God at the center of your life Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Whether we realize it or not, God is at the center of the life of the Christian, and our life is a constant life of prayer, not merely because of what we
It’s tough for anyone, I think, to truly keep God at the center of their lives. When the activities of our lives demand our attention and we drift away from the secure feeling we have when we are close to God, we begin to feel
The simplest answer to this question is just pure grace. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ
Any time we put anything in the center of our life besides God, we have started worshiping an idol. I’ve worshipped many idols, from parents to teachers, from occupations to people with whom I had close relationships, even to diets and exercise programs. None of
When I was a student at Furman University in Greenville, SC, and serving as pastor at Beaverdam Baptist Church, I went through a severe spiritual crisis of doubting that I was “saved.” I had gone to hear a well-known evangelist preach in a revival in
Friday afternoon sunlight streams through the stained glass windows of the cathedral’s Parish Hall. The rustling of the trees outside the windows makes the shadows of color dance on the large canvas that covers the floor. Printed on the canvas is a life-size replica of
Outside a picturesque village in the countryside stands a very beautiful, old gothic chapel, high up on the hill above the village. It has beautiful stained glass windows and adds an air of tranquility and peace to the area around the small village. It can
If I were to describe my childhood in one word, it would have to be dysfunctional. I was literally the product of adultery. At the time my parents met they were both married and had families of their own. Shortly after, they “fell in love”
It has become clear to me that to argue against same-sex civil marriage rights on the basis of religious belief is to argue that civil marriage rights equal sacramental marriage. Certainly there are those who are legally married who are not sacramentally married in the
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure … We ask ourselves: “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be …? Your playing small does