What are the five essentials of a biblical counselor? Perhaps you’re interested in becoming a lay biblical counselor. Maybe you’d like to begin a counseling ministry at your church. Either way, you need to know the five essential characteristics of an effective biblical counselor. Now Is the Time As our culture snakes into dark sinful patterns, an effective biblical counselor can … Read More
5 Keys to Better Communication, 1 of 2
Do you want to know the 5 keys to better communication? Who doesn’t? This is the first post in a two-part series on better communication. Find the second post here. God’s Word guides us in how to communicate in order to keep unity in our relationships. There is no clearer description than in the book of Ephesians. Chapters one through … Read More
6 Principles for Repentance
Repentance. This idea behind this word can bring on a cold sweat on a hot summer day. It suggests wrongdoing, apologies, forgiveness, and change. In the New Testament, the word repent simply means to turn around. It was a military term that described a soldier marching in one direction and then doing an about-face. Spiritually, it means to change your … Read More
Counseling Women Abused as Kids
“Counseling for Women Abused as Kids” is the third post in a four-part blog series on godly responses to kids and sexual sin. Part 1 looked at grooming tactics used by predators: “Stay Safe from Child Sexual Abuse,” and Part 2 wrestled with “When Kids View Pornography.” Despite parents’ best efforts, sometimes sex abusers hurt children. The effects can last a lifetime. … Read More
Depression, God, and You
Depression, God, and you. Yes, depression may have a physical cause or it may be rooted in a spiritual issue. When depression has a legitimate physical cause, it’s best addressed and controlled through the advancements of medical science. Diabetes, hypothyroidism, and other glandular problems may be directly connected to the depression a person feels. I will let the medical doctors give … Read More
Regret to Restoration
Is regret messing with your peace? Is your regret so painful that you’d like to erase a part of your past? Let’s look at regret — what it is, the two main types, and how to move from regret to restoration. Regret Defined Regret is feeling sorrow or remorse for something you did or failed to do. Sometimes regret becomes disappointment. This feeling … Read More
Do Real Men Cry?
Jesus didn’t just cry a tear or two—he wept. He wept is the shortest verse in the Bible, yet so powerful! Jesus wept. John 11:35 (ESV) Was Almighty God displaying weakness? No. Rather, he felt deep compassion for his friends, whose brother Lazarus had died. Why Cry? Part 1 Is crying a sign of weakness? Did God give us tears to … Read More
Spanking Kids
Spanking kids — do people do that anymore, especially in today’s politically correct culture? (This is the second post in a series on disciplining children. Read the first post.) CNN Living’s article “Is It Okay to Spank?” reported in 2011 that most parents spank though “a distinguished list of experts has denounced spanking as ineffective, even dangerous.” The Spanking Kids … Read More
Why God NEVER Fears!
Did you know God NEVER fears? Like God, you and I feel grief, compassion, anger, and love. . .and so does God. Yes, God has emotions. But God never fears while we fear almost daily to some degree. God never fears anything; he never fears anyone. God is the Creator of everything and everyone. Because He is sovereign — which means … Read More
