The key to having a good fight that ends in reconciliation rather than a bad fight that ends in bitterness is to learn to fight as friends and not enemies. The following rules of engagement are offered to help you fight to the glory of God and the good of your marriage. First, you have to decide if your spouse has committed a sin. If so, you have to decide whether or not you are going to say something. Should... Read more

Fortunately, the wife who had racked up secret debt confessed the whole truth to her husband and—as an act of repentance—cut up the credit card, never to repeat that sin again. And he forgave her. He communicated his appreciation that she had finally told him the truth and admitted that her keeping a secret from him hurt him more than spending the money. Together, they devised a plan to pay off the debt and did so. He never speaks of... Read more

Friendship is an integral part of a truly Christian marriage and a safeguard against emotional adultery. In our years together we have seen many couples, including pastors and their wives, commit emotional adultery. Emotional adultery is having as your close friend someone of the opposite sex who is not your spouse. Sadly, too many books and sermons on marriage focus only on the Bible verses about marriage. They should also examine the mountain of Bible verses on friendship because those... Read more

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” –Ephesians 4:26 Some Christians seem to think that there are godly and ungodly emotions. Subsequently, they see all anger as sinful. But, not all anger is sinful as even our sinless God gets angry in the Bible. There’s a difference between righteous and unrighteous anger. Although this is the case, all anger, whether righteous or unrighteous, is caused by some kind of sin in... Read more

Santa permeates every nook and cranny of our culture during the Christmas season. So Christian parents can often find themselves torn between two unhealthy extremes when it comes to talking to their kids about Santa: avoidance or acceptance. Here are some ways to find a healthy middle ground this Christmas when it comes to jolly ole St. Nicholas: Always tell your children the truth. Research and teach your kids about the real St. Nicholas. Don’t demonize the cultural Santa. Remind... Read more

Sign up today for the Leader’s List and get free resources such as study guides, eBooks, and research briefs. You’ll stay up to date on the latest resources from me. I recently had the joy of preaching through the entire Book of Jonah at The Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. Those sermons are now available in audio and video format exclusively here. To help you study the book in greater depth, or even teach it to others, the Jonah research brief is... Read more

Were Adam and Eve real people? Or were they just literary devices and poetic images? This question of the historicity of Adam and Eve is important because it’s the foundation of the biblical story. Without a real Adam and Eve, the Bible loses its basis for the fall, sin, the need for redemption, and the need for Jesus and atonement. Many scholars—including some who are professing Christians—who are rejecting the biblical account of Adam and Eve as historical recognize this... Read more

With Thanksgiving upon us, the time has come for kids to dress up like Pilgrims and the Charlie Brown television special to air once again. Though widely dismissed and despised, the Pilgrims (also known as the Puritans) remain one of the greatest expressions of biblical Christianity the world has ever known. THE STRUGGLE FOR A PURE CHURCH Puritanism was sparked by many years of conflict in England, where the Church of England vacillated between Catholic and Protestant practices depending upon... Read more

I hope you know just how grateful I am for generous friends like you. Your support is the reason more people around the world are opening their Bibles to learn – connecting with God’s Word in genuine ways every day! I pray you and your family have a great Thanksgiving. And don’t forget to give us your address so Grace and I can send you our family Christmas card. You won’t want to miss our plaid ensemble! Thanks again, Pastor... Read more

In Luke 11:1 the disciples say to Jesus, “Lord teach us to pray,” and Jesus responds in Luke 11:13, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Jesus’ answer to the request, “Teach us to pray,” is about receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Because while Trinitarian prayer is directed to the Father, it’s empowered by... Read more