Latest Articles
The Ministry of Restraint by Faith Marie Baczko
Throughout history, God has raised up servants to preserve His purposes on Earth, chosen to stand against the advance of evil and deception. Before darkness can move beyond its appointed boundaries, the Lord establishes barriers and governing authorities to contain its influence and prevent its premature manifestation. Paul alluded to this mystery when he wrote, "And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time" (2 Thess. 2:6). The mystery of lawlessness was already at work in Paul's day, yet it was restrained until the appointed time set by God.
Have We Reversed God's Plan for Communication? By Carol McLeod
Have you ever been halfway through a conversation when you suddenly realized that you weren't listening at all? You were looking at the person. You were nodding at all the appropriate moments. You might have even thrown in an occasional "uh-huh" or "I understand." But if you are honest, your mind was already crafting your response. You were preparing your defense, gathering your thoughts, or deciding exactly what you wanted to say next. I think we've all been there. Recently, I was spending time in James chapter 1, and one verse seemed to leap off the page and settle deeply into my heart. James writes, "Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger" (James 1:19). What a simple verse. And yet, what a challenging one.
Sometimes God Doesn't Keep Us Out of the Fire by Patrick Carden
I think sometimes we have the wrong idea about what it means for God to save us. We pray for God to keep the bad thing from happening. Keep us from getting sick. Keep the person we love from dying. Keep the relationship from ending. Keep us from losing the job. Keep the diagnosis from coming. Keep our children safe. Keep the world from becoming more violent and divided. In other words, we pray for God to keep the fire away from us. And sometimes that happens. But sometimes it doesn't.
