Blog Archives

Jul 11, 2020 08:00am

America First, Christianity Second is not OK

One of my favorite songs outside the category of worship music is “God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood. Just […]

1556 Views
Jul 10, 2020 08:00am

Let’s Just Be Honest About the Sin of Greed

Ask your pastor how many people he has counseled about their struggle with greed. I would guess that number would […]

1633 Views
Jul 09, 2020 08:00am

Why We ShouldCare for the Marginalized and Broken

When Angie and I moved into the first home we ever purchased for ourselves, we moved into an aging neighborhood […]

1204 Views
Jul 08, 2020 08:00am

Oprah, Lady Gaga, and Born That Way

So I just watched an interview Oprah did with Lady Gaga on her series Oprah’s Next Chapter, and I feel an […]

1465 Views
Jul 07, 2020 14:00pm

Two laughs and a lie

Be open. Be honest. Be truthful.

1097 Views
Jul 07, 2020 08:00am

Here’s How to Ensure You Don’t Betray Your First Love

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) I feel the truth of […]

1406 Views
Jul 06, 2020 08:00am

Praying Through Colossians: A Confident Hope

Colossians is a book that shows we need Christ for an eternity with God in heaven. As we have a […]

1638 Views
Jul 05, 2020 08:00am

The “No Big Deal” Sin of Gossip

Some sins are extremely common and even accepted as “no big deal” within the church. None of these sins would […]

1369 Views
Jul 04, 2020 08:00am

A Parent’s Guide to Biblical Wisdom: Chapter Three

(Missionary to Thailand Brandon Lingle has written a parenting book in Thai, and he has graciously agreed to share it […]

1201 Views
Jul 03, 2020 08:00am

4 Reasons For My Independence Day Decision

Several years ago, we moved into a house with a big wrap-around front porch. It is great for quiet sitting […]

1252 Views
Jul 02, 2020 14:00pm

Set Apart

Our lives should look like what Scripture defines as a follower of Christ and not to be resembling the world.

1034 Views
Jul 02, 2020 08:00am

Confessions of a Christian Bulimic

“It’s easy. All you have to do is stick your finger down your throat ‘til you gag and throw up.”  […]

1238 Views
Jul 01, 2020 08:00am

Representing Your Good Name and Your Good God

Point number one: Your reputation matters. In professional environments we call this “personal branding.”  In family circles we call this […]

1138 Views
Jun 30, 2020 14:00pm

A Declaration

God is so much more than we can ever imagine.

1398 Views
Jun 30, 2020 08:00am

Showing Grace When the World Expects Judgment

Every conversation you get into is an opportunity to show people the grace of God that you’ve experienced in your […]

1654 Views
Jun 29, 2020 08:00am

Jesus Wants Us to Know His Father as Our Father

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” (A.W. Tozer) What […]

1443 Views
Jun 28, 2020 08:00am

God Receives Glory When We Don’t Discriminate

God receives glory, honor, and praise in heaven continuously around his throne. Revelation 5 says, “And they sang a new song: […]

1747 Views
Jun 27, 2020 08:00am

A Parent’s Guide to Biblical Wisdom: Chapter Two

(Missionary to Thailand Brandon Lingle has written a parenting book in Thai, and he has graciously agreed to share it […]

1415 Views
Jun 26, 2020 08:00am

In What Direction do Your Words Point?

Words shape the future. Whether we’re talking about written words or spoken words, the fact is families, churches, governments, nations […]

2585 Views
Jun 25, 2020 14:00pm

Cleaning up the mess

Messes can be overwhelming, but Jesus’s love is more powerful than anything you can imagine.

1782 Views
Jun 25, 2020 08:00am

7 Ways to Upgrade Your Prayer Package

At the risk of losing you before we get started, I confess that I am old enough to remember the […]

1086 Views
Jun 24, 2020 08:00am

Real Faith is Transformational not Informational

Real faith uses information for the purpose of transformation. D. L. Moody said, “the Bible was not given for merely […]

2669 Views
Jun 23, 2020 14:00pm

Taking matters into our own hands

Let Him work it out in His timing and not in yours.

