Sophia Bricker

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the narrator, Nick Carraway, lives beside the wealthy Gatsby who throws large, extravagant parties. Hundreds of people attend these gatherings – even if they are not invited. Yet, despite the riches that enable him to live in luxury and reconnect with the woman he loves, Gatsby dies a tragic death and only a few people attend his funeral. Nick turns away from the indulgent and corrupt lifestyles of West Egg after his friend’s death, looking back with longing to the simplicity of residing in a small, midwestern town. The life of the rich was not so grand after all.

Despite this classic story’s unmasking of the façade of wealth – that the American dream does not satisfy – so many people continue to be attracted to teachings and methods that promise riches. One such teaching is the prosperity gospel. Advocates tells us that Jesus died to give us blessings in this life: Wealth, health, and comfort. God will shower the faithful with material wealth and a happy life free of disease, according to these prosperity teachers. If individuals give from their wealth, then the Lord will bless them with even more money. To those who adhere to these beliefs, prosperity is inherent in the Christian life.

Believers need to be aware of this false teaching, as it is widespread and promoted by many prominent authors and teachers. The prosperity gospel has also spread beyond America to impoverished countries, where struggling people are even more vulnerable to the trappings of this false gospel. We need to be aware of how to combat these teachings so that we can uphold biblical truths about salvation and what it means to be a follower of Christ.

The following passages from Scripture are important to know, in order to dismantle the lies of the prosperity gospel. Let us arm ourselves with the Sword of the Spirit to cut down the falsehoods that are threatening to choke churches and entangle nonbelievers, preventing them from coming to saving faith in Christ.

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As a child, I believed I could capture water with my hands as easily as with a cup. The pool and bathtub were ideal places for testing my theory: I would squeeze my fingers together to form a barrier before dipping my hands in the water. The rivulets would slowly accumulate into my palms before trickling out again. Try as I did, I could never quite prevent the droplets from seeping out.

Prayer is often like water; it quenches our thirst for communion with God, providing life-giving fellowship. But praying can also feel elusive and difficult, as if we are trying to keep our hands tightly cupped to hold the water as droplets run through our fingers. We often stumble over awkward pleas for help to the Lord, or struggle to keep our minds from wandering. Amid the chaos of life, we can also forget to talk to the Lord. It is something we intend to do and know is necessary for a healthy Christian walk, but we fail to carry out in everyday life.

How can we build a consistent prayer life? And what does this look like in a modern society that is barraged with distractions and short-attention spans?

What we need is not more vague and generalized calls to prayer, as if “just pray” is enough to help us cultivate a prayerful life. Rhythms and practices are required to bring the biblical teaching of prayer into our days. Much like the way water is elusive until placed inside a container –– a cup, bottle, or bowl –– what we need is to give shape to prayer in our lives, building a framework for consistent communion with God. Then, we will be able to participate in this discipline that is vital to our spiritual growth and flourishing.

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I remember opening my Precious Moments Bible as a teenager to attempt to read Genesis. Curled on my bed with the Bible open, I struggled to make it through, not understanding why flawed people like Abraham, Lot, or Jacob were included in this holy book.

Only after placing faith in Christ and reading the Gospels did I finally start to understand the bigger picture of Scripture. All biblical history pointed to the One who was nailed to a cross and rose from a tomb. His spoken words to others drew my eyes and filled my heart. Finally, I could read and understand the Holy Bible.

Many new believers intend to read all of God’s Word eventually, but need somewhere they can start. They seek a place within God’s story of love and redemption that is understandable and introduces them to the larger picture of Scripture. Is there a way to approach the Bible without having to flounder through the early parts?

The following list of books in the Bible provides a starting place for new believers as they journey into God’s Word. This way, they do not have to thumb through the pages, wondering how everything fits together. They can instead read foundational parts of the Bible that help them see the grand story of salvation and provide them with essential knowledge for studying the rest of Scripture.

With a Bible in hand and this list in tow, we can start our journey.

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Critics abound who want to destroy faith in the Bible and the message it contains. We must be knowledgeable about the doctrine of inerrancy so we can defend the truth and point others to their need for Christ.

During a scene in Phantastes by George MacDonald, the main character Anodos finds himself trapped inside a tower with his terrible shadow. He despairs of ever being able to break free until he hears singing. Pushing open the door, he discovers a familiar face –– a girl he had met in Fairy Land who used to play with a beautiful globe, which he had broken. The child had grown into an adult and had received the gift of song in place of her broken toy. She now uses her gift to free those who are captive, even Anodos who had been responsible for the loss of her beloved globe (Phantastes, W. B. Eerdmans). A song drew him out of his prison and reminded him of the truth: the door of the tower had always been unlocked.

