Can Loved Ones in Heaven Look Down on You: Biblical Insights

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June 11, 2024

Can loved ones in heaven look down on you? That’s one of many tough questions kids may ask. Kidmin leaders, youth workers, and parents should be prepared to address queries about death, heaven, and eternity. Although you might not know all the answers, you can turn to God’s Word for insights and hope.

Christians often say that deceased loved ones are watching over them. These people, they say, are taking care of them, smiling down on them, or sending them signs.

The Bible doesn’t say much about can loved ones in heaven look down on you. But several clues in Scripture seem to show this isn’t true.

Bible Insights: Can Loved Ones in Heaven Look Down on You

Here are some Scripture passages that shed light on this subject.

1. He will not return to me.

In 2 Samuel, David, a distraught father, has lost his only child. He has been fasting and praying that God might spare his son’s life. But when the child dies, David says:

But, now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me. (2 Samuel 12:23)

David shows that the child is gone, never to return to this earth. He talks about how they will one day be reunited in heaven. But until then, David indicates a separation. He doesn’t expect the child to leave him any signs or to be a presence in his life.

2. Present with the Lord.

In 2 Corinthians 5:8, the Bible says when we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord. Other passages offer glimpses of what being in the Lord’s presence might look like. Isaiah and Revelation both paint vivid pictures of the singular focus of those in heaven. They gather around God’s throne singing an eternal song of worship and praise. “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.”

Biblical descriptions of heaven don’t indicate that people there participate in or know about things happening on earth. Some say the “great cloud of witnesses” in Hebrews 12:1 indicates our loved ones are watching us. But John MacArthur explains why this passage doesn’t support that idea.

The witnesses in that verse are not modern-day loved ones, but the faithful saints in Hebrews 11 who lived victorious lives by trusting God. Those saints are witnesses to us because their lives testify about the value of trusting God no matter what hardships we face. They are active witnesses who speak to us by their example, not passive witnesses who watch us with their eyes.

Hebrews 11 shows how the great fathers of the faith lived out that faith. Their stories witness to us about trusting God, and they are the witnesses mentioned in Hebrews 12:1. These aren’t our loved ones witnessing what we do, but Abraham, Isaac, and others whose lives witness to us.

SBC Disfellowships Historic Baptist Church for Position on Ordaining Women as Pastors

By

Dale Chamberlain

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June 11, 2024

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) ended its cooperative relationship with First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, on Tuesday (June 11) for ordaining women as pastors.

The decision was upheld by SBC delegates, called messengers, at the annual meeting of the convention after First Baptist Alexandria appealed the recommendation of the SBC’s Credentials Committee.

Founded more than two centuries ago, First Baptist Alexandria had been one of the oldest churches in the SBC, predating the denomination itself. In an appeal given on the floor of the convention Tuesday, Pastor Robert Stephens said that ordaining women was “not a recent development” for First Baptist Alexandria.

“It’s not a cultural concession or a change to accommodate or sacrifice biblical authority,” Stephens added.

According to its website, First Baptist Alexandria adheres to the 1963 version of the Baptist Faith & Message, a previous iteration of the SBC’s statement of faith that did not prohibit women from serving as pastors.

“In 1980, we ordained our first female pastor,” Stephens said. “Women have had a prominent role within the ministry and pastoral positions within the leadership of first Alexandria for over 44 years.”

Nevertheless, Stephens expressed his desire for his church to remain in the SBC.

“Alexandria stands before you today as a testament that we can maintain a fruitful partnership with churches that take a different stance on women and ministry,” Stephens said. “For 44 years, we have continued our partnership with this convention, engaging in kingdom work while having females as pastor.”

He added, “Our presence clearly demonstrates our shared commitment to prioritizing cooperation for the work of the kingdom and the glory of God, which has been successful.”

“We are at a time in human history when the opportunity is at hand for us to make great strides in fulfilling the commission of the Lord Jesus. Let’s keep working together,” Stephens said. “We at First Baptist are advancing the gospel, and we hope that we will continue to work alongside you. All glory and honor unto the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Bart Barber Uses Final Presidential Address To Exhort Southern Baptists To Pursue Unity

By

Jessica Lea

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June 11, 2024

During his last address as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Bart Barber took the majority of his time to “preach.” Tuesday morning, Barber exhorted attendees of the SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis to pursue unity and to bear with one another’s weaknesses.

