Browsing Tag:

Sovereign

In Blog, Cultural Christianity, Theology on
October 10, 2022

Should I Really Let Go and Let God?

“You just have to let go and let God.”

You’ve probably heard this phrase before. It’s a particular favorite amongst Christian influencers and megachurch pastors. Let go and let God—the idea of letting go of whatever troubles you in this life and letting God take care of you and your situation. In one sense, this little phrase is a great reminder that we’re not ultimately in control of what goes on in our lives and we need to trust God’s sovereign will.

In another sense, this little phrase can cause major theological errors that greatly affect our faith and relationship with God. Before we share this clever quip with someone or use it to define our own lives, we ought to ask: “Should I really let go and let God?”

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In Bible Study, Blog, John on
October 2, 2022

Once Saved, Always Saved?

When I was a young child, I would pray the sinner’s prayer every chance I got. I grew up attending a Southern Baptist church every Sunday, so I’ve witnessed many altar calls in my lifetime. As a child, I knew that I had put my faith in Jesus, and I knew that meant I was saved. But I didn’t feel saved. I felt like surely there had to be something more to salvation than just believing in Jesus. So, I kept praying the prayer, hoping that at some point it would click and I could feel assured that I really was saved. I wanted some big, flashy sign to tell me, “Yes, you are saved!”

Assurance of salvation is something that every Christian struggles with at one point or another. We see how sinful we still are, even after repenting and trusting in Jesus, and this causes us to wonder if our salvation experience really worked the first time. These feelings of doubt and insecurity often beg the question, “Once saved, always saved?”

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In Blog, Book Reviews, Spiritual Growth on
September 25, 2022

Embrace Your Life

Life was not going as planned.

I graduated with my master’s degree in May last year, and I had planned on getting a full-time job as soon as I was finished. As I neared my final day of classes, I began looking for jobs and submitting applications, but nothing was panning out. After graduation, weeks and months passed by. Holidays and special events came and went, and I still did not have a job. I became depressed and confused as to why I couldn’t find a good job. Thankfully, after ten very long months of waiting and hoping, I finally started in a full-time job, and as I look back, I can see that God moved me out of my old position and into my new one at just the perfect time.

However, not every situation in my life has turned out quite like this. There have many times where I wished and hoped and prayed for something to happen for weeks, months, years. I was absolutely convinced that everything would work out the way I had planned and dreamed. But it never did. My prayers appeared unanswered. My dreams were unfulfilled. And I was left in a perpetual state of longing, wondering what in the world God was doing in my life.

Over the years, I’ve had to learn embrace the life I’ve been given, which is exactly what Elizabeth Woodson’s new book is all about.

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In Bible Study, Blog, Exodus on
September 5, 2022

Image of Idolatry

Every time I read through Exodus, Numbers, or Deuteronomy, I can’t help but think, “How can Israel be so forgetful?” God had performed miracle after miracle, wonder after wonder. He had answered their prayers, provided for their needs, and proven that He was nothing but faithful to His people. Yet, Israel still grumbled, and complained, and longed to return to their bondage—again, and again, and again.

But whenever I think these thoughts, I’m reminded that we are no different than Israel. God has performed miracle after miracle, wonder after wonder in our lives. He has answered our prayers, provided for our needs, and proven Himself faithful to us. Yet, we still grumble, and complain, and long to return to the bondage of our old, sinful ways. There is one Old Testament story in particular that highlights our similarities to Israel well, and it has to do with the creation of a golden calf.

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In Acts, Bible Study, Blog on
August 8, 2022

Full of Faith

Twenty-three years ago, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold entered Columbine High School armed with guns and explosives, killing thirteen people and injuring over twenty others. The Columbine massacre was a tragedy that affected the entire nation, and people today still grieve the lives that were lost that fateful April day. The first victim to be shot and killed was a seventeen-year-old Christian girl named Rachel Joy Scott. A fellow student who survived the attack claimed that Rachel was asked a question moments before her death— “Do you still believe in your God?”

In 2016, I went to the movie theater with some other girls in my youth group and watched I’m Not Ashamed, a movie based on Rachel’s life and death. When the movie ended, I came to the realization that we live in a world where one day someone could put a gun to my head and tell me to deny God or die. I resolved that day that if I ever were threatened harm or death because of my faith, I would never deny my Savior.

It’s hard for us to imagine that this could ever happen to us, but Rachel Joy Scott is neither the first nor the last Christian to die because of her belief in Jesus. As followers of Christ, it should be expected that we face hardship and persecution (John 16:33). The world hates us because it hated Jesus first, but we shouldn’t let that stop us from proclaiming the truth of the gospel (Matthew 10:32-33). There’s no better example of this than Stephen in the book of Acts.

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