Prayer, fellowship, service. These are all spiritual disciplines that many of us are likely familiar and comfortable with. They are good habits to draw us closer to the Lord! But there's one that many avoid at all costs because it is so counter-cultural. However, engaging with this discipline can change everything for you.

Come early March, department stores stock up on Irish themed merchandise. Everything from T-shirts to mugs and hats cover shelves for a couple weeks. Bars advertise green beer at a discount. Large parties and parades with people dressed in green happen in communities around America, usually celebrating Irish culture. All in St. Patrick’s name. 

As a man of Irish heritage, I have no problem celebrating that great culture, but these things don’t begin to touch the heart of St. Patrick. In many ways, it distracts us from learning the revolutionary truths St. Patrick’s life must teach us. 

St. Patrick brought the gospel to a little island near Britain called Ireland. And the amazing reality is, he effectively converted a whole nation from paganism to Christianity. Not only that, within a few generations, the Irish people became some of the greatest missionaries for Jesus in history. 

How did he do this? Instead of putting a leprechaun on everything, let’s find the real value in St. Patrick as a missionary. And see what he has to teach us today.

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Easter is the most important holiday on the Christian calendar, when we remember the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the central work of God in the Gospel. While Lent is traditionally Catholic, more Protestants and Evangelicals have begun to find value in this observance, as well.

After the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on sports wagering in 2018, several states legalized the practice. Lawmakers further opened the door to mobile betting apps, and companies quickly got involved, creating sleek platforms, advertising, and sign-up bonuses. Now, fans don’t need to visit a casino to gamble on a game – they can place a bet instantly on their phone. 

Technology has influenced this growth. Personalized promotions keep people constantly engaged along with live in-game betting. The apps aggressively advertise during sports broadcasts and podcasts. Social media influencers suggest picks. Betting has shifted to being a mainstream part of sports culture. 

Younger adults more comfortable with digital wallets and apps have driven this expansion. The gambling industry has generated billions of dollars through these apps, and the tax income is high for states, part of the reason they passed the laws. 

At the same time, such a rise has brought up concerns about gambling addiction and more. For Christians, many have a conviction that gambling is a problem, if not an outright sin. But what does the Bible say? And with the rise of sports betting, how should we engage the culture on this issue?

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Upon encountering God at the burning bush, Moses asks a simple question. What is the name of this God? God answers with the famous, “I am,” which is where we get his name “Yahweh.” 

Names do more than give a label to something. Biblically, a name describes character, nature, destiny, role, and more. Being infinite and holy, set apart, one name alone doesn’t do God justice. Therefore, as the Bible continues to tell the story, God continues to answer Moses’ question through several names.

Scripture assigns different names to God, each giving us insight into who God really is. While only a few of the many, here are seven names of God and what they mean for us today.

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Facing our sin is often painful. Many of us have struggled to let go of the shame and guilt that brings. But Jesus calls us to live free from the bondage of sin – and that includes shame and guilt! May these seven prayers help you work through these negative feelings and finally leave your past sins where they belong – at the foot of the cross.

God is loving, but God is love? What are we to make of statements like that? Our sinful world has many ideas about love, but all of them fall short of the perfect example that God presents through His very being. Since God is love, everything He does is loving. That is tremendously encouraging for us.

As a young man, I fell radically in love with Jesus. I poured my life into studying Scripture, learning to hear the Shepherd’s voice, and I committed to the local church. I started leading Bible studies and speaking at events. 

People saw this about me and said, “Hey. You should be a pastor.” I even had an older gentleman who wanted to sponsor me to attend a seminary. 

It bothered me. Yes, I know they all meant well, even trying to affirm me in the faith and my gifts. In part, I believed loving Jesus with all my heart, studying the Bible, and serving in the local church is normal Christianity. I resisted the idea that because I radically followed Jesus, I should have some sort of paid position or start a career in ministry. 

Everyone is called to minister the love of Jesus with their gifts. And that’s what I was doing. 

Ironically, God did call me to lead a ministry and even pastor a church plant. So maybe people saw things I didn’t yet. At the same time, I’m glad I waited until God’s voice led me to it, instead of assuming my passion meant I should follow that as a career. 

