It’s one of my pet peeves, and someone said it again. “You shouldn’t memorize for head knowledge but for heart knowledge.” Where are people coming up with this stuff? That’s totally unbiblical. Are we just supposed to FEEL our way through the Christian life? Of course we memorize for head knowledge. How else are we going to think biblically if there’s no knowledge in our head? Does God only want us to feel his … 
Last week I got an email from someone in our online community. Her question is one I’ve received many times so I thought it might be helpful to address it today. When memorizing, is it required to have every word perfect? Or is close good enough? It’s actually a two-part question. One reason why it is tricky to get it 100% accurate is because every time we say it incorrectly, the … 
Words have power. Words end friendships, and start new ones. Words send armies into battle, and send them home again. Words can crush a mighty king, and embolden a feeble saint. Words bring news that delights the heart, and words bring news that break it. Words have power. A word is a communication tool. Words represent thoughts and ideas. Many words communicate a message. Written words take spoken words and give them longevity. … 
There’s no end to what’s been written about Good Friday and Easter Sunday. But what about the day in between, traditionally called Holy Saturday? What happens on that day? It is the Sabbath day, which begins at sundown on Friday, and ends at sundown on Saturday. • The chief priest and Pharisees go to Pilate asking for a guard at the tomb because they remember Jesus saying, “After three days I will rise … 
During twentieth century America, our perception of Christian persecution limited the scope to foreign missionaries serving in communist countries. We read stories from Voice of the Martyrs that shivered our spines and made us thankful for our protective homeland. Paul’s admonition to Timothy “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” seemed awkwardly out-of-place in our respectfully tolerant society with freedom of religion guaranteed. Some warned that persecution loomed on … |
I grew up in a secular home—never went to church—not even one time. In college I began to read the Bible for myself. It was love-at-first-read, and I never got over it. The book-like-no-other connects me to the Author. It reveals his heart, his thoughts, and his ways. I can’t read his mind, but I can read his Book. |
