Once we awaken to face God’s glorious New Day, another question naturally arises: How should Christ-followers approach the all-important task of waking others? What kind of alarm clocks should we be? Most morning people I have met take great pride in this particular quality. They even have signature phrases to promote this special trait. … More ALARM CLOCK 7: Ugh! Morning People!
In Sunday school we used to sing a song that went, “I’m alive, alert, awake, and enthusiastic <clap-clap>.” Even if we were half asleep, or didn’t like singing, we would move our lips along to the song just to avoid drawing attention to ourselves. Similarly, many churchgoers are spiritually lip-sinking to the right tune, looking … More ALARM CLOCK 6: Half Awake Is No Way to Live
One of the strangest memories I have from my summers at church camp as a kid involves a certain sleepwalker. At an early age Kristin had fallen in love with the television series The Little House on the Prairie. She owned the entire collection and had watched them probably two dozen times each. She knew … More ALARM CLOCK 5: Spiritual Sleepwalkers
I am not a morning person. I both envy and secretly resent those early bird types. A typical Sunday morning not long ago about sums it up. I had stayed up late the night before getting some late night reading in. When Sunday morning arrived more quickly than expected, my wife had already showered, dressed … More ALARM CLOCK 4: Rude Awakenings
But an alarm is still an alarm. And sleep is still so alluring and peaceful. The covers are snug and the coolness of the morning breeze keeps us wrapped tightly in the sheets. And even the most dazzling sunrise hurts eyes so accustomed to the dark. So we often linger in our comatose state, … More ALARM CLOCK 3: Heavy Sleepers Are Hard to Wake
The entire Christian life is, at its core, a wake up call. Here is the scene: The world was lost in the darkness of night, living in the shadow of death and anxiously awaiting a promised new day when God’s light would finally shine forth (Isa. 59:9). Isaiah’s watchman asked, “What of the night? How … More ALARM CLOCK 2: The God Who Raises the Shade
We begin a devotional series today reflecting on some spiritual lessons and biblical insights from the all-too-familiar process of waking up every morning. Enjoy! Six-o-clock. The alarm has sounded. The sun is peeking through the half-raised shade, piercing your squinting eyes as you roll over to hit the snooze bar for a third time. It … More ALARM CLOCK 1: Christmas Gifts & Final Exams
“No one’s written your destiny for you, because here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.” -Barrack Obama in his controversial speech to school children “It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of … More Obama: Who’s Writing Our Destiny?
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Phil 4:8-9). … More PHILIPPIANS 32: Think On These Things (4:8-9)
“I think these younger Christians are the vanguard of some major new religious, social, and political arrangements that could make the older form of culture wars obsolete. After they wrestle with doubts and objections to Christianity many come out on the other side with an orthodox faith that doesn’t fit the current categories of liberal … More QUOTABLES: Tim Keller
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds … More PHILIPPIANS 31: Don’t Worry, Be Happy (4:4-7)
“Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at … More PHILIPPIANS 30: I Plead with You Whom I Love (4:1-3)
“Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their … More PHILIPPIANS 29: Follow My Example (3:17-21)
“Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.” (Phil 3:16). There is a lot going on in this single verse. Paul is summing up a long, sustained … More PHILIPPIANS 28: Growing into Spiritual Adulthood (3:16)
“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my … More PHILIPPIANS 27: No Turning Back Now (3:12-15)
“The Christian way of life is no fairytale; in the power of the Spirit it can be lived. Countless Christians through the ages have shown us how. The fruit of worship and Bible study and prayer and obedience to the Word, is a joy, a peace, an unshakeable hope that the world cannot give or … More QUOTABLES: Elizabeth Achtemeier
“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead. I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have … More PHILIPPIANS 26: My Interview with Apostle Paul (3:10-12)
“Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be … More PHILIPPIANS 25: Basketball and Dog Dung (3:8-9)
“We couldn’t carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God’s law; a fiery defender … More PHILIPPIANS 24: Religious Badges for Boasting (3:5-7)
“Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are … More PHILIPPIANS 23: Rely on Christ, Not Human Effort (3:1-4)
“Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful … More PHILIPPIANS 21: Running in Vain (2:16-18)
“A huge crowd…trailed after them… swarms of people who had heard the reports and had come to see for themselves. He told his disciples to get a boat ready so he wouldn’t be trampled by the crowd… Now everyone who had something wrong was pushing and shoving to get near and touch him” (Mark 3:7-10 … More Tiger vs. Jesus – Crowd Control
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil 2:12-13). I recently went whitewater rafting down the … More PHILIPPIANS 19: Row, Row, Row Your Boat (2:12-13)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God … More PHILIPPIANS 18: Christ Hymn 2 (Phil 2:5-11)
During the summer months our high school ministry drops regular weekly programming and moves to an event-driven schedule. We have a calendar jam packed with exciting events we don’t want anyone to miss out on. Yet, recently, I have beenpulling out my hair and trying every possible mode of communication to get the word out … More Hearing God: A Modern Parable (for Frustrated Youth Pastors)
Jeremy Berg 