We may have only glimpses of Jesus’ habits and personal spiritual practices in the Gospels, but what we do have is no accident, nor is it scant. We know exactly what God means for us to know, in just the right detail—and we have far more about Jesus’ personal spiritual rhythms than we do about anyone else in the Bible.... continue reading
As King of kings, and Lord of lords, and Glory of glories, Jesus is worthy of many crowns.
Because of how it helps me admire and marvel at Jesus, one of my favorite hymns has long been “Crown Him with Many Crowns,” written by Matthew Bridges in 1851. In my own life, it’s one of the few hymns that has been a common thread from one church to another.... continue reading
Bitter experience has taught you not to let your hopes rise too high. Perhaps you have a faith in Christ and you feel uneasy that you find life so hard, so you wonder whether it should be like this. Is it okay for Christians to be discouraged?... continue reading
Joseph named his second son “Ephraim,” which sounds like the Hebrew word for “fruitful.” He gives his reason for choosing this name in Genesis 41:52: "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction." My first reaction to this name was negative. I didn’t want to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. I wanted my affliction to end. ... continue reading
One boy was left on the carpet. Everyone else had been picked for a team game by a friend, but he was left all alone. He didn’t lift his eyes when the kid’s ministry worker assigned him to a team and reminded the other kids to “be kind.” My heart hurt for the little guy.... continue reading
How does prayer shape a marriage? We asked Michael and Melissa Kruger to share how prayer has fit into their 25 years of marriage. With 3 kids and full-time ministry roles, the Krugers offer realistic insight for busy couples. ... continue reading
This is an extract from 5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse by Michael and Melissa Kruger. The book offers a series of Biblical prayer prompts for 21 different areas and situations—whether you’re newly-weds or have been married for decades. Below are five prayer prompts for loving each other well based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-6.... continue reading
In many ways, reading the Bible is like reading any other book. However, if the Bible is breathed out by God, there are some key differences that we need to take on board right at the start.... continue reading
I am absolutely convinced that every single person who is reading this already has the skills necessary to read and understand the Bible. Why am I so sure? Let me give you a one-word answer: Netflix. (Or any other streaming service!) Watching a movie or box set actually requires a very sophisticated set of skills to make sense of what’s going on. And it all starts as we simply watch and listen carefully.... continue reading
In an anxiety-saturated world, it's critical that we effectively reach people with the hope of Christ. Hope Explored is a 3-session program that looks at the real hope found in Luke's gospel. ... continue reading