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We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5) The sufferings we endure are not meaningless …
Continue reading "Three Ways God Uses Suffering in Our Lives"
Holy Week is the pinnacle of our Lenten journey, drawing us into the Passion of Jesus. This year, our Holy Week journey finds us simultaneously facing into one of the worst crises of our lives with the COVID-19 pandemic. This past weekend I reflected on the significance of this intersection of Holy Week and COVID-19, …
Continue reading "10 Reasons Holy Week Can Become More Powerful during the Time of the Virus"
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children....God disciplines us for our good in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it....without holiness no one …
Continue reading "The Fatherly Discipline of God: a reflection on Hebrews 12"
Many of us struggle with prayer. We struggle with what to say, how to say it, when to say it, and so much more. One of the most common concerns we face with prayer is whether it is okay to simply bring who we are from right where we are to God. Another way to …
Continue reading "Praying from Where You Are: Letting Our Experiences and Emotions Fuel Our Prayers"
I first heard of Ajith Fernando when he was the morning Bible expositor at Urbana '93, which I attended when I was a college student. Since that time, his writings have continued to be an influence in my life and ministry, whether his books The Supremacy of Christ, Reclaiming Friendship, or Jesus Driven Ministry. When the bombings occurred …
Continue reading "Ajith Fernando, “Six Biblical Responses to Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings”"
Matthew Erickson 