God wants to change us from the inside-out. In God’s design, we would remember His great love for us, drink deeply from His Word, choose to offer our lives to Him every day, and then He Himself will transform our character from the inside-out!

Written by Ben Quine

With so much rain and fog, vision was extremely limited, but the drivers stoutly continued on. What the drivers on this busy road did not know, was that this very day the bridge had collapsed. Every driver that proceeded as normal would perish. One young person managed to stop in time, and with as much speed as they could muster, they ran back to warn the other drivers —“Stop! The bridge is out! You’ve got to turn around!!” But they were met with contempt, “Get out of the road!” “Can’t you see that we’re in a hurry!” “We’ve got to get to work.”

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

What’s something that makes you uncomfortable? Maybe fingernails on a chalkboard? Or the sound of a fork scratching on a plate? As children of God, we are called to “speak the truth in love,” something that is often very uncomfortable for all parties involved. But like taking a distasteful but life-giving medicine, the truth is vital for health.

If we are to understand Biblical Conduct, we must have a solid grasp of truth and love, especially since our culture has distorted and materially altered the meaning of these two vitally important words.

John the Baptist did not mince words — like the prophets of the Old Testament, he clearly told the religious leaders of his day that they were wicked and needed to repent.

One of the most effective teaching methods employed by Scripture is the telling of stories, and there is a treasure trove of instruction for us in the accounts of men and women who lived by the fear of the Lord.

Have you ever been tempted to refashion bad news so that it will land more gently on the ears of those who need to receive it?

Humans, as emotional beings, can rarely tolerate pure honesty without discomfort. What is it about the truth that makes it undiplomatic and unsafe? Is it possible to present the teachings of the Bible and not be offensive? This is a very important question and is essential in understanding how Christians should live.

During the journeys described in Acts 17-20, Paul went from city to city and experienced rejection, abuse, false accusations, and threats of violence from those around him, because he consistently and faithfully presented the Gospel message.

Over this series of articles we will dig deeply into Scripture to learn what wisdom, love, and godly conduct look like. We’ll look at character, virtue, manners, and issues like Cancel Culture and Political Correctness.

Does one vote even matter?

The significance of just one vote, one voice… is huge.

Throughout history there have been many heresies that have tried to attach themselves to the church. Some surround the nature of Jesus — denying the deity or humanity of Christ. Some focus on salvation — attempting to add human works as a requirement. All such false teaching is extremely serious, as Paul pointed out to the Galatians. But the false teaching that has been the most costly in terms of human physical life, is centered on the Early Church.

As a child I loved replacing burnt out incandescent light bulbs with new vibrant ones. I was fascinated by the fact that you could shake the dead bulb and hear the filament rattling — a musical confirmation that the bulb was indeed broken and no more light could be extracted from it. Most of all, I loved to see light shining again in a space where once there had been darkness.

In addition to being the central figure of all history, Christ Jesus is also one of the most controversial. Some believe Christ was “a good moral teacher.” According to others, “he was an ideal; an example.” But sadly, few outside or even inside the Church have ever taken the time to listen to what he actually taught! Let’s look at three key moments from the gospels to learn the most vital elements of Jesus’ lessons on money…

When God called Samuel to anoint David as future king he had to correct him because Samuel was looking at the outside appearance. Jesus similarly corrected his disciples about what defiles a person (Matthew 15:10-20) when he said “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”

In the same way, Proverbs teaches us to look at the heart on economic issues.

We’re in the midst of a hot summer, and last evening my seven-year-old son came into dinner drenched from head to foot. I was surprised and asked him, “How did you get all wet?” Again to my surprise he replied, “I didn’t think I would get wet, I went under the sprinkler.”

Maps show us the best way to get to where we want to go. They show us potential dangers to avoid. And without maps we might get terribly lost or delayed. This is also what God’s Word does for our life. It guides us to where we want to go. It shows us the best way to get there. It cautions us on dangers to avoid.

Only one generation ago, before going on a long journey, it was important to first study a printed map to plan a route, get an idea of the distance and time required for the trip, and plan out any additional stops along the way… Maps show us the best way to get to where we want to go. They show us potential dangers to avoid. And without maps we might get terribly lost or delayed.

Seeds are incredible. They are small and may not appear at first to have any special value, but their potential is incalculable. Kept dry on the shelf, they will never grow or increase. They will never become what they were meant to be. They will never produce fruit. Why not? Because seeds, like everything else, require the proper conditions and nourishment to grow. It is the same way with economics…