When couples come for premarital counseling, we talk about being team players. We give them two assessments to help them gain personal insights and also relationship awareness of strengths and growth areas. PREPARE/ENRICH is the assessment that looks specifically at the dynamics of their relationship. One of the most important things they need to know going into marriage is what they have in common and how are they different. What do they agree on and what are the areas of disagreement? Though there are other factors to consider as well, in general, couples who have similar interests and values are more likely to be like-minded and able to function as a team. No two people see eye-to-eye on everything. Differences keep life interesting and ...

Few terms in our modern world evoke more disdain than the term “repent.” Upon hearing the word, many envision a long bearded, wild-eyed man carrying a placard that reads, “Repent! The end is near!” To many repent means complete upheaval of life to become a religious zealot. Is that what it means to repent and, if so, why would anyone repent in the first place?

The Bible paints a very different picture of what it means to repent. The Greek word for repent is metanoia which means a change of mind or thinking. A change of mind does not simply happen. It is typically preceded by pain, crisis, and brokenness. We are stubborn creatures and until we experience pain and misery we resist changing. The status quo, no matter ...

Does it seem to you, as it does me, that wisdom, true godly wisdom, is in short supply in the world in which we live? Notice I said true godly wisdom. There is a wisdom of this world which is ungodly. It is “earthly, natural, and demonic” (James 3:15). Worldly wisdom results in jealousy, selfish ambition, disorder (chaos), and everything evil (James 3:16). We see worldly wisdom manifested on every front in our culture: on college campuses, in the media, from Hollywood, in politics, in homes, and in corporations. Whenever we hear or read about policies, values, actions, or teaching that flies in the face of what the Bible teaches, we are seeing worldly wisdom on display.

So what does true godly wisdom look like and, more ...

Five times General Joshua, Moses’ handpicked successor, is told to “be strong and courageous.” Joshua is taking over as the new leader of the 12 tribes of Israel. He will be the one who will cross the Jordan River. He will be the one to conquer the land. One time Moses tells Joshua to “be strong and courageous” (Deut. 31:7) and four times the Lord God tells Joshua to “be strong and courageous” (Deut. 31:23, Joshua 1:6, 7, 9). Can I suggest that Joshua might have been nervous and perhaps fearful to undertake the task of leading this rebellious people and conquering nations superior in number and firepower? I think so. Moses knew he was fearful and so did God. In fact God tells Joshua in 1:7, “...