English

Historicity of Jesus The historicity of Jesus is the question of whether Jesus historically existed (as opposed to being a purely mythological figure). The question of historicity was generally settled in scholarship in the early 20th century. Today scholars agree that a Jewish man named Jesus of Nazareth did exist in the Herodian Kingdom of Judea and the subsequent Herodian tetrarchy in the 1st century AD, upon whose life and teachings Christianity was later constructed, but a distinction is made by scholars between 'the Jesus of history' and 'the Christ of faith'. There is no scholarly consensus concerning most elements of...

Dolores Smyth 1. Make Your House a Home When you’re first married, decorating your house so that it feels like a home can be daunting. When decorating, one thing to keep in mind is that your home should reflect the things that make both you and your partner happy. This may include specific colors and scents or certain furniture and styles. Agreeing on how to make your house a home may be a bit tricky if you and your other half have wildly different tastes and behaviors. This is where a compromise is in order. Something that many couples can agree on...

Amanda Idleman 1. Organize Your Day and Create Tech-Free Time One unavoidable reality is that technology is a necessary part of most adults' days. Most of us parents aren't just scrolling our phones for fun; we have work to do. A tip that has helped me is to create times in my day that I intentionally let my kids know I have work to do, so they know that is why I am using my phone or computer. I pledge to be tech-free and fully present to engage with my kids in other parts of the day. I feel much less guilty...

The Son determined to live and die by glorifying the Father, even while enduring crucifixion and its excruciating pain. Let’s see the following four principles Jesus demonstrated while crucified: 1. Non-Defensive When those around Jesus did nothing but revile Him, He didn’t defend Himself. Neither did He attack them back (1 Peter 2:23). Jesus stayed silent (Isaiah 53:7). By doing so, He fully exhibited trust that God would avenge Him without having to do so Himself (1 Samuel 24:12).  Like Jesus, you and I don’t need to engage in self-defense even if someone decides to harass us in our pain. The Lord...

The Incarnation, the belief that God became human in the person of Jesus Christ, is a cornerstone of Christian theology. It is a doctrine rich in meaning and profound in its implications for humanity’s relationship with God. However, this central tenet has faced challenges and scrutiny throughout history. This essay aims to provide a robust defense of the Incarnation, exploring its significance, purpose, and addressing common objections. The Significance of the Incarnation: The Incarnation is not merely an isolated event in history; it is the pivotal point around which the entire Christian faith revolves. It signifies God's profound love for humanity,...

Arlene Pellicane 1. Have a daily connecting ritual. Think of a habit that’s easy to do which will establish a ritual of connecting with your spouse each day. It could be snuggling and talking first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Maybe a shared cup of morning coffee or evening prayer. Every night at bedtime I tickle my husband James’ feet and arms (he likes the touch) and we talk about the day (I like the talk). A daily connecting ritual will keep you from slowly drifting away from your spouse. 2. Have a regular date night and annual...

BY GINGER PLOWMAN Christopher’s not letting me play with the ball!” “Sarah’s calling me names!” “Tommy won’t let me in the bathroom!” Sound familiar? Tattling reigns as one of the most common behavior problems among siblings. Unfortunately, it is overlooked rather than dealt with properly in many homes. tattling is typically motivated by one sibling taking pleasure in the other sibling’s suffering, which ultimately creates an atmosphere of opposition and conflict. Siblings who are committed to getting one another in trouble will wedge a thorn of distrust in their relationship, disrupting the harmony of the whole family. Parents can tame the tattletale and...

Elizabeth Spencer 1. Prayer Connects Us to the "I AM" “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) Prayer is a conversation with God. Because our great High Priest Jesus has gone before us and torn down the veil separating us in our fallenness from God in His holiness, we can-upon confession of sin and profession of faith-walk right into the throne room of grace and have a private audience with the maker of the universe. We can do this anytime, from any location. This...

Spend One-On-One Time with Them Every Day Now, I already know what you’re thinking. There’s not enough time or energy in the day to spend one-on-one time with each child. I get it. From the early morning hustle to bedtime routines, most of us struggle to get dinner on the table, let alone spend individual time with our children. However, it doesn’t take much effort to single out each child for some quality one-on-one time. I still remember one night when I was tucking my second-born son into bed. He was the quiet one who always seemed to fly under the...

Jennifer Waddle 1. Commit to Listening to the Right Voice You can find just about any type of marital advice on the internet, by typing in specific keywords and hitting “enter.” However, there is no better instruction than that which is offered by the Word of God. When couples commit to spending time in the Scriptures, and seeking God’s voice above all others, they are less likely to fall for the lies of the enemy. When Satan comes crawling around, whispering, “Did God really say,” couples can immediately detect the deception and combat it with truth. Commit to listening to the right voice—the...