Is Gambling a Sin?
Several weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 to strike down a federal ban on sports betting. The vote did not automatically legalize sports gambling across the country, but it does open the door for states to make an autonomous decision for themselves if they want sports betting legalized or not. Experts have predicted that over the next two years, 14 states could have legalized sports gambling. What is gambling? Webster defines it as “to play a game for money or prope
Everyone Needs a Nathan
David is the king of Israel. He has everything he could ever imagine. He’s described as a “man after God’s own heart.” But in II Samuel 11, David commits adultery with Bathsheba—a sin that kick-starts a series of tragic events that includes the death of two innocent people. In David’s darkest hour, God sends a prophet, Nathan, to tell David what he needed to hear (II Samuel 12). David needed to be confronted about the sins he could hide from men, but not from God. Whether Dav
'Act Like Men'
"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." -- I Corinthians 16:13-14 Act like a man. Man up. Be a man. We’ve all heard those phrases. But what do they even mean? Sadly, our culture devalues the role of men, particularly in the home. But God says men are important. Husbands are important. Fathers are important. What we do is important. God created us, and He obviously had in mind specific duties and responsibilities fo
Live Peaceably With All
Jesus says in Matt. 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” As citizens of God’s kingdom, we should be peacemakers. But what kind of peace is Jesus talking about? How can we be sure we are really pursuing peace? How can we be sure the peace we are pursuing truly reflects the nature and character of God? Peter provides a six-point plan for peace in I Pet. 3:8-9. Harmony is the goal: The world views relationships as disposable. But in the kingd
Are You a Fan or a Follower of Jesus?
A fanatic is defined as a “person who is extremely enthusiastic about some interest or activity” (Webster). We’re all fans of something or someone: sports teams; movie franchises; musicians; authors; etc. We express our loyalty to them by investing time and money in what they offer in the form of entertainment. But at the end of the day, we’re just fans—nothing more, nothing less. We have our normal day-to-day lives; we’re not part of the team. We don’t have any role in the s
