a lot of things, captures something of the truth. Human beings do have an inner life, and that inner life is very important to who we are.
Jesus Loves His Church, So You Should Too
Jesus calls us to this immense personal and corporate challenge. Are you up for it?
5 Benefits to Reading Entire Books of the Bible in One Sitting
Read whole letters written by the apostle Paul in one sitting without distraction.
What to Do When People Don't Sympathize with Your Suffering
In the midst of your heaviest grief, those around you will likely return to life as normal long before you can. Be realistic about people and their ability to enter into your suffering, to stay, and to remember.
Before we can fight our sin, we must know what sins are currently present in our lives
We need to think of the blessings, to all concerned, of biblically responsible discipling when we are reminded of the pitfalls associated with unbiblical discipling relationships.
Social Media Is Discipling You
We are shaped by the winds that blow around us. In the age of the omnipresent smartphone, the wind that shapes us most is online.
Why Jesus Cannot Be One Truth among Many
Jesus claims rule over all of heaven and earth. He presents himself not as one possible path to God, but as God himself.
The Problem with the Self-Help Movement
Sanctification demonstrates that right actions work their way out from the inside and not the other way around.
How to Grow in the Fear of the Lord
Since the fear of God is a matter of the heart’s deepest inclinations, how you think you can cultivate it will depend on how you think our hearts work.
What We Misunderstand about Freedom
I think we misunderstand true freedom. Freedom that satisfies your heart is never found in setting yourself up as your own authority.
Douglas Sean O'Donnell exposes Job's under-the-surface theological foundations that made him hold up under duress.
Embracing God in Your Trials: A 7-Day Devotional
A 7-day video devotional on ESV.org aimed at helping you run to God in the midst of trials and suffering.
Prayer is oxygen for the Christian. It sustains us. So it follows that prayer must be a source of life for any community of Christians.
How the Lord’s Prayer Affected September 11, 2001
The pattern for prayer that Jesus has given to you and to me exists so that we may discover peace and contentment, hope and forgiveness, truth and assurance.