Bart Barber: ‘May God Give Us the Strength’

Southern Baptist Convention delegates, who are called messengers, will elect a new president of the convention Tuesday evening, choosing from among six candidates: David Allen, Bruce Frank, Mike Keahbone, Jared Moore, Clint Pressley and Dan Spencer.

In comments to the SBC’s Executive Committee (EC) Monday morning, Barber, who is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville, Texas, said people have frequently asked if he is counting down the moments till his tenure as SBC president is over. Barber said that, on the contrary, he is deeply grateful for his time as president of the SBC.

“It’s been a great joy and honor to serve you over the past two years,” Barber said at the beginning of his speech Tuesday, where he sought to rally attendees to tackle various tasks at hand for the convention. “Roll up your sleeves, messengers…Our workload is big, but our God is bigger.”

However, the most important tasks “are not the things that you’re all wondering how the votes are going to turn out today,” Barber said. “God’s got bigger things than that.” He celebrated that last year SBC churches saw a 26% increase in baptisms even while he exhorted Southern Baptists to rise to the challenge of discipling new believers.

Among the challenges Southern Baptists are facing is the convention’s sexual abuse crisis. “Abuse prevention is an ongoing war with predators who are studying and seeking to circumvent everything that we put up in place to deter them,” Barber said. “We must remain vigilant.”

Problems that still need to be addressed in this area include making it possible for churches to warn one another about predators. Barber also said that the solutions that have already been adopted will need to be adapted in the future. He returned to the subject of missions, emphasizing how much local churches benefit from the SBC’s support and resources when these churches want to send out missionaries.

“The health of this convention is a thermometer of the health of our churches,” Barber stated. “I don’t believe there’s a problem we ever face that we can’t solve more efficiently when our churches are more healthy, because the condition of our churches percolates up into this convention.”

“One important ingredient of our health,” he continued, “is our ability to cooperate with one another.”

‘Life Is Too Short To Resist God’—SBC Commissions Over 80 Missionaries at Annual Meeting

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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June 11, 2024

Paul Chitwood SBC — Paul Chitwood at 2024 SBC Annual Meeting. Photo credit: ChurchLeaders

At the start of the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) 2024 annual meeting in Indianapolis, more than 10,000 delegates, called messengers, celebrated the sending of over 80 global missionaries with one mission in mind: Share the gospel.

Paul Chitwood, the president of the SBC’s International Mission Board (IMB), told the messengers that the new missionaries “have responded the Lord’s call upon their lives to go and make disciples of all nations.”

“It’s not often that we can see a group of new missionaries this large nor a group of new missionaries being sent to every single one of the 80 affinities where the IMB works around the world,” Chitwood added.

Chitwood explained that the 80-plus missionaries are “committing to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to deaf peoples, to the people-groups of Europe, to the people of Sub-Saharan Africa, to Asia and the Pacific Rim, to the Americas, to North Africa, the Middle East, to Central Asia and South Asia.”

On the stage behind Chitwood, two large shadow boxes could be seen, representing missionaries whose identities had to be protected for security reasons.

“Some of the missionaries you will hear from today are going to places where they cannot openly share their testimonies,” said Chitwood. “And then there are those who go where the security concerns are so great that even in this convention hall, you will not see their faces nor hear their voices.”

As the messengers listened to the missionaries’ brief testimonies, they were asked to pray for the missionaries. “Ask the Lord to prepare the way before them as they go to take the light of the gospel around the world,” Chitwood said before the first missionaries shared.

One missionary couple who will soon move to Europe told the crowded room, “Life is too short to resist God.” The couple then encouraged those listening to “pray for us as we come alongside a people group that is far from God.”

Russell Brand Walks Readers Through ‘Mere Christianity,’ Will Tour With Tucker Carlson

By

Stephanie Martin

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June 11, 2024

Screengrabs from X / @rustyrockets

New Christian Russell Brand is inviting people to read and discuss “Mere Christianity.” The English actor and podcaster, who was baptized in April, shared a photo of the C.S. Lewis classic on social media June 10. He also invited his followers, aka “Awakened Wonders,” to join a livestream of his book club discussion.

