Tim Challies Jesus tells us—in fact, he solemnly warns us—that our words matter. Every single word we speak has significance. “I tell you,” he says, “on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Matthew 12:36). Not most of those careless words. Not some of those careless words. All…

Melissa Edgington I spend a lot of time thinking about the future of Christianity. I think about the coming days of the country that I live in, and I wonder what we will be called to suffer through as our culture turns more and more anti-Christian and anti-Bible. I often pray that my family and…

Ed Welch Are fear and anxiety wrong? The answers we hear are not always clear. They can leave us with a resounding, “sort of” or “sometimes,” which does not help people who are already feeling uncertain and less spiritual than others. If you expect that spiritual growth will make you fearless and anxiety-free, then you…

Every Calvary Step Was Love John Piper By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us. (1 John 3:16) The love of Christ for us in his dying was as conscious as his suffering was intentional. If he was intentional in laying down his life, it was for us. It was…

Charles Spurgeon “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” 1 John 3:1-2 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.”…

by Joni Eareckson Tada No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11 In February, you might see farmers on their tractors, out in last year’s hayfields and cornfields, furrowing the soil. There is…

No Excuses I failed a friend. Badly. No, not just badly … very badly. It took me a while to face it. When I finally realized what I’d done, embarrassment kept me from going to talk with him right away. So now I was doubly wrong. Failed to support him, and failed to admit it…

Tim Challies Gossip is not only a sin of the mouth, but also a sin of the ears. It takes two: the one who speaks and the one who listens. Reading or listening to gossip is not a different sin from speaking or spreading it, but simply the opposite side of the same sin. It’s…

Scotty Smith But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you. 2 Pet. 3:8-9 (NIV) Heavenly Father, you’ve written this…

Joni Eareckson Tada Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow…