A Christian Life

Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3 The book of Psalms has been described as a medicine chest for our souls. In it we can find laments for the downtrodden, cries to God in trying times, and offerings of praise and thanksgiving. Whatever ails you, you will find balm in the Psalter. Click here to continue reading  

  Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling. 2 Timothy 1:8–9 It’s far too easy to be ashamed—to be ashamed of the Master, of the Master’s servants, and of the Master’s message. Therefore, it is a great challenge to hear how Paul exhorts Timothy, and us, to “not be ashamed.” Click here to continue reading

The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. Genesis 39:2 There’s no better place to serve God than the place in which He sets you. There is no flawless job, no faultless family, no set of circumstances free of troubles. Those of us who constantly search for the ideal life, forgetting that perfection is saved for heaven, set ourselves on a journey that will be marked by frequent disappointment. Continue reading click here  

  If while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:10 God is not a kindly grandfather or a cosmic Santa Claus who just gives out gifts and who is really not much concerned with anything else Click here to continue reading

  But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 1 Chronicles 29:14 Some time ago, some of the staff at our church decided to put stickers on everything in the building, announcing that it was “Property of Parkside Church.” Initially, I wondered if we really expected that someone wanting to steal a garbage can would turn it over, read the sticker, and suddenly decide to return it. It seemed like a fairly pointless exercise. I soon discovered, though, that I actually quite enjoyed turning things upside down and looking at these little stickers declaring, “This belongs to the church”! Click here to continue reading

  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 Today, you and I have work to do. In his first letter to the Corinthians, when the apostle Paul instructed the church to welcome Timothy warmly into their community, it wasn’t because Timothy was trying to make a name for himself, held some honorific or title, or was seeking to become noteworthy. No, it was simply because Timothy was “doing the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 16:10). Click here to continue reading

Knock, knock. Who’s there? If a Mormon or a Jehovah’s Witness comes to your door, what should you do and what should you say? As tempting as it may be, resist the urge to close the blinds and pretend you’re not home or even worse, slam the door in their faces. Evangelizing someone involved in a cult may seem hopeless, but what if God wants to use you (yes YOU!) to reach them with the TRUE Gospel? What are the “Do’s and Don’ts” of witnessing to members of the WatchTower Society and the so-called Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? That’s what we’re addressing in this week’s podcast as Frank interviews Dr. Brady Blevins, Senior Apologist of  Watchman Fellowship  and instructor for our brand-new online course, ‘ Conversations with the Faiths .’ During this podcast episode, Frank and Brady will answer questions like: What was Brady’s first personal encounter with a Jehovah’s Witness? What do JW’s and Mormons believe about Jesus and why do they evangelize in pairs? What a

  When Storms Come A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling … And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Mark 4:37–39 Anyone who has lived for much time at all knows that in life storms will surely come. Sometimes, seemingly out of nowhere, we are faced with an unexpected job loss, a grim diagnosis, the painful passing of a loved one, or the sorrow of goodbyes. Like the disciples caught in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, we can feel overwhelmed by these trials, as if our boat were sinking.   Continue reading click here

  How can Christians defend the faith in light of today’s most common objections from young atheists and agnostics? America’s “best and brightest” have a bone to pick with God and the Christian worldview, which means evangelizing this demographic is of the utmost importance. But how can Christians effectively reach young people when factors like the problem of evil and the reality of suffering prohibit them from wanting to embrace theism? Back by popular demand, Cliffe and Stewart Knechtle of the  popular YouTube channel ,  Give Me An Answer , return to share more insights on how they tackle today’s toughest philosophical questions from college and university students. Does the truth of Christianity depend on how good (or bad) Christians live out their faith? Why is free will a necessary component of a moral universe? Is there biblical precedence for open-air evangelism? What effect has moral relativism had on the minds of high school students? All this and more will be d

  There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 Near the campus of Northwestern University in suburban Chicago, there is a vast temple erected by the Bahá’í faith. It’s a magnificent structure, with nine porticos—one for each of nine major world religions—all leading to one central auditorium. The architecture is meant to signify the many paths to “truth,” which Bahá’ís believe cannot be found in any one dogma, person, or entity. Continue reading click here

  Do young people today reject theism and Christianity for the same reasons as past generations? If you ask the average American college student why they doubt Christianity or God’s existence, you’re sure to get a range of responses. But are their objections grounded in evidence, reason, and rationality? Or are they allowing their emotions and desires to guide their unbelief? Listen Now

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 Sooner or later, you will face grief as a loved one leaves this life. The question is not whether you will grieve; the question is how . Some of the Thessalonians were confused about the return of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the dead. Their lack of understanding was causing distress. How were they supposed to think about fellow Christians who had died before Jesus returned? Where were these Christians now, and what would become of them? Click here to continue reading

  “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And [Elijah] lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 1 Kings 19:4–5 All of us have surely found ourselves in a spiritual valley when we expected to be on a mountaintop. Perhaps when we least anticipated it, physical fatigue set in, or we received discouraging news, or a besetting sin returned to plague us. Troubling circumstances in our lives often converge, precipitating a change from faith to fear. Click here to continue reading

Did the universe have a beginning? Or has it existed from eternity past? If it DID have a beginning, this raises a question: Did the universe have a Creator? In PART 1 we explored this question scientifically. Now, let’s look at it philosophically. Aristotle believed the universe was eternal in the past. But Al-Ghazali disagreed. He pointed out that if the universe did NOT have a beginning, then the number of past events in the history of the universe is infinite. But that’s a problem because the existence of an actually infinite number of past events leads to absurdity! It’s metaphysically impossible. Why?

  Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. Revelation 1:4–5 What do you do when your Christian convictions and the circumstances of your life appear to declare two different truths? This was the conundrum facing the first readers of the book of Revelation. The last book in our Scriptures was not written to confuse but to bless (Revelation 1:3). We ought not to regard it as if it were a collection of riddles or some theological Rubik’s Cube. Rather, we must understand that John was writing to readers in a historical context—first-century believers who were being buffeted and persecuted by the authorities of their day—in order to offer hope and assurance.  Click Here to continue reading

  He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:33–35 Rivalry is part and parcel of life. On a team, friendly rivalry can be a means of spurring each other on, helping the team members to become faster or stronger. But when rivalry becomes the occasion of selfishness and jealousy, it undermines unity. Continue reading click here

  Click Here to listen to the second part What are the historical and ideological factors that have shaped the modern state of Israel and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Religion, corruption, and even money laundering cannot be overlooked when having a nuanced discussion on what has happened and is happening in that region. But with the complexity of this ongoing war of ideologies and power grabs, where does the true solution lie? During  last week’s podcast , Frank and our guest,  best-selling author  and historian  Bill Federer , walked us through some of ancient Israel’s history as documented through archaeology and in the Old Testament. This week, Bill briefly revisits the miraculous re-founding of Israel in 1948 and then gets into the weeds of many of the challenges that the Jews have faced in light of re-establishing their nation and protecting it from Islamic regimes that are dedicated to destroying Israel for good. Listen as Frank and Bill answer question

  A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 No one likes to feel alone and without a friend. We all recognize the importance of friendship and the priceless gift that a true friend can be. Deep friendship—the kind marked by consistency, honesty, and sensitivity—is the standard which the Bible holds up to us. Click here to continue reading

After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Matthew 17:1–2 As John Lennon and Paul McCartney once suggested, there are places we’ll remember all of our lives. [1] Surely Peter, James, and John would have regarded this mountainside, where they saw Christ’s transfiguration, as one of those places. Certainly Peter never forgot it (2 Peter 1:17-18). To Continue reading click here

  How did Israel get to where it is today? Do Israeli’s have a rightful claim to the land, or does it actually belong to the Palestinians? And is the conflict REALLY about land after all? We can learn a lot about the history of ancient Israel by reading the Bible and studying archaeology, but what else should concerned citizens know about modern-day Israel and the rise of antisemitism since that time? As promised, we’re using the first podcast episode of 2024 to explore the history of modern-day Israel. Just a few weeks ago, nationally known speaker, best-selling author, and historian  Bill Federer  (founder of  The American Minute ) joined us to breakdown the TRUE history of Christmas. But this week he’s back to discuss modern Israel’s extensive origin story with Frank. During the show, Frank and Bill will answer questions like: How did the state of modern Israel begin? What archaeological finds corroborate Israel’s long substantiated claim to the land? Was there a state of

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Job 1:20–22 Job is perhaps the greatest biblical example of endurance in hardship. Despite being a blameless and upright man, in just one day he experienced the death of his children and the loss of nearly all his possessions. Yet one of his first reactions was to acknowledge God’s sovereignty both in plenty and in poverty, in bringing joyful circumstances and in bringing grievous ones. As chaos, disappointment, and pain descended upon him, he shaved his head, put on his torn robe, and fell to the ground, not only in anguish but also in worship. Click here to continue reading  

All who believed were together and had all things in common. Acts 2:44 One of the greatest attractions of the early church in the eyes of the surrounding pagan world was its communal lifestyle. What was it that united such diverse people—Gentiles and Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarians and Scythians, slaves and free men (Colossians 3:11)? Jesus Christ. There was no real explanation for the commonality of these Christians’ lives together apart from Him. Click here to continue reading  

  Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27 The way we dress, the way we smile or scowl, the way we carry ourselves, the tone and content of our speech… Every day, we are always making statements to those around us about what really matters and what life truly consists of. For Christians, such statements should be in harmony with the gospel. Continue reading click here

  The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew 1:1 The beginning of the New Testament may not immediately strike us as inspiring. In fact, if someone were reading through the Bible for the very first time and reached the end of Malachi, which points forward with anticipation, their excitement might falter when the next book begins with… a genealogy. They (and we!) might even be tempted to skip Matthew and begin with another Gospel altogether. Click here to continue reading

  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 There was never a time when God did not exist. Before there was time, before there was anything, there was God. And since His nature is unchanging, so He has also always existed in the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. When reading the Bible, we discover that each member of the Trinity was involved in creation: God the Father took the initiative, God the Spirit is described as “hovering over” the proceedings, and God the Son was the agent of creation in all that was made (Genesis 1:2-3; John 1:3). Continue reading click here