Psalms, the biblical songbook, also has the ability to transform our perspective and remind us of truth. In the Psalms, we find song-prayers that apply to many aspects of life. One such area the Psalms speak into is the common human struggle with despair. We, like Anodos, often find ourselves trapped by emotions and circumstances so that we lament our life. Yet, God’s Word is here to declare a truer reality to us. Finding joy again is not an impossible task. In fact, it may be as close as the turn of a page.

The following seven Psalms provide a starting place for studying these biblical songs that remind us of the joy found in knowing our great Creator and Savior.

We all have a history. The moments that make up our lives form together to create a story that is intertwined with the stories of others. Although some of us might think that people in history have no connection to our personal lives today, the people who have gone before us do affect us.  

As night comes, many of us are ready to wrap the covers around us and drift to sleep. Our days were hectic with stressful tasks, and the responsibilities of the next day hang heavy over us. The Lord knows we are tired – He created us for rhythms of work and rest – and He understands the times when we drift out of consciousness as we mumble a few words in prayer during bedtime.

What He also knows is that we need time with Him throughout the day. We need the reminder of what our life should be focused on and what is truly important: the Lord and our relationship with Him.

Prayer is the best way to wind down from the exhausting busyness of the day and find peace before we lay down to sleep. Talking to God not only allows us an opportunity to express our concerns and fears to Him, but also intentionally repositions our focus on Him. Through the act of prayer, we are participating with all the saints in the practice of reminding ourselves that we do not live by our own strength or decision.

Our lives come from and are sustained by God, and He is the reason we can sleep in safety and peace despite our circumstances. We are spiritually recharged through conversations with our Savior.

So, during our bedtime routines, let us carve out a space to be present with the Lord and pray to Him. We might still find ourselves becoming drowsy and falling to sleep while talking to Him. But peace and hope will be much more present in our lives because we will be turning our thoughts back to the One for whom we were made.

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When God’s will feels difficult, Matthew 26 points us to Jesus in Gethsemane. This devotional invites you to bring your fear, reluctance, and uncertainty to the Father and trust that His will is still good.

Summer holds a special place in the lives of children. They are on break from school and their days expand for new opportunities and adventures – vacation with family, camp experiences in the outdoors, or simply more time to explore other hobbies and interests. Summer is a time of excitement as memories are made.  

As an adult, the positive association may still be present, but there is no “summer break” for those with jobs and responsibilities. The days continue as usual with the mundane demands that are a reality in life. But adults, like children, need a time of rest to be recharged and to receive a renewed perspective. In our faith, this is true as well, since believers who have been running the race for many years may have lost that initial spark of fervor when they first placed faith in Christ, a summer season of the soul when everything appeared fresh and they soaked in the presence of their Lord as much as a kid at play under the sun.  

How can an adult recapture that sense of awe while also striving for greater maturity? 

Although there are many ways to find rest amid the hectic hustle of daily life, reading good books is a significant step toward maturity and renewed vision. In the company of good books, we encounter other Christians and their stories, which can give us strength to keep running the race of faith and to see with fresh eyes what truly matters. We might be surprised by the way a single book can impact our lives, meeting us at the place where God knew we would need the words.   

Consider using the following summer reading list to refresh and reignite your faith. Some of the titles here are older books, others contemporary, but each has the capacity to transform our focus if we are willing to spend some time walking in the company of those who have also strived for greater connection with the living Lord. Through reading, we are reminded that growing in love for Jesus is a grand adventure that extends far beyond summer break.         

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First-century Christians were more aware of the symbolism behind the Lord being their Shepherd. Tending sheep was an everyday occurrence for many of these Christians, and even if they did not directly work with a flock, they undoubtedly saw shepherds at work. They also were familiar with Old Testament stories about people like Moses and David who served as shepherds, guiding and protecting their flocks.

In contrast, for those of us in the twenty-first century western world, the idea of tending sheep is a foreign concept. We live in an age of grocery and food delivery, as well as a time when we instantly purchase items online and have them delivered within 24 hours. There is not much that we can compare in modern life to the work of a shepherd.

Yet, the image of God as the Shepherd of His people is prominent in Scripture. We find Him mentioned as the One who guides and searches for His sheep (Psalm 80:1; Ezekiel 34:11-12). And, of course, the famous Psalm 23 paints a vivid picture of the Lord leading His sheep beside green pastures and through the valley of the shadow of death.

Jesus evoked this Old Testament imagery when He stated, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). His statement identifies Himself as God while also giving a picture of His love. A good shepherd will not leave his flock or entrust the sheep to a stranger. He will protect them by his own power and ensure they arrive safely to and from the pasture.

Christians today might not see individuals driving their flocks through fields or towns. Neither will they fully grasp the intricate workings of the relationship between sheep and shepherd. But something that will never change, regardless of our culture and background, is that the Lord God is our loving Shepherd. It is a role He has held in the past, present, and will continue to have in the future.

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