Turning from your sins, wrongdoings, and difficulties is hard for even the most devout Christian. Sometimes the sin doesn't feel all that serious, or it just feels good to do it. Other times we fear appearing weak by admitting our failures. Still other times we think we can avoid the consequences of our sins if we don't own up to them. Are you finding it difficult to repent? Read this blog post adapted from Unforgivable? How God’s Forgiveness Transforms Our Lives  to see three reasons you might be finding it hard to repent. 

As Christians redeemed by Jesus, we get to live with the joy of the victory that Jesus has already won for us. We also live under the Great Commission—the instructions that Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew 28 to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (vv. 19–20). Although Jesus’ words in the Great Commission were clear, we might not know how to approach conversations about Jesus with friends and family. But we know that God uses us as instruments to share the Gospel with those around us and that the Holy Spirit works faith in us and others. Here are some books that you can use as tools to help build up the confidence to speak clearly, share the joy of salvation in daily life, and carry out our calling to make disciples.

We hear lots of voices from different churches. Everyone is claiming to be “the one true Church.” How can we discern if we are following God’s will? Christa Petzold provides us with some biblical advice to help us understand the “marks of the Church” and discern which churches are faithfully preaching Jesus. The following has been adapted from Gathered by Christ: The Overlooked Gift of Church.

The concept of “God’s plan” can be nebulous. The platitude, “This was just God’s plan,” rings hollow—or even hurtful—in times of pain or terrible events in history. While we cannot always pin down God’s plan for our individual lives, we can observe, straight from Scripture, God’s ultimate plan for salvation.

Read Christian hip hop artist FLAME’s powerful first experience with Confession and Absolution and the comfort it provides. The following has been adapted from Extra Nos: Discovering Grace outside Myself.

We all like the idea of reading. Think about those cozy autumn-themed paintings featuring a little wood cabin with a figure in a rocking chair cradling a book by the warm fireplace glow. Or maybe you think of those whip-smart characters in a TV show who always seems to find the clever solution to a bind through a book that they’ve read. The idea of reading is commonly compelling, but the follow-through occurs far less frequently. People with a successful daily reading habit are even more rare. Continue reading to be encouraged with five reasons why you should read every day.

Did you know that October is Pastor Appreciation Month? Pastors do so much beyond what we see on Sunday mornings— they visit the sick and dying, provide counseling, and are leaders for church or school staff, for example. Take a moment to give thanks for your pastor and pray for his ministry.

Our world is a sinful, broken mess. Yet God uses people and things around us to deliver His grace. Is it weird that God uses lowly parts of His creation for His perfect purposes? Christian hip hop artist FLAME explains how God uses physical elements to deliver His good gifts. The following has been adapted from FLAME’s book, Extra Nos: Discovering Grace outside Myself.