“We’re getting through Mere Christianity and we’re onto Book 3, ‘Christian Behaviour,’” Brand wrote. “Drop me a comment to let me know what you’ve been making of Mere Christianity so far.”

Come read ‘Mere Christianity’ with me!

JOIN: https://t.co/iNc9P1efUb pic.twitter.com/4zxIY4zfmc

— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) June 10, 2024

Last December, Brand revealed he had been reading the Bible and Lewis’ book “The Problem of Pain.” In early 2024, he began mentioning his need for a personal relationship with God. The actor asked followers in March where he should attend church. The next month, he was baptized in the River Thames and talked about being “surrendered in Christ.”

Russell Brand To Join Tucker Carlson’s Tour This Fall

In another June 10 social media post, Brand shared that he’ll be joining former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on his upcoming national tour. Carlson’s nationwide arena tour kicks off Sept. 4. In addition to Brand, special guests on the lineup include Charlie Kirk, Alex Jones, Kid Rock, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Donald Trump Jr. and Glenn Beck, among others.

Earlier this year, Carlson interviewed Brand on “The Tucker Carlson Encounter.” Carlson introduced his guest by saying governments have “colluded to shut down and destroy” the actor. When Brand was accused of sexual assault last fall, Carlson said, it was an attempt to take him out of public view and “to make Russell Brand shut up.”

The reason, Carlson added, is because Brand has “views that diverge from most Western governments” as well as “the capacity to win people over from the other side.” Because Brand formerly leaned left, he’s now a political threat, with “the power to persuade,” according to Carlson.

The alleged “campaign” against Brand occurred outside public view, Carlson said. He described how the actor was denounced as “an agent of Chinese propaganda” due to his views on Ukraine. Carlson also explored Brand’s opinions about the pandemic and vaccine mandates.

Other Updates From Russell Brand

On June 11, Brand posted that he’d be showing “in the ice with Christ”—video of him baptizing people in ice baths on the streets. “You’ll love it; it’s crazy!” he said.

Also on Tuesday, Brand promoted his latest podcast episode with a video of him playing table tennis. “They’re playing GAMES with our LIVES!” the caption stated. Brand told viewers to imagine the ball is world peace, noting that leaders are playing a game with it.

The Church and Mission in Europe Today: Changing the Narrative

By

Jim Memory

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June 11, 2024

Note from Ed Stetzer: I’m starting a series called, “Voices from the Global Church,” leading up to the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. I serve as the regional director for North America, and serve with a team of other regional directors. I’ve asked them to share what God is doing in their regions as we plan toward the next congress. You can also find more at the Lausanne site, including the State of Great Commission report here.

Europe is a tremendously diverse and dynamic context for Christian mission. With more than 40 countries are more than 30 national languages, Europe defies easy definition.

Yet, in many ways, Christianity is what made Europe Europe. No other continent has been exposed to Christianity for such a prolonged period of time and in such an extensive way. Yet just as Europe was the first continent to be Christianized, it was also the first to be de-Christianized…or so goes the narrative.

Around the world, Europe is seen as “the Secular Continent.” Mission mobilization to Europe is predicated on the tiny percentage of Evangelical Christians. And conferences often include the unchallenged affirmation that Europe is post-Christian and in need of re-evangelization.

Yet have we ever stopped to consider if these presuppositions are actually true?

Sadly, many Christian leaders both in Europe and in other parts of the world, have internalized the myth of the inevitable decline of European Christianity. Rather than holding to our eschatological hope demonstrated in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, when it comes to Europe, we have internalized an eschatology of despair.

So, to begin with, it is good to remind ourselves of how the story ends.

Revelation 7 is a postcard from the future, an image of a great multitude drawn “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (v9) and that will include believers from all the peoples and nations of Europe.

Yet that is not only a statement of faith. It is something that, out of the spotlight, is happening right now. An extraordinary re-evangelization of Europe is underway.

I think we can identify three primary dimensions of that re-evangelization. What follows is a summary but you can read much more in my Europe 2021 report.