Perhaps you’re in the same place, feeling like maybe you’re called to a ministry career. I’ve been a missionary and a church planter, and I’d like to share with you seven questions to answer before you step into that role.

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Many people, even nonbelievers, know the name of Jesus. But throughout Scripture, there are many different names for our Savior. While this may be confusing for new Christians, knowing some of Jesus' various names helps us to understand different aspects of His character and how He cares for us, His people.

We get emergency warnings on our phones regarding winter storms. Or perhaps we watch the local news or get information on social media. As the months get colder, storms with snow, hail, and ice blanket our neighborhoods and communities. While a soft covering of snow creates a calm, beautiful scene, winter storms can be dangerous and harmful. 

Harsh conditions cause widespread damage. Freezing temperatures and heavy snows destroy homes, and cut power, leaving communities in the dark and vulnerable. Icy conditions cause more road accidents, and heavy ice topples trees and other buildings. For the poor or people dealing with homelessness, winter storms become especially dangerous. Without proper housing or heating, exposure to the cold leads to frostbite or hypothermia. Those lacking resources find it harder to endure or recover from winter storms. Local communities need to support these people more during these times. 

As in all things, we should pray during these times. With unfettered access to the throne of God, we make requests to the Father who loves us and has power to change anything. Prayer has power, and while preparing for the cold weather months, we must intercede on behalf of ourselves and our community. Here are seven prayers to pray for safety during winter storms.

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Our modern culture has believed a lie: if it doesn’t feel like love, then it’s not. The danger should be clear. First of all, our feelings are a poor measure for reality. We have all had moments where we “felt” something wasn’t true. Later evidence revealed a different conclusion. 

Second, it’s the wrong measure. God himself is love (1 John 4:8), it’s part of his identity and nature. Love isn’t a standard apart from him; he is love. Therefore, whatever he says and does is loving, by definition. 

At the same time, we shouldn’t completely dismiss emotion. God created our feelings, and they serve a purpose in our lives. We can’t help how we feel, and it proves unhealthy to disregard emotions. The Scripture gives us the right way forward. We admit our feelings and then submit them to the truth of God. As love and truth himself, this corrects our thinking, transforms our mind, and redeems our wayward emotions, helping them operate as they were initially created. 

Thankfully, God hasn’t left us alone in this process. He gives us signs and evidence of his love. When you don’t feel Gods love in the midst of trials or tragedy, you can look at these signs for hope and confidence that he loves you and is for you. 

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Unless we lock ourselves away somewhere and disconnect from the world, we see and hear the news. We get updates and headlines while we scroll. Friends on social media share their thoughts and opinions, maybe their overreactions to these events. We learn about corruption, death, and destruction on a daily basis, if not more. 

Such constant news about our world leaves us weary. A friend recently told me he felt the whole world was about to fall apart at any moment. Not his world. The whole earth. 

So should we just hide away until it’s all over? Jesus calls us to be in the world and not of it (John 17:14-16). This dual and connected call is important. We are to stay engaged with the world. How else would be bring the Kingdom to earth, as the Lord’s Prayer says? (Matthew 6:9-13). Yet we must also remember to not be of the world, not of its nature and source and end. 

Instead, we’ve been born of God and his eternal purpose. We must then bring God into this weary world. And the source of his salvation and redemption is his love. 

Here are seven biblical truths regarding God’s love to encourage us in this weary and broken world. 

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In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “God became Man to turn creatures into sons; not simply to produce better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man.”

The Bible calls this the new creation, a new kind of human where we have become one in and with Christ. This transformational work makes us new and free from the inside out. Upon repentance, God fills us with his Spirit. This replaces our guilt with forgiveness, our striving with peace, and our brokenness with divine purpose. The new creation reshapes our whole identity to what God desired for us before time began. We can have intimacy with God. We are empowered to live in the world as reflections of his Kingdom.

God already finished this work. Our participation begins with understanding how to display it in our daily lives.

Here are seven daily disciplines to help Christians live out what God has already done. When we practice these habits, we reveal Christ in us to the world.

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There is an incredible biblical promise of a New Jerusalem and New Earth, a future where God dwells with humanity, bringing an end to sorrow and restoring creation to perfection. This ultimate hope, rooted in Old Testament prophecies and fulfilled through Jesus' teachings, empowers believers to live with courage and purpose today.