Leader Extras
A longing for rest belongs to the universal human condition. A promise of rest belongs to all who will hear. Rest is a theme that runs from Genesis to Revelation. In Genesis, God “rested on the seventh day” of creation (Gen. 2:2). In Revelation, we are promised an eternal rest: “Blessed are the dead who […]
The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in God which made David dance. — C. S. Lewis Dancing, I must admit, was never part of the worship tradition in which I grew up. Not ever. Many churchgoers of my parents’ and grandparents’ generations thought of dancing (even outside […]
We are first introduced to Abner as the commander of Saul’s army and his cousin (see 1 Sam. 14:50-51). When David killed Goliath, Abner stood by Saul’s side (see 1 Sam. 17:55). Over time, Abner would have been a witness to David’s conquests and Saul’s growing dislike of David. As a member of Saul’s inner […]
How are we to treat our church leaders? The biblical teaching is clear: we are to honor them. An example is found in 2 Samuel 1. Saul was deficient as a leader of Israel, yet David showed respect for him and for his position, calling him “the Lord’s anointed” (2 Sam. 1:14-16). Honor is an […]
Year after year, it’s the most common New Year’s resolution made by Americans: to get physically fit. Don’t think that fact escapes the notice of entrepreneurs. Physical fitness is a multi-billion dollar business today. Sadly, studies show that 80 percent of all New Year’s resolutions—including all of those efforts to get fit—fail by the second […]
As Paul closed out 1 Corinthians, he presented the Corinthians with an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of believers suffering in Jerusalem and gave them a plan for doing so (see 1 Cor. 16:1-4). The plan called for them to take a collection at the first of each week. Paul didn’t require […]
Christian, don’t let the world define you! Find your identity in Christ. Be encouraged today by who you are in Him: 1. A new creation in Christ “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17) 2. A child […]
Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. — James Thomas Anthony Valvano (1946–1993) James Valvano, affectionately known as “Jimmy V,” delivered these stirring words on February 21, 1993 to a crowd gathered at North Carolina State University. He returned to the campus that day to help commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the school’s improbable national […]
Most of us do not enjoy reliving difficult times. Our physical scars may have healed, but the emotional ones seem to always be present. When asked about those experiences, we may even change the subject to avoid reliving the pain. Paul took a different approach to the sufferings he endured, viewing them as opportunities. He […]
Whereas in English we have one word to express all kinds of love, in Greek there are four different words for love. Let’s take a quick look at those words. We’ll combine two of them with related meanings into one category, differentiating three distinct kinds of love. Then we’ll affirm three significant life truths that […]