1. Church Planting Movements

In almost every European country, there is an acceleration in the number of new churches being planted. Whether that is the result of denominational initiatives, mission agencies, individuals, national church planting platforms, or ministries that are facilitating church planting processes, new Christian communities are sprouting up almost everywhere you look.

Just one example: The vision of the CNEF (National Council of French Evangelicals) “1 pour 10,000,” meaning one evangelical church for every 10,000 people, has spurred on church planting in France and has seen, on average, one church planted every seven days or so over the last ten years.

Aimee Byrd: Restoring Hope in the Midst of Disillusionment

By

Jason Daye

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June 11, 2024

How can we help restore hope to those who have become disillusioned with the church? In this week’s conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Aimee Byrd. Aimee is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcaster. She’s written a number of books, including her latest, titled “The Hope in Our Scars.” Together, Aimee and Jason explore the true biblical beauty of Christ’s Church and contrast that with the ways that many are becoming disillusioned with the church today. Amy shares from her own experiences of being wounded by the church and how she has fought to love the church and embrace the heart of Christ.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With Aimee Byrd

View the entire podcast here.

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Southern Baptist President Bart Barber Draws Crowd Near Indy Before Annual Meeting

By

Adelle M Banks

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June 11, 2024

GREENFIELD, Indiana (RNS) — Before the debates, decisions and elections of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, Texas pastor Bart Barber spent the last Sunday of his SBC presidency at a church outside Indianapolis that added an overflow room because the head of its denomination was in town.

At Calvary Baptist Church in Greenfield, Indiana, about 200 people gathered to hear Barber preach after seeing a new member get baptized and listening to Native Praise, a guest choir, sing hymns in Cherokee, Muskogee and English.

“Bart’s been the man of the hour for the last two years,” said Pastor Roger Kinion, senior pastor of the church 18 miles from Indianapolis on Sunday (June 9). “There’ve been a lot of difficult issues in our convention and in our society, and he has carried that torch well for us.”

Southern Baptists are expected to consider a second vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that would declare that one way a church is considered to be in “friendly cooperation” is if it “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.” As they are likely to hear six nomination speeches about Barber’s possible successors, they also are expected to vote on recommendations from the SBC’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force

recommendations from the SBC’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force for possible next steps related to a database and funding to address abuse.

Kinion noted that he had an introductory conversation with Barber, who called from his Texas farm where he feeds cattle when he’s not pastoring his church or addressing denominational matters. Kinion told Barber he’d “fit in just fine” in the state of Indiana.

In fact, Barber told the congregation that he had 21 head of cattle. He noted: “My top performing cow — her name is Lottie Moon,” drawing laughter as he elongated the second word of the cow named after a beloved historical missionary, whose name also graces the annual mission offering of the SBC.

But preaching, praying and singing were the main things on the agenda at the local church he visited two days ahead of the start of the annual meeting.

Before he spoke on a Scripture passage, Barber praised the choir and differentiated between Baptists’ gospel outreach to Native Americans “without coercion” and the boarding schools that were run by Catholics, Anglicans and other Christian groups, whose “forced assimilation” of Native peoples was criticized in a 2022 resolution at the SBC meeting.

“The Holy Spirit makes believers,” he said. “Men can only make hypocrites.”

Barber preached about the passage in the Gospel of Luke that says “God knows your hearts.”

“God knows the truth about you, and that ought to scare the living daylights out of you,” he preached. “If it doesn’t, you don’t know your heart, but God knows your heart. It’s scary, but it is also amazingly good news, because God knows every bad thing about you and loves you anyway.”

4 Practical Insights To Strengthen Your Confidence as a Leader

By

Dan Reiland

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June 11, 2024

What comes first confidence or competence? What sustains leadership confidence? What breaks it down?

Any confident leader who is honest about it, will tell you that he or she has moments or seasons where their confidence has taken a hit. The question is what can we do about it?

It’s similar to a professional baseball player. They understand the game, they know how to hit, but they’re in a batting slump. It’s when that batting slump gets in their head that more complex issues begin.

Confidence in what you can do is different than confidence in who you are. You can’t separate the two, but confidence in who you are must always take first place.

If confidence is gained primarily through doing things right and achieving success, what happens to your confidence when you don’t do things just right?

If you are leading and making progress toward the goal (vision), you are out in front. When you’re out in front you’re in new territory and engaging new problems. Therefore, you’ll make mistakes as you figure out how to do things at new levels (league of play) that you’ve never done before.

All of that can challenge your confidence.

There is a great measure of confidence that comes from experience and competence in your leadership skills, but the important distinction is whether your sustained confidence comes from your ability or your identity.

It’s common among leaders to lean into ability first, and we strive to become better. The challenge is that if we base our confidence first on what we can do, (ability), rather than who we are, (identity), the first time you strike out, mess up or fail, your confidence crashes.

Self-doubt can then steal your confidence, and you begin to second-guess yourself.

Think about a child learning to walk or ride a bike, they must first believe they can, before they actually do. They believe from something within them that they can do it, and therefore keep trying until they can. And if they fall, they get back up and try again.

The child who exclaims to their parents “I can’t!” is like the pro baseball player who allowed the batting slump to get in his head.

The goal is to focus on identity first as you develop your ability through practice and gain experience. Each time you step up to the plate, take a swing and hit the ball, the greater your confidence becomes. Keep practicing.

Worship and the Christian’s True Identity

By

Jonathan Cruse

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June 11, 2024

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

The whole of the Christian life can be summed up in these two little words (favorites of the Apostle Paul): “in Him.” Our union with Christ is the definitive aspect of our salvation and our status before God and others, and therefore our identity must be found in Christ. Of course, living out of our Christian identity is easier said than done, as the world desperately wants us to find our meaning and purpose in passing fads and vain pleasures. It takes work and intentionality to live out the reality of being in Christ. Claiming we live out of our Christian identity instead of finding it in the things of this world is meaningless unless we actively and intentionally find our identity in the things of God. Decrying and denouncing the culture around us isn’t enough—we need to immerse ourselves in a counterculture.

How Worship Reminds Us of Our Christian Identity

Thankfully, God offers us that counterculture every Sunday in corporate worship. Regular, faithful participation in Biblical worship is the primary way we can ensure we are living out the reality of our union with Christ. Worship is where those who have union with Christ can experience soul-enriching and life-transforming communion with Him as well. In corporate worship we receive what are called the “means of grace”–which Westminster Shorter Catechism defines as the means by which Christ communicates Himself to us (88). These ordinary means are the word, the sacraments, and prayer.

We can easily get caught up in certain so-called Christian disciplines and practices or spiritual exercises as a means of “finding God” or communing more deeply with Him. While these may be at times appropriate and beneficial, it must be emphasized that it is through these simple, unremarkable, ordinary means of grace where we can know we are communing with Christ, who is consistently confirming and deepening our identity in Him. Let’s look at each of these briefly in turn.

Word

We begin to understand how the Word of God can deepen our communion with the Son when we remember that Jesus himself is the Word Incarnate. All of the truth, majesty, glory, and goodness that we find in the Bible is in Jesus Christ. The Bible is a book by Him and about Him (Luke 24:27). Because the Bible is the Word of God it is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and when we read it we are drawn into a living and active relationship with the Savior.

Interestingly, the Westminster Shorter Catechism makes a point to say that while Christ communicates Himself through the reading of His word, He especially communicates Himself and communes with His people through the preaching of His word (WSC 89). Jesus says as much when He prays to the Father for the souls of those who will be united to Him through the preaching of the apostles: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in us” (John 17:20-21). Paul says that it was God’s plan to use something as foolish as preaching to give us something as glorious as Christ: “it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

We go throughout the week with competing claims for our affections, told a pervasive narrative about who we are and what really matters. We are constantly being fed a false “identity gospel”: follow your dreams, “just do you,” pursue your happiness at whatever cost, listen to your heart and you’ll be content. But then we come into corporate worship and we hear the proclamation of the gospel and we are reminded of our Christian identity. Michael Horton expresses it beautifully:

Even if we are lifelong Christians, we forget why we came to church this Sunday until it all happens again: We come in with our shallow scripts that are formed out of the clippings in our imaginations from the ads and celebrities of the last week, only to be reintroduced to our real script and to find ourselves by losing ourselves all over again.^[1]

When we receive the Word by faith, and particularly the Word preached, we are being placed back into that better narrative. We are being placed into Christ.

Sacraments

Contrary to prevailing notions in mainstream Christianity, the sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s Supper) are not primarily a statement of our dedication to Christ or an act of our commitment to Him. They are the exact opposite. Through the sacraments Christ claims us as His own. By means of water, wine, and bread Christ is confirming to us that we do indeed belong to Him. For John Calvin, the whole point of the sacraments is tied up with the doctrine of union. Union “is the aspect of the gospel that the sacraments are chiefly designed to present and represent.”^[2]

Baptism is the outward sign of the inward, spiritual reality that we belong to Christ. Hence “as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). It is God’s public declaration that we are united to Christ, that we are part of His body, the church. That is why baptism is called a “solemn admission” into the church, because it is the sign that God has united us to His Son (WCF 28.1).

We need to reclaim the language of the Reformers, who often spoke of “looking back” to their baptism as a way of strengthening their faith and dispersing their doubts. It truly is a sign and a seal (Romans 6:4). For Martin Luther, the knowledge of his baptism was the remedy against the devil’s taunts. Truly, rather than saying “I was baptized” we should say “I am baptized”—while it happened once, it continually seals us into Christ.

If baptism is connected with the believer’s initial union to Christ, the Lord’s Supper is then connected with the believer’s ongoing participation in this union. It would be hard to overestimate just how important the Lord’s Supper is in terms of our union with Christ. It’s in the name after all: Communion. While we might primarily think of it as being a communion with the body of believers—and it is that—it is also a communion with Christ. In fact, it would be best to give this “vertical” relationship the priority in the Supper. “For we must first be incorporated into Christ,” Calvin says, “that we may be united to each other.”^[3]

15 Signs You Might Need a Day Off

By

Chuck Lawless

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June 11, 2024

Frankly, I’ve met a lot of church leaders who are just weary. If that’s where you are, here are some warning signs it’s time to take a day off—whether you work for a church or a secular employer.

You haven’t had a day off in a month. I’m learning there’s nothing godly about workaholism. In fact, it’s idolatry.
You dread going to work. If you start the day defeated, you probably need to take a break.
Others comment on your fatigue. Sometimes we’re the last ones to recognize the fatigue in our face, but we seldom hide it from others.
You don’t pray much about your job. We’re doing our work in our own power when we don’t pray – and that reality wears us out. Take a day off and pray.
You quietly and “humbly” let folks know you’ve not taken any time off. When you feel the need to brag about your busyness, step away for a day. The work will go on without you.
You’ve lost your Christian joy—particularly over your work—but you don’t know why. You might just be tired and need a break.
Your family keeps asking when they’ll have time with you. Their words are a clear sign you need to lay aside your work to hang out with them.
Your family doesn’t like you anymore. I’m being somewhat facetious – but not entirely. When we take out our stress and fatigue on others, we need to take a break.
You don’t laugh at work any more. Laughter is evidence of some level of fun. If you used to laugh at work but no longer do, the strain will catch up with you.
Nobody else around you seems to be having fun. If nobody’s having fun around you any more, it’s quite possible you’re the problem. Step away from the strain for a day.
Your eating and workout habits are going downhill. Even if you get all your work done, but at the expense of your health, you haven’t ultimately helped anybody.
Illnesses are recurrent. Overcoming an illness usually demands rest and sleep. Both require taking the time to do them.
Your job stress keeps you awake at night. You’re not getting much rest because your job’s always on your mind.
You haven’t taken a vacation in years. I’ve learned that this issue goes hand-in-hand with needing a day off. People who never take a vacation often never take a day off, either.
You no longer thank God for your job. When you’re no longer grateful to Him, you probably need to take a day or two to get refocused.

What would you add to this list?

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Will There Be Technology in Heaven?

By

Randy Alcorn

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June 11, 2024

A reader asked our ministry, “Will people have technology in Heaven?”

Technology is a God-given aspect of human capability that enables us to fulfill His command to exercise dominion. Something in the human constitution loves to create, tweak, experiment, and play with machinery. This isn’t a modern development; it was true of ancient people as well.

