Faith & Christian Living
23 articles
I Want To Be A Green Olive Tree
God will handle it! He will deal with the gossiper, the informant, and the evil worker. When the time is right, He will uproot the evildoer and establish His faithful as a “green olive tree in the house of God”
Designed for Struggle: Working Through the War in Iran
IntroductionIn his books Anxious Generation and The Coddling of the American Mind, Jonathan Haidt and his coauthors propose an interesting theory. The idea goes something like this: the reason American teens, college students, and adults are fighting many mental battles is because they have not been allowed to or exposed to enough struggle in their lives. Jonathan and his peers qualify this theory in two ways. First, they don’t deny that people are still struggling in certain ways. Our teens,...
What Can You Learn From the Desert?
Would it surprise you to know there are actually three wildernesses in the proper boundary of Israel (not to mention the ones that are mentioned outside of the traditional boundary of Canaan)? In this article, we will examine three of the main wildernesses in the Bible. What happened in each? What can each teach us about God and how he wants us to live?
What if Tomorrow Never Comes?
Pompeii is one of the most incredible places to visit in the ancient world. The reason it is so cool is because it is a snapshot of life in ancient times. When the volcano Vesuvius exploded, it buried the city under several feet of ash, leaving it exactly as it was in 79 AD. If you want to know what a Roman town looked like down to the ruts in the road, you can see it at Pompeii.
Flying Buttresses
The Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) church in Istanbul is one of the most iconic church buildings in the entire world. The original structure that became the building that we see today was built in the 6th century by Justinian I. The central feature of the church is the massive dome that makes it a landmark in the Istanbul skyline. (Interestingly, some claim that Islamic mosques, now famous for domed architecture, did not feature a dome until after the Islamic conquest saw the Hagia Sophia.) There...
How I Got A Free Yeti Cooler - Twice!
by Jordan Moore Years ago, my HVAC boss surprised each employee with a generous gift. After several weeks of grueling labor in the hot summer attics, in addition to our wages, each of us received a brand-new Yeti soft-sided cooler. We were grateful and excited because these coolers come at a premium (and most of us would not have used our own money to purchase one). Nearly a decade later, my cooler had been put through the paces. As an avid outdoorsman, its use has ranged from storing fish...
Once. For. All.
Likely the most memorable quote from “The Three Musketeers” is the motto: “all for one and one for all.” But long before Dumas ever penned those words in association with the musketeers, a similar sounding (but different) sentiment was found richly rooted in scripture. Five times, the life and death of Jesus is spoken of as a “once for all” occasion (Rom. 6:10; Heb. 7:27; 9:12, 26; 10:10). Consider the gravity of this three-word statement: "Once"Under the Law of Moses, the High Priest was...
A List of Believers Who Will NOT Be Saved
by Jordan Moore The Apostle John wrote that God “gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (Jn. 1:12). Sadly, not all accept that right. Furthermore, not even all believers will be saved on the day of judgement. Consider these believers that will not be saved: Believers who refuse to accept Jesus as Lord. Belief, in and of itself, does not equal a home in heaven. James says that “even the demons believe and tremble” (Js. 2:19). An individual can fully accept...
God's Word Cannot Be Chained!
by Jordan Moore While no one is sure who first made the statement, there are those in the world who ascribe to the idea that “the Bible is the most dangerous book in the world… [and that] it must be kept under lock and key.” Through history, many attempts have been made to try and thwart the influence of the word of God. Holy scripture has been tossed into fire, outlawed, and blacklisted. However, Christians can thankfully have confidence in the words of Paul to Timothy, that even though Paul...
How did Job endure such heartache?
by Jordan Moore Much is rightfully made of Job’s faith in the midst of terribly difficult trials that he endured at the hand of Satan (Job 1:12). Many curiously wonder how Job was able to survive such heartache, much less continue to remain faithful before God. Perhaps the answer is found in examining who Job was before he had to face his trials: Job was blameless (Job 1:1). Though Job would not have been sinless (Rom. 3:10,23), Job did not have anything that could be laid at his feet for...
COVID-19 and 10 Million Preventable Deaths
Would it surprise you to learn there is a specific practice that, if implemented worldwide today, would prevent 10 million deaths...
Can the elderly really do anything for the Kingdom?
In the waning hours of Granny’s life, I was sent a short video of Mommom at Granny’s bedside. In the video, Mommom was joining a...
Under-appreciated and Overlooked; Part 2
Jordan Moore Perhaps the most under-appreciated and overlooked hymn lyrics of all are the ones that come directly from scripture. Some of those lyrics are overlooked because they are often part of a song that is classified as a devotional song for young people. The sad reality is that when those songs are dismissed and underutilized because of their “newness,” an opportunity for teaching and scripture memorization is missed. Additionally, other scripture song lyrics go unnoticed simply...
Under-appreciated and Overlooked; Part 1
Jordan Moore Have you ever been listening to a song that you’ve heard before, but then something clicks for the first time? Or maybe the radio starts playing a song that you’ve known all of your life, but because of a recent life experience, the lyrics have a fuller meaning now than before? It’s not any different when it comes to psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In fact, there are thousands of lyrics in our hymnals that are under-appreciated and overlooked. Most often, they are the…...
12 Steps to Surviving College (as a Christian)
Here's how to keep your faith in a time period of life when many lose it...
Whose Way Are You Following?
Jordan Moore After the Exodus, God placed a very simple, yet profound, set of expectations upon the children of Israel. He said, “I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 18:2-4). Consider how this text is applicable to us: Don’t...
ISOLATED AND HURTING
Humanity once lived in a pristine world. God’s love allowed freedom of choice, but sin changed everything. Disease and pain entered the scene and the earth became corrupt. Fellowship with God was severed, and a righteous God could not ignore sin, nor could his love neglect the sinner. So, he initiated a plan to punish wrongdoing and restore a fallen world. To be both just and the justifier of sinners, God sent his son to suffer on our behalf and to endure the penalty of sin. At Calvary he was...
LOOSENING THE NOOSE OF WORRY
BY JOHN W. MOORE The personal pressures of life and the collective concerns of a people during civil unrest are often overwhelming. Problems in our nation, challenges in our homes at work, and issues within the church can be a bit overwhelming and unsettling. Add to this the daily grind of life, and we can easily experience periods of melancholy and distress. There are bills to pay, health to sustain, children to raise, relationships to maintain, and things to settle, repair, or do. All of...
Lessons from the Undertaker
There are some occupations that undoubtedly require a special kind of a person. Undertaking is certainly one of those occupations.
A WALL OF SEPARATION
Some barriers are meant for good, but others were destined to be destroyed.
FINDING PEACE ON A ROCKY CRAG
On a rugged, isolated mountaintop, despite the darkness of a cave, David grew in faith and composed some of the world's greatest poetry.
Abounding in a Pandemic
Do we not still have opportunities to abound in a multitude of ways? Why? Because God's grace is still abounding (2 Cor. 9:8)!
Thank You, COVID-19
Certainly, we are prayerful that it will end quickly...consider some blessings for which we could thank the coronavirus: