There are a number of places throughout the New Testament where Paul writes about individuals by name. Sometimes he is praising their faith and willingness to serve; other times he condemns people by name as false teachers or selfish. This got me thinking: if Paul mentioned you or me in a letter, what would he say?...

Have you ever thought about how we all live in circumstances? That may sound rather obvious, but so often we blame circumstances for our attitude, our sin, or our lack of involvement with the church. We could fill a book with the circumstance-based excuses people make. However, the plain fact is that we all live in circumstances, and everyone’s circumstances are challenging in their own way. If we all used our challenging circumstances as excuses, then the church would...

The beginning of a new year is a fascinating time. Many people optimistically make plans and resolutions for the coming year, deciding what they want to accomplish and feeling excited about what the year may bring. Others might feel indifferent about the new year, anticipating another year of the same old grind. Some people may even dread the new year, fearing some unknown event or dreading challenges it may bring, and feeling concerned that they will not live up to some stan