Our negative emotions are designed to deepen our relationship with Christ and to each other. Winston Smith opened the 2016 CCEF conference by focusing our attention on so called “negative” emotions. Consider anger, sadness, grief, anxiety, or stress. Winston asked us if we ever felt bad about feeling bad. “Do you ever feel bad about… Read More »
For those of you who missed #CCEF16, or this year’s Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation Conference, below are summaries of the main sessions. This year’s theme was “Emotions: Engaging the Expressions of the Heart.” I hope these concise summaries will be a blessing to you. You may purchase the conference audio directly from CCEF here. Winston Smith – General Session… Read More »
Where does a Peacemaker Find the Power to Persevere in Conflict? Answer: Through Complete Dependence on Jesus. What motivates you on a day to day basis? Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34). What would it look like if God’s glory… Read More »
Paul was gushing with confidence in God’s ability to complete his work in his fellow Christians. In Paul’s letter to the saints in Philippi, he says this: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:6. Paul was sure… Read More »
As Christ followers, we should be striving to cultivate safe places in our relationships for the glory of God. If you have been hurt by a brother or sister in Christ before, you recognize that is not the way relationships were meant to work! Christian community “should” be a place of safety. Do people feel safe with you? Do they risk being real with you? Do people confide… Read More »
How often do you wear a mask? Does anyone know the real you? To be a good friend, it requires us to be vulnerable. Intimacy doesn’t just happen. It requires revelation. Just as we can have a relationship with God because he reveals himself to us, self-revelation is a prerequisite for intimacy in our close relationships. Ever… Read More »
When you run out of human love, what do you do? I suggest that you ask God for more faith. Our cry should be: “I believe, help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24, Hebrews 11.) Faith and love are necessarily connected. The Christian life is “faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6.) You won’t be able to love without… Read More »
<Missed the 2014 Peacemaker Conference? Get summaries of the 2014 Peacemaker Conference Speakers here!> Pastor Brady Boyd, the Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs shared his experience with the power of God in peacemaking. He encouraged us from Matthew 5, reminding us that God blesses those who work for peace. Seven years ago, God called Pastor… Read More »
<Missed the 2014 Peacemaker Conference? Get summaries of the 2014 Peacemaker Conference Speakers here!> Dr. Gary Hoag gave the second plenary session at the 2014 Peacemaker Conference. In his message, he explained that peace was now attainable through Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, peace was something that came from the Lord and peacemaking was tied… Read More »
<Missed the 2014 Peacemaker Conference? Get summaries of the 2014 Peacemaker Conference Speakers here!> Pastor Jason Meyer, from Bethlehem Baptist Church, gave the opening message at the 2014 Peacemaker Conference. He challenged us to embrace a theology of weakness. We glorify God by declaring his sufficiency for us in our weakness. Often we have the wrong impression of… Read More »