We will find harps, trumpets, and other man-made objects in the present Heaven. What should we expect to find on the New Earth? Tables, chairs, cabinets, wagons, machinery, transportation, sports equipment, and much more. It’s a narrow view of both God and humans to imagine that God can be pleased and glorified with a trumpet but not a desk, computer, or baseball bat. Will there be new inventions? Refinements of old inventions? Why not? We’ll live in resurrected bodies on a resurrected Earth. The God who gave people creativity surely won’t take it back, will He? The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).

Will There Be Technology in Heaven?

In this two-minute video, I share some thoughts about technology to the glory of God.

When God gave Eden to Adam and Eve, He expected them to develop it. He’ll give us the New Earth and expect the same of us. But this time we’ll succeed! This time no human accomplishment, no cultural masterpiece, no technological achievement will be marred by sin and death. All will fully serve God’s purposes and bring him glory.

Overcoming Offense at the Table

By

Andrew Mason

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June 11, 2024

overcoming offense — Adobe Stock #807412558

Jesus stated that one of the signs of the end times would be the exponential increase of “offense.” Not only can this poison unbelievers, it also threatens the health of the church as well. If Christ-followers aren’t knitted together in the opposite fashion of worldly individualism, they, too, will be ill equipped to navigate the minefield of hurt and anger in the last days. Thankfully, the first-century church healed a series of complicated discord and divisiveness, leaving us a road map highlighted in hope and overcoming offense.

I don’t know if there has ever been a time where I’ve observed so many people in a rush to reach “victim” status. For every legitimate case of abuse, prejudice and corruption, it seems like there are twice as many foolish claims of misguided people who are convinced of the justice due to them (someone was probably offended by the latter part of that statement).

Offense can appear in many forms. Even in churches where we have made efforts to celebrate diversity, we can experience schisms based on ethnicity, morality and affiliations.

Overcoming Offense at the Table

Not only did Jesus inform us that it’s “impossible that no offenses should come” (Luke 17:1) He later upped the ante by predicting that one of the signs of the end of age would be that “many will be offended, will betray one another and will hate one another” Matt 24:10). Notice, He didn’t say a few or a fraction, but many.

THE TABLE IN THE EARLY CHURCH

In the New Testament history of the early church, there was a massive amount of offense to overcome in order for His bride to move forward into her destiny. In the midst of the original “revival,” Jewish people and Gentiles were surrendering to Jesus by the thousands. Despite a shared faith in Christ, there was an inflammatory divide between these two groups of people that began and ended at “the table.”

The concept of “the table” was a central aspect to believers in the book of Acts. In his book, The Irresistible Community, Bill Donahue says…

“In first-century Jewish culture, people found their place to belong in their family or tribe and as part of the local community… Most of the time they met in a home, where the table became a symbol of hospitality, acceptance and friendship. There people found simple food, quality friendship and occasional fun.”

Fellowship and meals together at the table was so woven into the fabric of the first Christians that two-thirds of the Jerusalem Council guidelines was about how to eat with each other properly (Acts 15:19-21).

JEWS VS GENTILES

The problem was, the more Jewish believers and Gentile believers mixed company, the more controversy and disputes arose. The Jewish believers had a very conservative interpretation of their faith in Christ, while the Gentile believers were more liberal in their approach. Jews adhered to Old Covenant patterns of circumcision, dietary laws, ritual sanctification and observing feasts. Gentiles were more unorthodox in their practices and questionable about certain ethics (1 Cor 5:1). Based on the outcome of the Jerusalem Council, we learned both groups were right and both groups were wrong about some of their assumptions. In other words, overcoming offense was everyone’s responsibility.

While the journey to become one body was a messy ordeal, it began and ended at the table. For example:

Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision (Jewish believers) contended with him, saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men (Gentiles) and ate with them!” – Acts 11:1-3 NKJV, (Italics added)

Jewish believers were offended at the thought of being at the table with Gentiles, even if they converted to faith in Christ. On the other side of the coin, you had Paul and Barnabus, whom God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles through (Acts 14:27).

These differences were multi-faceted and difficult to untangle. The competing issues were rooted in race, convictions and political privilege. Since the church depended on the intimate gatherings of fellow disciples, these disagreements threatened the vitality of this new and budding movement. Two thousand years later, these passages could not be more relevant to believers than today!