2015 Views
Jun 23, 2020 08:00am

It’s Not About Winning an Argument, But Winning a Soul

If you believe in Jesus, then apologetics is for you; it’s not just for “intellectuals.”  The clearest definition I’ve heard […]

2380 Views
Jun 22, 2020 08:00am

Christian Service is Impossible Without Worship

At my local church, it is made clear that every member of the body is expected to serve the Lord […]

2156 Views
Jun 21, 2020 08:00am

Proverbs: 31 Chapters, 31 Prayers

(Introduction to this 31-days-of-prayer is at https://lifeword.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=4425&action=edit The following are 31 chapter summaries, key verses, and prayers inspired by the […]

2061 Views
Jun 20, 2020 08:00am

A Parent’s Guide to Biblical Wisdom: Chapter One

(Missionary to Thailand Brandon Lingle has written a parenting book in Thai, and he has graciously agreed to share it […]

1253 Views
Jun 19, 2020 08:00am

May His Cross Destroy the Racial Divide

I am a middle-aged, middle class white woman. I was born and mostly raised in the South. I grew up […]

1195 Views
Jun 18, 2020 14:00pm

Becoming a Sacrifice

If you have accepted Him as your Savior, you have a duty to be holy, to be set apart from the rest of this world for His glory.

1048 Views
Jun 18, 2020 08:00am

Pastor, Are You Feeling the Weight of Decisions?

Are you feeling the weight of making a lot of decisions and being unsure of those decisions, along with their […]

1111 Views
Jun 17, 2020 08:00am

Coming Back to the Heart of Worship

For many months now, God has been stirring my heart, revealing himself and asking me to truly worship him — […]

3477 Views
Jun 16, 2020 14:00pm

Believe

God’s love for you is never ending.

1189 Views
Jun 16, 2020 08:00am

Screaming Headlines, Hurting People and God’s Kingdom

I follow the Daily Wire, a conservative news source driven by Christianity’s political protagonist Ben Shapiro. I’m subscribed, so I get […]

1328 Views
Jun 15, 2020 08:00am

You Can Serve and Help Heal Your Faith Family

This message is for you if you are a discouraged, unsure or insecure follower of Jesus Christ. Yes, I realize we […]

1363 Views
Jun 13, 2020 08:00am

Why are We Allowing Celebrities to Preach to Our Kids?

I was so utterly discouraged after talking to nearly 150 teen girls that I couldn’t even write this article I […]

1086 Views
Jun 12, 2020 08:00am

The Fruit of Anger is Almost Always Rotten

If you’ve been a Christian for a long time, you’ve probably heard two distinct ideas about anger: The first is that […]

1269 Views
Jun 11, 2020 14:00pm

God is Our Shield

When you go into battle with the enemy, you are not alone.

1095 Views
Jun 10, 2020 08:00am

10 Ways to Help Someone Who is Depressed

As someone who has personally struggled with depression and tried to minister to loved ones in the thick of it, […]

2760 Views
Jun 09, 2020 08:00am

A Protest Against Refusing to Value Human Life

I’m writing this just a few days after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, so the United States […]

1039 Views
Jun 08, 2020 08:00am

Christian Parenting-Part Three: The Way a Child Should Go

We have been unpacking the spiritual truth found in the most well-known verse in the Bible on child training: “Train […]

1224 Views
Jun 07, 2020 08:00am

Some Questions to Ask Yourself, Mr. Chauvin

Dear Derek Chauvin, I began this letter to Mr. George Floyd, but I had a change of heart. Mr. Floyd […]

1316 Views
Jun 06, 2020 08:00am

Real Religion is Faith That Works

Greg Stier, Founder and President of Dare 2 Share Ministries, tells the story of encountering a fan of Marilyn Manson […]

1692 Views
Jun 05, 2020 08:00am

God’s Redemption Plan is for All People

Racism is not a new story and sadly, it isn’t an old one either. It wasn’t so long ago that […]

4533 Views
Jun 04, 2020 14:00pm

What not to do

He desires for you to have a joyful soul but not at the expense of a holy life.

1307 Views
Jun 04, 2020 08:00am

Facing Rejection and Finding Acceptance

For four months I’ve been studying the book of Mark in the Bible because I received a slightly random and […]

1172 Views
Jun 03, 2020 08:00am

Yes, the Answer to Racism is Jesus

Racism has been part of the human story for thousands of years. The Bible itself contains the history of tribal […]

1259 Views
Jun 02, 2020 14:00pm

Hot and Cold

As Christians, we sin and fail. But our proper response should always be to listen to the Holy Spirit’s conviction, repent and ask for forgiveness.

1406 Views
Jun 02, 2020 08:00am

Ravi Zacharias, I Was a Life That Was Changed

I don’t think I would have been able to tell you who Ravi Zacharias was before Passion 2016, a college […]

1414 Views
Jun 01, 2020 08:00am

Christian Parenting-Part Two: “Train up a Child”

This is the second of a three-part parenting series. Part One is at https://lifeword.org/blog/christian-parenting-part-one-laying-the-foundation/ The goal of parenting is to […]

2790 Views
May 31, 2020 08:00am

Just What is it That We Expect From God?

Through the magic of social media, several years ago I reconnected with a close childhood friend. We had not communicated […]

2448 Views