One of the many reasons C. S. Lewis came to believe in Christianity is because it is so strange, saying: “Christianity is not the sort of thing anyone would have ...
For the next month, we will turn to Holy Week with Keller. The material is familiar but Tim Keller has a gift for taking us higher up and deeper in. ...
We don't usually picture Daniel as a tottering old man when he is lowered into the den of lions. And in looking at children's books, most of them do not ...
As you probably know, Paige was kept from giving her teaching on Daniel 6 by a broken water main in Nashville that blocked the way to her church. Pretty unusual! ...
It was 1988. Steve and I, and our 12-year-old daughter Sally, were at our first Christian Bookseller's Convention in Orlando. It was a huge arena with 350 booths. Many booths ...
Free Photo by Andres Daza on Pexels PRIDE IS ESSENTIALLY COMPETITION We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they ...
A very familiar passage, but Paige is so great in helping us see how it applies to us. I suspect one powerful part this week is drawn from Tim Keller's ...
How delusional we are if we think we are in control. How delusional Nebuchadnezzar was to think he was in control. Any power he had was given to him by ...
Nashville got a record snowfall of over 7 inches that crippled the city and postponed Paige's lecture on Daniel 2 until next week. At first, I thought, Oh no! But ...
Here we go! On Wednesdays, everyone does the green path. You can move ahead down the mountain if you like. The weekends are free to catch up or move ahead. ...
How often have we determined on Jan 1 to lose weight, to exercise more, to be kinder, calmer, purer... but by mid-January , we are screaming: I CAN'T DO IT!!!!!!! ...
Before we move into Christmas Eve and Christmas Week, I'm excited to tell you how God has led me for January -- and thank you for your prayers. I really ...
I'm going to wade briefly into the deep water of the apocalyptic literature of Revelation this week, but just to capture one vision before I turn to the safer water ...
Pexels Photo by Andreas Resch The world celebrates a Christ-less Hallmark Christmas and it seems to be getting darker and darker, just as it did before the first time Christ ...
May God fill our hearts with wonder this Advent. Photo by Greg Rakozy Why? Consider: And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being ...
Before we finish November with the Psalms, I want to invite you to the upcoming Advent study on the "Wonder of Christmas." I also want to encourage you to ...
I'm keeping it very simple this Thanksgiving week, but rich,with the help of Wendall Kimbrough's paraphrase of Psalm 107. We'll take a verse each day, pausing for Thanksgiving Day when ...
Last month we did a lesson by Paige Benton Brown on Why We Should Study the Bible. Two particular comments convicted me so! We don't study it because we don't ...
This Thanksgiving month we are going to be praying the Psalms to help us focus on the goodness of God. Homework will be lighter, and the study practical and powerful ...
There was a time when Halloween didn't seem quite so frightful. Churches had alternative celebrations, and some still do. Others just want to separate from this time completely for it ...
The whole lesson is great -- but do not miss the last half hour when Paige talks about why we don't want to study the Bible! I'll finish next Tuesday ...
Paige has finished her teaching on Jonah, will take a break this week, and will return for what I expect will be a fascinating one-week study on why we should ...
Thanks for your patience -- I'm trying to find the best way to do Paige that is helpful to you! For this reason, just answer the questions that are ...
I'm returning to the question format I used in the past with Paige as I can see the "loose" format wasn't working as well, and many have dropped out. I ...
How I loved Paige's closing last week, explaining that God sent the storm not to punish Jonah but to rescue him from his rebellious self. She read from the classic ...
pexels-photo by meпавел-гавриков-8716325 I am sure most of you have done Jonah before, perhaps many times, perhaps here! But I absolutely know there will be heart-melting encouragement and fresh insights ...
While six of Jesus' miracles that John calls "signs" are only in John, this one is in all four gospels. And what a sign it is! Jesus Himself explains the ...
This Tuesday Tim Keller's Memorial Service will be livestreamed at 2:30 Eastern Time and then shown on You-tube. For more information: https://timothykeller.com/service When I was ten, my parents took ...
Two weeks ago, we heard a sermon in which Keller says unbelievers believe the lie of Satan: If you go God's way, you won't be happy! I know we believe ...
I knew that the miracles Jesus performed were called "signs" by John, (eleven times!) indicating they didn't just show His power, but were meant to tell us something about why ...
When reading through the Bible, Keller said that sometimes you come across a passage that may be challenging, and instead of digging in, you say "Hmmm," and just skip to ...
Originally I thought of selecting my favorite Keller sermons for the summer -- but the truth is, THERE ARE SO MANY! So I have decided to continue on through John, ...
In Keller's sermons, he'll often humbly say: "I've preached on this before but I didn't see this until recently..." I loved that about him for I have ...
When I wrote "Examining the Claims of Jesus," a study guide for seekers on the 1st five chapters of John, I missed the main point of Jesus' first miracle. I ...
