Mark Ballenger
What Should You Do When You Don’t Feel Like Worshipping God?
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.-2 Corinthians 4:15
Let’s be honest. As Christians, sometimes we just don’t feel like worshipping God. It’s tempting to give some comforting words like, “And that’s okay.” But frankly it’s not okay. Throughout the Bible, we are told to glorify and worship God all the time (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:17).
So when we don’t feel like worshipping God, this is a huge problem for us. But what can be done? The answer: dwell on the gospel, meaning the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
How To Be Used Mightily By God (Part 1)
God can use anyone. God even uses men and women who are in rebellion against him like he did with Pharaoh (Exodus 9:17). God can use men and women who love him and yet have moments of backsliding like Moses did (Numbers 20:2-13). While God can use anyone, he prefers to use a certain type of person.
8 Awesome Christian Books You Probably Have Not Read
Looking for a great Christian book that engages your mind and heart? There are so many options now days. Too many really. You’ve probably read many of the Christian classics: Mere Christianity, Pilgrim’s Progress, Basic Christianity, Knowing God, and the list could go on for miles.
My hope in this post is to expose you to some awesome Christian books that engage your mind and heart but that you’ve probably never read.
24 Signs Your Church Is Super Healthy
(This article was also published on ChurchLeaders.com)
Recent statistics show that every year in the US, 4000 churches close their doors while only 1000 new churches are planted. Among existing churches, half did not add any new members to their ranks in the last two years. From 1990 to 2000, the combined membership of all Protestant denominations dropped by almost 5 million members, while the US population rose by 24 million.1
These are alarming statistics!
Each church that shuts down represents real people who have lost their church family. So if you are someone looking for a new church, someone wondering if their church is built to last, or someone who would love to help their church improve, here are 24 signs of a super healthy church.
What Does the Bible Say About Spoiling Your Child?
Parenting seems like an impossible balancing act. On one hand, you don’t want to be harsh, overbearing, and cruel to your child. You want to show grace and mercy like God shows you.
But you also don’t want to spoil your child, turning them into a rotten person who feels entitled, yells to get their way, and needs to be pampered to be appeased.
So what does the Bible say about spoiling your child?
Christianity Is the Greatest Paradigm Shift in History
Have you ever taken hold of an idea that completely changes the way you view the world?
A paradigm is one’s theoretical views or beliefs that create one’s perceptions of the world, shaping the way one thinks and lives. A “paradigm shift” happens when a new idea or viewpoint changes the old way of seeing.
For example, people use to believe the earth was flat. This belief shaped the way they lived because they feared they would fall off the face of the planet if they traveled too far. This was their paradigm.
However, once the truth was revealed that the earth was round, a paradigm shift happened in the minds of men. It changed everything.
Why Does God Love Humans Most?
In the six days of creation, there is clearly a progression of intricacy happening. God starts general, making light, and then gets more detailed, finally making man.
It was a progression in revealing his own glory, for the glory of God is the visible manifestation of God’s beauty and character. When you see some intangible quality of God in a tangible way, it’s called “the glory of God.” That’s why, for example, when God would reveal himself in the Old Testament to the Israelites in a cloud or in fire it says the “glory of God” would appear (Exodus 24:15-18).
What Does Ephesians 6:4 Mean for Fathers of Young Children?
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 6:4
Young children are so simple minded, but man can they create confusion in our lives. As fathers, obviously we are smarter, stronger, and more capable in every way than our young children. So why does it seem like they are always winning the war?
Well, maybe “war” is a bit strong. But all fathers of young children know there really are plenty of parenting battles throughout week, and it can be hard to know if we are doing a good job or not. Thankfully the Bible gives us some really specific advice on what our goals as fathers should be.
Ephesians 6:4 is one of the most specific verses given directly to fathers. So let’s unpack what Ephesians 6:4 means for fathers of young children.
Need a Reminder of God’s Love for You?
The Medal of Honor is the highest military award in all the US Armed Forces. It is only given to those soldiers who have displayed the utmost gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty.
One such recipient was Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez for his heroics in the Vietnam War. On the morning of May 2, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was inserted by helicopters into a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam. Their mission was to gather intelligence information in an area heavily patrolled by the North Vietnam Army (NVA). The highly trained team began taking heavy fire, became pinned down, and called for an extraction. The only way out was by helicopter, and after three attempts by pilots, the plight of these 12 men seemed more hopeless by the minute.