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Must a Wife Stand, Wear, and Do What Her Husband Tells Her to Do?
Where should we go on date night? What extracurricular activities should our child participate in? Which toilet paper brand is preferable? Who will pay the bills? Week in and week out, husbands and wives must make many decisions. When they disagree, who has the final say? In a recent sermon, megachurch pastor Josh Howerton instructed the women in his church that on a bride’s wedding night, she should “stand where he [husband] tells you to stand, wear what he tells you to wear, and do what he tells you to do.” What does the Bible say about the final say in marriage?
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Bottling Civility: Talking Tough Topics with Your Church Family
As iron sharpens iron,so a person sharpens his friend. Prov. 27:17 (NET) When I first posted this blog in 2017, I had no idea how much more polarization could impact our culture. So, I am posting an updated version in hopes that you and your church family can communicate in a God-honoring way. I have frequently found myself in conversations where I disagreed with members of my church family. To my surprise and theirs, even when presented with the same issue or topic, we have come to different conclusions. I believe the ingredients to talking respectfully with your church family are similar to the ones that foster civility in your…
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All the Genealogies of the Bible: A fascinating author interview
Today I’m happy to introduce you to the work of Dr. Nancy S. Dawson, author of All the Genealogies of the Bible (Zondervan Academic). The book is a new, wonderful reference work that released this past fall. Here’s an interview I did with her: SG: Dr. Dawson, I love all the genealogical charts and commentary you’ve given readers that cover the figures of both Old and New Testaments. It’s a thick, hardback book. It must have taken years! How did this project come about? ND: My background is in the sciences—an M.S. in botany/plant taxonomy and a PhD in cell biology. After several faculty appointments, our family moved to North Carolina. There, I had…
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The Beautiful Attitudes – Part VII: Blessed are the Peacemakers
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9 NET)
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Can Christians be afraid?
Like any good social media user, I recently sat as a fly on the wall of an internet debate regarding how God treats fear. I “listened” as people passionately argued that fear is simply something we shouldn’t do. The conversation began because a popular Christian author suggested that it is okay to be afraid, going on to say that God will be with us in our emotions. The thread continued for quite some time, working to solidify the idea that as believers we simply aren’t supposed to be afraid, and when you are, you are out of line with scripture. I am sensitive to shame in the Christian culture…
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Living Out of the Heart Jesus Won for Us
The guests are gone, the good dishes are stored, the decorations are removed, and the Easter story is put away. Wait a minute! The Easter story is not meant to be put away but to be lived year-round! It is so easy to celebrate Easter according to the calendar but neglect to live by the transformational truths every day of our lives. We each have a debt of death to pay to God for our sins, but Christ’s death on the cross cancelled our debt (Rom 6:23; Col 2:13-14). Christ intensely suffered physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually in His excruciating death on the cross (in our place). He became sin…
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Jesus Rose!
Sunday School Chronicles Me: What’s coming up? Kids: Easter! Me: Yes! Easter! I know y’all are super pumped about getting an Easter basket, doing Easter Egg Hunts, and even dressing up. Me? I’m pretty mad at my mom because she won’t make me Easter baskets anymore. Class: WHAT? Are you serious? No way! Me: Way! I’m her child! I didn’t ask to be here. So I should get a basket for forever. So anyway! Jesus dying shouldn’t be a surprise. Why? Kid 1: Because Jesus told the Disciples he was gonna die. Me: Yes! But that’s not all He told the Disciples. What else shouldn’t have surprised them? Kid 2:…
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HOW TO GROW IN OUR TRUST OF GOD
In America, we put the words, “In God we Trust” on every bill that goes into our pocket. By the way we act when there are no dollars in our pocket I would say we trust more in the dollar than we do in our God. Relationships are built on trust. So how do we teach our children to trust in God?
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Part V: The Lord of the Scroll – The Re-Birth of the King!
At Calvary, it is a little after 3:00 PM, with the Jewish day being over at approximately 7:30 PM. In Paradise, the believing thief recalled what Jesus had said to him while on the cross – “Today” (i.e., before 7:30 PM Luke 23:43) He would join him in Paradise. How can this be since Jesus is in the Abyss? But then again, he thought, while his eyes darted back to the Abyss, Jesus never lies… And Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43 NET) Those in Paradise stared intently at the entrance to the Abyss. The entrance was…
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No Death, Resurrection, and Ascension – No Salvation
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised... And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:13,17 NET)