3 Prayers to Pray as you Open God’s Word
Michael Kelley:There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these plans, and there is also gloriously freedom under grace. Your pattern might differ according to your stage in life, the age of your children, or even your personality. But in the end, there is great benefit if you open God’s Word and take it in on a daily basis. But how do you open it? What is your attitude when you lay God’s Word before you? How do you approach His Word?
Why we should invite unbelievers to church this Easter
Juan Sanchez:Rather than rebuke people for coming to church once a year, why not take advantage of it? For all the complaining Christians do about the United States being a post-Christian nation, there sure are a lot of people who still come to church on Easter. In fact, there are still many unchurched people who will come to church if we would only invite them. So, while admittedly we are moving toward a post-Christian culture, thankfully, we’re not there yet. The vestiges of Christianity are present enough in our culture that many unbelieving, unchurched people will come to your church this Easter Sunday. So, I propose we take advantage of that and invite our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and colleagues to church this Easter Sunday. Because in most gospel churches, the focus of the music and the message will be the resurrection of Jesus Christ, here are three reasons to invite non-Christians to church this Easter.
Will virtual reality technology take the church off-guard?
Trevin Wax:Five Things Religion (Apart from the Gospel) Produces
J. D. Greear:Religiosity is like this strange disease—when you have it, it makes everyone around you want to vomit. Even the Apostle Paul, in some ways, thought religious people were capable of some pretty terrible things.
The Kingdom of God is for Sinners
David McLemore:In God’s kingdom, there isn’t “us” and “them.” There’s just us and Jesus, and we have to deal with the mercy he’s shown to all. Notice Mark says the disciples were with Jesus in Levi’s house. I wonder what they thought about Levi when Jesus called him? I wonder what they thought about entering his house with all those tax collectors? Remember, the first disciples of Jesus were fishermen. They worked hard to make a living. Remember, too, that it was beside the sea working in his booth that Jesus called Levi. That must have taken the disciples back to their fishing days when they would come to shore, and a man like Levi—maybe even Levi himself—sat in his booth, taxing the fish they caught. And now here is this man among them—one who, if he himself had not extorted them, his certainly friends had. What would they do with this? What kind of rabbi is this Jesus?
