Sitting in the lower chambers of the filthy, stench-filled Mamertine Prison, the Apostle Paul awaited what was certain to be his execution.[1] The Roman Emperor, Nero, in his maddened lust for power and prestige, began a full-scale campaign of persecution upon the Christians in Rome, and Paul was arrested as his chief target.[2] It is against this backdrop that the Apostle would pen his final letter recorded in Scripture—a God-breathed, heartfelt letter to his beloved son-in-the-faith, Timothy. For Paul, there was no one more dear to him than Timothy. As he wrote to the Philippians, concernin ..read more

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.  For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray ..read more

As previously explained, the parallels between pastor and parent are undeniable. Their goals coincide, their leadership roles are reciprocal, the souls under their care correspond, and their accountability to God is equally certain. To be a pastor or a parent is to be a shepherd. Know how to lead a church, and you’ll know how to lead a home. Once you affirm this foundational truth, you’ve found the key to biblical parenting—the rest is just fine print from here on out. Examine what pastors in the church are called to do for their people; go and do likewise at home. But therein lies the millio ..read more

As parents, how should we view our relationship to our children? That of a friend? Coach? Mentor? Glorified babysitter? Open wallet? If we are to honor God in the way we raise our children, we need to take a serious look at the biblical roles we’re obligated to fulfill for that purpose. After all, the world’s perspectives are mundane at best and destructive at worst. For some, children are nothing more than an obstacle to personal fulfillment. For others, children represent a lucrative means of additional government welfare. Far too often, estranged parents use children as bargaining chips to ..read more

Throughout this series we’ve been looking at the spiritual enemies that hate your faith in Jesus; the enemies that want to steal your joy in Christ, slow your growth in the Lord, and silence your testimony of God’s faithfulness. So far, we’ve looked at two of those enemies. In Part 1, we looked at the world, which is that external enemy driving the sinful system that we experience all around us. In Part 2, we focused in on the flesh, which is that enemy that exists inside all of us, and that loves the things of the world but hates the things of God. In this article, we’re going to wrap up thi ..read more

The Puritan, John Owen, once said: When we realize a constant enemy of the soul abides within us, what diligence and watchfulness we should have! How woeful is the sloth and negligence then of so many who live blind and asleep to this reality of sin. There is an exceeding efficacy and power in the indwelling sin of believers, for it constantly inclines itself towards evil. We need to be awake, then, if our hearts would know the ways of God. Our enemy is not only upon us, as it was with Samson, but it is also in us.[1] We began this series by thinking about the spiritual enemy known as the w ..read more

It’s been said that one of the devil’s greatest tactics is convincing the world that he doesn’t exist. Sadly, our world is filled with people who are blindly living in the midst of that deception. As followers of Christ, it’s vitally important for us, and our believing children, to recognize that we have spiritual enemies—enemies who want nothing more than to steal our joy in the Lord, stunt our growth in Christ, and squander our testimony of faith. The unique thing about these enemies is that they’re not just “out there.” But rather, they exist both outside and inside our very being. Who are ..read more

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in in the way with sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1) When you choose a lifestyle in which you feel like you’re swimming upstream, it’s important to know you’re not alone. For Christian parents, raising our children in a post-Christian culture feels exactly like this. We have convictions about what’s right and biblical for our families, but we can sometimes feel like we’re barely afloat on a leaky raft in a v ..read more

For years, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with running. In the seasons of my life when I’ve been in great physical shape, running has been a wonderful means of exercise and a context for prayer. But then there are those periods when I’ve done a poor job of prioritizing exercise. And in those seasons, running is an experience I want to avoid at all costs. In the 12th chapter of Hebrews, the author uses the metaphor of running to provide believers with an exhortation to endurance. As we explore his Spirit-inspired words, I believe we’ll find great encouragement as we seek to live out the gos ..read more

Homeschooling doesn’t insulate your child from the world. It won’t make your kids nicer, or more responsible, or smarter. It won’t make them better Christians, or Christians at all. But what homeschooling gives you is time to parent. With your children under your influence, time is a blessing. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along ..read more