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Should Christian Families Separate?

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The Bible says that Christians are to be “salt” and “light” in the world. This can be simply paraphrased: Christians are supposed to stand out. For instance, if a Christian family blends in perfectly with every other family at the park, there may be a problem. The Bible says that God’s people are a “peculiar” people. This does not mean “weird” as I have heard said, but it does mean different. The Bible also says that we are to be “sanctified” or, set apart. The idea of being sanctified is wonderful because it not only implies a separation from something … Continue reading →

Demons and Exorcism in Jesus’ Day

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Though you may be skeptical of the term “exorcism”, the occurrence of people being possessed by demons, and those demons being exorcised was common during the first century. There is not only evidence for it in the Jewish community, but also in the greater Greek world of the time. Aside from Jesus and the Apostles, the Bible refers to assistants of the religious leaders whose job it was to free people from demonic control (Acts 19). Accounts of demonic oppression and control are found in the Old Testament in the story of Saul (I Kings 4:29-34). Jews had techniques for … Continue reading →

Battling a Materialistic Culture

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I remember when I first understood what the word “materialistic” meant. I was in my freshman year of college sitting in a Sunday school class that was discussing modernist and post-modernist philosophies when I heard the word defined. Of course, I knew people who were obsessed with having “stuff”, but I didn’t know there was an actual word for it. Since that time my eyes have been opened to see the sickening level of materialism in this country. More relevantly, my eyes have been opened to the materialism that lurks within my own heart. For instance, before my husband and … Continue reading →

“You’re Not Still Nursing Her, Are You?”

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Immediately after church last week a dear older woman walked up to me and said, “You’re not still nursing her, are you?” Her tone was full of accusation and condemnation and her opinion was clear: If I was still putting my fourteen-month-old daughter to breast, I was completely deranged and likely damaging my daughter as well. As a breastfeeding advocate, I should have confidently replied, “Yes, and I’m proud of it because it’s the best thing for my baby.” Instead, I found myself completely defensive. I actually felt as though nursing my daughter at her age might be wrong. I … Continue reading →

Why Do You Go to Work?

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Why do you go to work? The first answer that comes to your mind is probably, “Well, for the money.” Is that the only reason that you work? When I went to work full-time in the professional world, my primary motivation was money. However, I soon realized that receiving a pay check was not a meaningful enough reason for me. Is a lucrative career enough reason for devoting forty hours a week for 40-50 years to a place away from home and family? The answer for me was “No.” I soon committed to God that my job wouldn’t simply be … Continue reading →

What Do You Do on Sunday Afternoons?

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Sunday afternoons are one of my favorite times during the week. Do I go somewhere exciting? Do I enjoy my favorite hobbies or sports? Not really. Sunday afternoons are for rigorously structured laziness. Our family doesn’t make plans, we don’t take trips, we use them instead, for rest and relaxation. In a society that sees church attendance as less and less of a priority, Sundays have become simply another Saturday. People go to the malls, meet with friends, work on their houses, go to parties and stay out late. In our family, Sundays are a day in which we avoid … Continue reading →

Getting Teens Involved in Church

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My husband and I have the privilege of working with the Youth Group in our church. For several months when we first began this ministry, our focus was on serving them. We planned events that would entertain and encourage them, and spent much time deciding on games and activities that we hoped they would enjoy. While it is good to plan activities for the youth in the church, it is equally important to get the youth involved in the ministries of the church. My husband and I caught this vision and began planning service ministries in which the teens in … Continue reading →

Yes, I Believe in Demons

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Twenty of my fellow classmates and I sat attentively as our professor spoke. I was in a missions class listening to my teacher, who was a veteran missionary. For thirty years he had served in the country of Kenya in Africa. One day, while he was living in Kenya, several men from his village came to the door of his home. They told him that there was a woman in a neighboring village who was having some kind of breakdown. They asked if he would be able to go and look at the woman to see if there was anything … Continue reading →

Are You a Good Friend?

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Proverbs 27:7 says, “Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” God has a wonderful purpose for friendships. He desires that friends not only find enjoyment in each other’s company, but also that they would serve a higher purpose. God wants friendships to be based on Him. He desires friends to mutually strengthen and encourage each other in spiritual things. Before I dedicated my life to Christ, my friendships did not always serve the purpose of building up each other for God. Often my friends and I talked about things that did not glorify God. We … Continue reading →

When Does Satan Attack?

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Does it ever seem like just when everything seems to be going great in your life, that’s when Satan attacks you? I had a day like that recently. Things were going wonderfully. I had a good time reading my Bible and praying in the morning. My husband, children and I had a fun morning spending time together as a family. We got to go to church to help with some cleaning and preparing for a special banquet which was taking place in the evening. My husband and I spent time singing together, practicing for doing special music at church. I … Continue reading →