Comment : Christianity Daily

Do We Have Free Will, or Are We Under the Bondage of Will? A Look at Martin Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, Part II

Apr 05, 2016

Then, here is the question that arises: If that is true what is the free will for man? What on earth is the free will to choose whatever I do and wherever I go? Luther says that if we are to use the term “free will” at all, we should limit it to our everyday freedom in those things that are below us but not attempt to extend it to those things are “above us” (LW 33,70). What does that mean? It is simply, once again, an attempt to give account of the way things are.

Do We Have Free Will, or Are We Under the Bondage of Will? A Look at Martin Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, Part I

Apr 05, 2016

Theses 1 through 12 deal with the question of our objective deeds: “What must a man do to be saved? How humans can advance on the path to righteousness? For these questions, the theologian of glory answers that the good works of man are necessary for our righteousness before God, but Luther rejected these ideas of the theologian of glory.

Gifts from the Resurrected Jesus

Mar 29, 2016

Jesus has risen. He has defeated the power of death and risen from the dead. Jesus’ tomb was an empty tomb. Jesus was risen on the third day after being crucified on the cross. God had raised Jesus from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Three Reasons Why Big Events Are Ineffective in Most Churches

Mar 22, 2016

Tens of thousands of churches will have events to celebrate the Christmas season. The events will range from simple Christmas Eve candlelight services to major musical productions. And most of them will fail their intended purpose.

11 Reasons Pastors Struggle on Easter

Mar 21, 2016

This coming Sunday is Easter Sunday, a day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Church buildings will likely be more full than all other Sundays of the year. Songs of resurrection will ring out. Congregations will gather in their finest clothes to worship, often followed by a special Sunday lunch.

Blessings Flow from the Blood of Jesus

Mar 21, 2016

This week is Passion Week, the week to remember and meditate on the sufferings of Jesus. During Passion week, we meditate on the cross of Jesus and the blood of Jesus that he shed on the cross. The reason we meditate on the blood of Jesus is because the blood of Jesus is precious.

4 Common High Attendance Days in Churches

Mar 16, 2016

With mid year holidays coming soon, here is some useful information for your church regarding the days of the year with the most attendance!

The Wisdom of Governing Oneself

Mar 14, 2016

Governing oneself is definitely not an easy task. Even a reverent person as David couldn’t govern himself and commit the sin of adultery and murder. He governed over numerous people but he couldn’t govern the sinful desires of his heart. He won over numerous battles but he was defeated over the battle with himself.

Embrace a Holy Longing in Your Heart

Mar 14, 2016

God wants us to embrace holy longing in our hearts. Longing is yearning for something or someone. Yearning is a feeling of intense desire for something. Those who were used by God embraced holy longing in their hearts. Longing is a thirst. Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (Jn. 7:37). Longing is a passion; it is an inner fire. Longing is the power that moves us.

A Pastor's Lent Prayer

Mar 14, 2016

Bowing my head to the ground, pounding my chest in confession, “I am nothing but a sinner!” I say money can't buy happiness and yet worry about money all the time. Where is the action of faith on "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these shall be added unto you?"

Common Army Chaplain Questions, and Answers to Them

Mar 14, 2016

I would randomly but frequently receive emails or Facebook messages asking for advice and information regarding the Army chaplaincy from future chaplain hopefuls. Many of the questions are very similar and it would seem helpful to pastors who may be interested in the Army chaplaincy for me to share some of the correspondences that I have had with them. This Q&A is a collection of different questions from different pastors who have inquired me regarding joining the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps.

Billy Graham: Why Doesn't God Seem to Answer My Prayers?

Mar 11, 2016

Billy Graham answers the question on why God doesn't seem to answer prayers.

Sola Gracia – Lutheran’s Theology of Salvation by the Grace Alone, Part II

Mar 04, 2016

Although this controversy happened almost five hundred years ago, it is significant for the church today. This controversy is important today because many deny that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation.

Learning How to Read Provides You with Wings to Fly

Mar 04, 2016

The letter I’m writing to you this week is an understanding that I really want to convey to you, my beloved saints. It is to realize that there is a way in books. I think of books as God’s greatest gift to humanity. The greatest book of all is the Bible. God has placed the way to salvation in the Bible and gave it to us as a gift. The Bible is God’s Word. Through the Bible, we know and encounter God. The Bible is a treasure that contains the knowledge and wisdom of God. The problem is that we are not able to find the treasure in the Bible because we don’t know how to read the Bible.