rebelling against low expectations
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” – Exodus 20:7 Most people interpret the third commandment as “don’t use God’s name as a cuss word.” But “taking the Lord’s name in vain” refers to any use that is irreverent or “empty,” if you look at the original Hebrew. With this in mind, consider the widespread...
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16) Growing up, that was one of my favorite verses. To me, it was a perfect description of how incredible the moment of Jesus’ return will be for his followers. But when is Jesus coming back...
I’ve always been puzzled when people say, “They’re a huge Christian.” Okay, that’s not a bad thing. I’ve just never understood what it meant to be a “huge Christian.” A few years ago, a couple friends and I were talking about how we enjoy attending church. One girl chimed in and said, “I love attending church—not that I’m a huge Christian or...
All across the country, churches have closed their doors. Two weeks ago, my church canceled all services until further notice. Since then, church has looked like sitting on the couch in front of my laptop. I’m thankful for the technology that enables me to continue hearing from my pastor, but there’s no denying it’s not the same. I miss my church family. I miss worshipping together. I even miss...
In America, we’re often sheltered from all the trials and persecutions Christians endure in foreign countries. During a recent church service, I watched a video about the sufferings and persecutions of Christians. It broke my heart. Sure, I knew Christians suffered in foreign countries, but I never fully realized how much they went through until I watched this video. They refused to deny their...
Do you ever get bored with your Christian life? Do you ever feel like something is missing? Surely there is more to following Christ than merely avoiding bad movies on Friday and showing up at church on Sunday. And is wearing cross-laden t-shirts and carrying your Bible to school in front of your peers the sum of being the “Light of the World”? Does it ever feel like God sucks all of the...
rebelling against low expectations
