In keeping with the topic of mental health and depression, here's another share from ACBC. This one is a conversation dealing with how we can approach loved ones who are depressed; how we, ordinary people, can help. It's a tough subject to be sure. But what we shouldn't do is continue wrongful stigmas about the problems of the soul. So, I hope this is a helpful read for you, especially if you know of someone who is going through a rough patch. Maybe God desires to work throug

Well, sometimes it's good to do an extra share for the week, I suppose today is one of those days. This one will be from Gotquestions, and it is about Job's three friends, and what they got right, and what they got wrong. If you're unfamiliar with the story, Job is put through a series of severe trials. As he mourns, some of his friends come to offer comfort, or as it turns out, more trials. Instead of giving him any real help, they mostly tell him that his problems are a res

This short from Keith Foskey on YouTube poses an interesting question, and one that should help in our gospel conversations. I believe I have heard this before, but being reminded is definitely helpful. Not much else to say about it, just go ahead and click the link and watch it!

In the passage surrounding the raising of Lazarus, we can learn a lot of different things. But undergirding it all is the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, that He is God, and this story proves it. John sought to prove that Jesus was who He said He was by writing this gospel. Throughout this book, he shows much evidence that proves Jesus is the God-Man. As we wrap up this series on Lazarus, I want to hone in on the central element to this story: Jesus as Messiah, and briefly wh

This short post on discernment by Tim Challies, is our share for the day. Discernment, especially in Spiritual matters, can be a tricky thing. I know for me, distinguishing between "what is wise from what is wiser still" is especially hard. I appreciate that he also touches on the "dangers" of discernment. While leaders and teachers need to help protect the church from error, it takes discernment to know how best to do that in the plethora of arenas out there, be it the churc

Martha and Mary show incredible insight in this chapter of John, don't they? Despite whatever doubt they may have shown (vss. 33, 40), they still understood that Jesus could save from death. When first speaking to Jesus, both sisters exclaim, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (vss. 21, 32), showing their understanding of who He was and what He could do. As we continue to draw application from the story of Lazarus, I wanted to look at our future hope

Wednesday's share is an article from Ligonier about daily devotionals. Do we need them? Are they legalistic? Honestly, I would prefer not to say much about the post, but instead to ask you to read it prayerfully. I hope it will be a help to you!

Today's share comes from Dr. Adam Tyson over at Fortis Institute. In this podcast, he relays an Old Testament story involving King Ahab and the advice he sought. It's a cautionary tale, and an important one with much application for us today, particularly for men seeking to make wise decisions. I know for myself, it is easy to fall into some of the traps Dr. Tyson mentions. Traps like merely seeking affirmation instead of real advice. It is certainly a convicting listen, but

I certainly try to cover a lot of different topics on here, granted. But hopefully the theme becomes clear: our hope is in God. Depression is a debilitating situation, yet it can also be misunderstood greatly. Phrases like "get over it" or "have more faith" are responses that the weary pilgrim might hear along their way through the valley of deep depression. This can not only crush their spirit further, but also cause them to feel more isolated. Both of which are hurtful to t

In the account of Lazarus, we see many different stories come together. We see the disciples both questioning and coming alongside Jesus, both on His decision to wait and His journey to see Mary and Martha. We see the plight of Lazarus' sisters as they grieve the death of their brother. We even see the watching Jews and their leaders, some who would believe, and others who would never believe no matter what (John 11:45-46). In the midst of it all, however, we see Jesus, both

I wanted to share this short from Keith Foskey. Many people claim that Jesus never said He was God, but in this clip, we find that He absolutely is God, and says as much in so many words in John chapter 8. It's a powerful message, and one I hope will encourage your faith. If you have further questions, I would encourage you to check out this booklet over at Fortis Institute. It answers several questions about what the Bible actually says about Jesus.

Over the past few months, our church's youth group has been studying the book of John. Recently, as we wrap up the school year, we have been going through the story of Lazarus. It's a fascinating story, showing us so much of the human condition; even more, it shows us the heart of Jesus. There are too many application points for just one blog post, or even several. But, there are a few I want to hone in on in this short series on Lazarus. And the first one is that Jesus loved

Today's content share comes from Tim Challies. It is an older post, part of a series he did on different ways we put God in a box. Here, he discusses ways we put God in a box, especially with our outreach and evangelism efforts. When it comes to God's sovereignty, we can easily go off the rails on both sides of the discussion. But when we realize our dependence on God for our own salvation and for the salvation of others, and remember that we are all truly responsible, it hel

In my day job, I get the opportunity to work with some younger people, as well as families with children. On one hand, it can serve as a reminder that I am single with no kids of my own. But on the other hand, it allows me to invest in the future generation despite my familial situation. A friend of mine let me know that May is, apparently, a month dedicated to foster care awareness. I'm very thankful to be part of a church that is dedicated to serving our families and local

I think one of the easiest things to forget as a Christian is that the gospel is not something only for unbelievers to hear. Let me put it this way: Christians need to be reminded of the gospel. It's not a one-and-done. And so for today's share, I'm actually sharing a YouTube short from Fortis, a reminder of what the work of Christ has done for believers. We have been covered in the righteousness of Christ, and now have permanent access to the God of the universe because of i

As a kid, one of my favorite TV shows was Star Trek: The Next Generation. If you're familiar with the show, one of the main characters (and one of my favorites) was an android named Data. As the show progressed, Data strove to become more human-like, kind of like Pinocchio. Data eventually even acquired a special chip that gave human emotions. One particular episode that I recall involved a case where Data was on trial to defend the right to autonomy as an android. From a sci

Today's share comes from Got Questions; it's an article dealing with an interesting topic: the fear of man. It's a sin or struggle that, maybe, we have a harder time admitting we have a problem with. But, it's a problem for many of us just the same. Instead of spending time trying to explain it myself, instead I'll defer to the post, and hope that you find it a help and encouragement.

A common practice among photographers is applying something called a vignette to a finished image. If you're unfamiliar with that, the idea is simple: darken the edges of the frame. This helps keep the viewer's eyes focused on the center of the photograph. You can take it a step further by using a technique called dodging and burning, where you lighten or darken parts of the image to help direct the eye. It sounds like cheating, but it's pretty common and helps to tell the st

Coming off of Mother's Day, it seemed a smart move to share a post dealing with motherhood. This post from Ligonier gives mothers 12 points based in Scripture on how to be godly mothers. Obviously, I am not a mom myself, but reading this article I can't see how the advice given would not benefit any mom anywhere, and at anytime. So, I hope it will benefit any moms that read this. But, I also hope it will help husbands and children know how to pray for mothers.

Well, tomorrow is Mother's Day. It's interesting, the calendar that is. We have so many holidays for so many things, and of course, there are discussions on various sides of that issue. "Oh, it's just a day so stores can sell more candy or cards," says one person. Another might state that these are good reminders, days that help us remember special people and events. I don't think Paul had these kinds of days in mind in Romans 14:5-9, per se, but I think some of the principle