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Christian Parenting Quotes: 20 Truths for Raising Godly Kids

By

Bri Lamm

-

June 10, 2024

Need some inspirational Christian parenting quotes? Here are insights about parents as Godly teachers.

We hear it all the time. Millennials are leaving the church. Three common traits of youth who don’t leave the church. How the church can keep kids from leaving. The list goes on and on. As a church, we want to raise up the next generation of Christ-followers.

But most training doesn’t start inside the church walls. It starts at home, with parents as teachers.

I can’t tell you how many times a parent has shared how desperately they want their kids to be in church following Jesus and understanding the Bible. I mean, that’s what most parents want. But the real kicker? The number of parents who say that yet have no relationship with God themselves.

Maybe their kids are asking questions or wondering what God is all about. But instead of making church and Christianity a way of life, parents pawn off their kids on someone else.

Parents: God trusted you with these little humans for a reason. He’s trusting that you’ll raise them into Godly children who follow Him.

Your role as a parent? You’re a teacher. May these 20 Christian parenting quotes inspire you to raise Godly children.

20 Christian Parenting Quotes

1. “You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, training them up in God’s fear, minding the house, and making your household a church for God as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of Hosts.” Charles H. Spurgeon

2. “The goal of parenting isn’t to create perfect kids. It’s to point our kids to the perfect God.” Lindsey Bell

3. “Some of your children’s rebellion against your spiritual lifestyle might be a necessary step in their finding an authentic relationship with God. But beware: If they find it, it might look quite different from what you’ve always thought it should be.” Tim Kimmel

4. “The highest privilege and purpose as a parent is to lead the child in the way of Christ.” Max Lucado

5. “Our goal in parenting is not ultimately for our kids to get a great education or be great athletes or to find a great husband or get a great career. Our goal is for them to love a great God.” David Platt

God’s Intended Plan: Help Teens Find True Purpose for Their Lives

By

Paul Sheneman

-

June 10, 2024

Teenagers want to know God’s intended plan for their lives. That’s a key part of spiritual searching. Read and share these helpful insights about knowing God’s will and purpose.

I became a Christian as a teenager. Back then, I was consumed with the question, “What does God want from me?” Because I had people-pleasing tendencies, that was a huge concern.

First, God opened my spiritual eyes to the truth that He is a personal being with authority in my life. Then the next logical question was: How do I make God happy? But I quickly became confused about seeking the answer, because I assumed God had one plan. One purpose. One use for me. My mission was to seek out God’s will and do it.

I also assumed I would know God’s will by having this absolute confidence. I thought that’s what people were describing when they said, “I have peace about this decision.” The “peace” seemed to indicate they had rejected all other possibilities and locked their eyes and heart onto only one possible course of action. (That was true whether it was about dating, finances, educational decisions, etc.)

What I later found out is a freeing and sometimes scary reality. God doesn’t have a plan.

God’s Will Is Actually Three Wills

If you’re a youth leader, then expect a teen to ask, “What does God want me to do?” Here’s where you have the awesome, gut-wrenching responsibility to walk with kids. Teach them that God doesn’t have a single plan for their life.

Will is a desire, purpose or determination, especially of one in authority. We typically say God’s plan or purpose instead of God’s will. Whatever you call it, confusion exists among Christians about what we’re actually talking about when we talk about God’s will.

Pastor Leslie Weatherhead provides a clear description of God’s will. He divides it into three concepts:

The intentional will of God—God’s ideal plan for humans
The circumstantial will of God—God’s plan within certain circumstances
And the ultimate will of God—God’s final realization of his purposes

Let’s take a deeper look at these. We’ll see how each relates to teens seeking God’s intended plan for their life.

To dig deeper into each concept, we’ll reflect on God’s will as it relates to Jesus. Then we’ll apply it to the practice of spiritual direction with teens.

Three Parts of God’s Intended Plan for Our Lives

1. Intentional Will

Weatherhead writes: It was not the intentional will of God, surely, that Jesus should be crucified, but that he should be followed. If the nation had understood and received his message, repented of its sins and realized his kingdom, the history of the world would have been very different. Those who say that the Crucifixion was the will of God should remember that it was the will of evil men. (The Will of God; Chapter 2)

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