We're going to spend the summer with Tim Keller and some of my favorite sermons. You so encouraged me with your enthusiastic response last week -- he has so impacted ...
Honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms Honoring Tim Keller who went to be with Jesus on May 19th, 2023 I'm taking a one-week break this ...
Many of you already know that Tim Keller died Friday morning. How he was like a father to so many, including many here. Michael, his son, shared this: He was ...
We will return to a final week with both Brennan Manning's Abba's Child and also the final for this series next week. But because Mother's Day landed in the midst, I thought ...
Another classic we cannot miss is Abba's Child. My own copy is heavily highlighted and we will spend two weeks here, and still only scratch the surface. Until we understand ...
I purchased this book after Paige Benton Brown recommended it, and I'm so glad! McClung's insights based on ministering in three cultures provide valuable insights into Scripture. We will see ...
When Tim Keller first preached on the parable of the two prodigal sons, his wife said "This is the most important sermon you have ever preached." Why? It is a ...
I am realizing how profoundly an individual is impacted by either a missing parent or an abusive parent. Studies show you may be driven (instead of called), prone to addiction, ...
HE IS RISEN INDEED! This is a week to reflect on the amazing evidence of our faith. We'll consider 4 post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. The first is to Mary Magdalene ...
It's the holiest week of the year, a time to contemplate Jesus' sufferings for us. We will finish Reeve's message and walk those final hours with Him to the cross. ...
A Tale of Two Cities “The whole Bible,” the Scottish preacher Eric Alexander says, “is in a very real sense a tale of two cities.” Babylon first appeared in Genesis ...
Although written nearly two thousand years ago, how relevant is Jude! False teaching still abounds inside the church. Paige tells how when she was ten, her older brother got her ...
This was my favorite of Paige's messages in James, for it so touched my heart, and was so relevant to my life, and to my relationship with my local church ...
Meward = Worldliness & Sorrow Godward = Godliness & Joy Each day we have choices between living meward or Godward. In The Missing Piece Lee Ezell tells of vascillating between ...
In addition to doing this study with you on the blog, I'm doing it with a group of new Christians. (I've questioned my judgment since, as James can be so ...
Just continue with last week's questions -- it is such a good teaching, they left it up so you can listen again or tell friends about it. And Lord willing, ...
Revival Through Truth! I remember how amazed I was the first time I really saw what Paige taught so powerfully this week. It was from a Tim Keller sermon on The ...
Paige's teaching this week on James 1:19-2:13 reminds me of what Tim Keller said about the fruit of the Spirit, those qualities that flow into our life because of our ...
A Brand New Year, A Fresh Start! Yet, we may have already blown it, or if we understand anything of the holiness of God, we know we will before the ...
It's so rare for Christmas to fall on Sunday -- but it's perfect. This week I'm taking a break and will simply let you come on and share your reflections, ...
Puritan Preachers often gave messages on "The Magnificence of Christ," but modern preachers rarely if ever do. It is such a loss, for as John Piper says, "Beholding is becoming." ...
It is a wonderful time of year, but especially when we are experiencing the presence of the One who is called Wonderful! How I look forward to Advent with you, my precious ...
We're going to have fun this final week Thanksgiving week! For most of us, Thanksgiving occurs close to the time of autumn splendor, filling our hearts with awe. That is ...
We've been here before, not just because it's my favorite psalm, but because it is SO HELPFUL when life is hard that we must keep returning to it. How do ...
With the help of God's prayer book, The Psalms, we are going to help one another give thanks for the next 21 days, ending on Thanksgiving Day. (I will return ...
It's Paige's last lecture in the Elijah/Elisha series, and I (and others I've talked to) agree it is the best! She's calling her last 3 teachings "wordel studies." Faith, Grace, ...
Isn't it amazing that the Bible, though written over many centuries, by many authors, from many countries, and many cultures, is still all ONE GREAT STORY from Genesis to Revelation? ...
Moving from: to: What can make that happen? DESPERATION! Why does God let bad things happen to His children? Rabbi Kushner, the author of the bestselling: "When Bad Things ...
All Five Lectures are Live for Review! Hurrah! They will disappear next Tuesday evening. Review is powerful for our hearts. Let's do this. You could download and listen to many ...
Last week I had an "aha" moment when I learned Mount Horeb, where God passed by Elijah, was the same as Mount Sinai, where God passed by Moses. Same God. ...
This week's teaching from Paige Benton Brown made me think of all the people I talk to, believers and unbelievers alike, and even how I myself can be when I ...
Paige opens her series on Elijah and Elisha by telling how many felt overwhelmed by this topic. (She made me smile when she quoted one, "I can't even find the ...
This is the last lesson in this series. The next Bible study will be posted on Thursday, September 8th. I will be posting on Thursdays instead of Sundays for the ...
When time was running out, Jesus washed His disciples' feet: Christ Washing Peter's Feet by Ford Madox Brown 1857-58 Then he predicted his betrayal and gave a morsel of bread ...
Tim Keller does a masterful job of clarifying a text that we might, in the past, have not seen as terribly relevant, since we know believers cannot be demon possessed. ...
I am so glad to be looking at these hard sayings, together, for they are, indeed challenging. I have misinterpreted this one in the past, so it is good to ...
Part II of: "...the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force." Last week, in looking at the life of John the Baptist, we ...
Love him!? Really, Lord? Yes, our God, in complete contrast to the gods of other religions commands us: "love your enemies." We are looking at the hard sayings of Jesus with ...
First, an apology for last week. I didn't realize until many of you were scratching your heads, that the free podcast I had you listen to was different than the ...
I'm so enjoying doing these hard sayings with you. Your answers at the close of last week were fascinating! Hebrews 6 must get the prize for the most challenging ...
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:31 As a young Christian, I feared ...
Ahhh summer! Where I live, on the cool thumb of the mitten of Wisconsin, we wait for her all year long, grumbling when it is still snowing in early May. ...
When raising our children, my dear friend Shell and I used to lovingly call one another "Law" and "Grace" for I felt she was too strict, and she felt I ...
(2 WEEK STUDY BEFORE LENT BEGINS) In two weeks, together, we will go through Paul Tripp's Lenten Devotional. I'm going to be a participant with you and I'm excited. Hope ...
Whether or not they were trying to mock Revelation, I do not know. Christians discussed this afterwards -- and I found this article about such discussions to have wisdom, should ...
While this may seem an inappropriate post for Advent, it's not. We are at war with the Father of Lies. The reason Jesus came was to rescue us from a ...
Unlike the holy Trinity, the unholy Trinity of Satan cannot create, but can only counterfeit the true Trinity in order to bring evil instead of good, and to persecute and ...
Anyone who sees Jesus as just a great moral teacher hasn't really listened to Him. He said wild things like "Before Abraham was, I AM," and, "If you've seen me, ...
We are returning to the second half of Revelation after an 8 week break in Romans. Even though Romans and Revelation are very different kinds of literature, they are part ...
Congratulations! You have studied 1/2 of the challenging book of Revelation! You deserve a cheer! So many, including me, for decades, avoided this book for deep study for it just ...
When you finish this week, you are half-way through Revelation. Not only that, Revelation 11 has been called the most difficult chapter in the whole book. So hang on, you ...
This last week terrible images have flowed out of Afghanistan, looking like pictures from John's visions in Revelation. How we need to pray for them, and also remember: In Rev. ...
John saw six trumpets of judgment. Last week we saw the intensity increase with the 5th and 6th judgment. God is just, He loves His Bride, and has been pouring ...
Denial is dangerous. My husband was a wonderful optimist, and that made him a joy to be around. He loved people, he laughed a lot, and he saw the best ...
Oh how the Bible is all one story! There is an amazing parallel between the plagues of Egypt and the judgments (seals, trumpets, bowls and visions of conflict) of Revelation. ...
Only five verses this week -- but WOW! "When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven..." Why? We saw in Revelation 7:1 that angels hold back ...
I love seeing the allusions to the Song of Songs in Revelation. This has always been one of my favorite verses from the Song: We'll compare this, in our study, ...
We're beginning a new section (Congratulations to you! You are still with us!) Once we get past the churches and the opening visions, we get into the judgments. There are ...
Here in Revelation 5 we have a New Song sung by every tribe and nation! Hands down, my favorite contemporary praise song is Andrew Peterson's Is He Worthy? It ...
God peeled back a corner of heaven for Daniel, Ezekiel, and John. He wanted them to then give us a glimpse of the unseen world. Why? Seeing the holiness of ...
The last of the 7, lukewarm Laodicea makes Jesus want to spit them out of His mouth. I've told this story before but will tell it again because it seems ...
Smyrna and Philadelphia had only commendations from Jesus. Both, though severely persecuted, persevered, and God blessed. To little Philadelphia He said: "I have placed before you an open door which ...
The church in Sardis had a reputation of being alive but was dead. The frightening aspect is that they didn't realize this. As Dr. Campbell says: "Those who have lost ...
Imagine that you had a daughter who deeply loved the Lord and was the apple of your eye. After she left the nest she began attending a church where the ...
The Church in Pergamum is where "Satan has his throne." Pergamum was also a city of many gods, and as long as you didn't prefer one god above another, you ...
I need the message to the persecuted church of Smyrna. Jesus has no rebuke for them. They were poor but rich! They did not cling to comfort but to God ...
Why are only 7 churches addressed by Christ when there were more than 7 churches in Asia Minor? Numbers are symbolic in Revelation. As Dr. Campbell explains: Seven, rooted in ...
"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take it to heart what is written in it, because ...