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Articles by Sheila Alewine
How Can Parents Effectively Explain the Gospel to Their Kids?
A great concern for parents who are followers of Jesus is how to explain the gospel so that little hearts and minds can comprehend and believe. If we give our children nothing else, a right understanding of who Jesus is, why He came, and what our response should be is enough. Understanding and accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ lays a solid foundation for this life and affects their eternity. What else is there?
6 Practical Ways We Can Strengthen the Church
A quick internet search for “church planting” will result in a myriad of articles, from research on current statistics and advice from church planters to a whole host of organizations with extensive structures and programs in place to establish and grow new churches. I wonder, though, if it’s meant to be as complicated as it would seem by this mass of information.
How To Reconstruct Your Faith
A few months ago, the area I live in was ravaged by two storms. Over fifteen inches of rain fell in a twenty-four-hour period, soaking the ground and causing creeks, streams, and rivers to begin to rise. Before we could catch our breath, Hurricane Helene bore down on the mountain towns of Western North Carolina, bringing another ten to fifteen inches of rain along with winds of 40-60 mph.
How To Reconstruct Your Faith
A few months ago, the area I live in was ravaged by two storms. Over fifteen inches of rain fell in a twenty-four-hour period, soaking the ground and causing creeks, streams, and rivers to begin to rise. Before we could catch our breath, Hurricane Helene bore down on the mountain towns of Western North Carolina, bringing another ten to fifteen inches of rain along with winds of 40-60 mph.
How To Reconstruct Your Faith
A few months ago, the area I live in was ravaged by two storms. Over fifteen inches of rain fell in a twenty-four-hour period, soaking the ground and causing creeks, streams, and rivers to begin to rise. Before we could catch our breath, Hurricane Helene bore down on the mountain towns of Western North Carolina, bringing another ten to fifteen inches of rain along with winds of 40-60 mph.
How To Reconstruct Your Faith
A few months ago, the area I live in was ravaged by two storms. Over fifteen inches of rain fell in a twenty-four-hour period, soaking the ground and causing creeks, streams, and rivers to begin to rise. Before we could catch our breath, Hurricane Helene bore down on the mountain towns of Western North Carolina, bringing another ten to fifteen inches of rain along with winds of 40-60 mph.
5 Christ-Focused Ways Paul Prepared for the End of His Life
Author Published Sep 11, 2024 A quick internet search for “how to prepare to die” will result in a myriad of articles all focused on “end of life planning.” Most of these address practical things such as wills, estate planning, powers of attorney, medical preferences — all things that are helpful for this life, but not much use in preparing for what comes after death. In a secular culture, death is perceived to be the end.
What Is Heresy and Is It Something We Should Be Worried About?
The word “heresy” is understood in the English language to mean a deviation from what is generally accepted to be true, and is not necessarily confined to religious tenets. For example, one could say it is “heresy” to eat your French fries with mayonnaise instead of ketchup in America. In this case, it’s nothing to worry about, and in some places around the world, mayonnaise is the preferred condiment! For a follower of Jesus, however, heresy is surely something we should take seriously.
How Can We Model the Love of Jesus by Showing Compassion?
What Is Compassion? The dictionary defines compassion as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.” It differs from empathy or pity, in that while these words indicate an emotional response to the suffering of others, compassion moves one to act.
4 Essential Aspects of the Gospel That All Christians Should Know
Author Updated Feb 23, 2024 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). In the New Testament, the word Gospel is translated from the Greek word euangelion, meaning good tidings, glad tidings, a good message.
4 Essential Aspects of the Gospel That All Christians Should Know
What Does the Bible Say about the Gospel? By observing how the Bible speaks of the gospel, we learn that it is all about Jesus. Consider these references.
How Do I Become a Christian?
Slide 1 of 4 Jesus Is the Way The way to where? To heaven, to live and exist for eternity in a glorified, immortal state in the presence of our Creator, God. Perhaps we need to think of it this way: Jesus is the way back to God. Genesis 1-3 tells us the story of where we began. God created the world and placed Adam and Eve in it to enjoy His presence and to take care of the beautiful garden He had made especially for them.
Encouraging Promises When a Loved One Is Dying
Author Published Jan 08, 2024 “Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation” (Psalm 85:7). God brought this verse to my husband’s mind as my family daily gathered around my father’s hospital bed. We knew he would never return home with my mother, and that his day of promotion to heaven was drawing ever nearer.
Encouraging Promises When a Loved One Is Dying
“Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation” (Psalm 85:7). God brought this verse to my husband’s mind as my family daily gathered around my father’s hospital bed. We knew he would never return home with my mother, and that his day of promotion to heaven was drawing ever nearer.
6 Practical Ways We Can Strengthen the Church
1. Guard the Purity of the Gospel “After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
Crosswalk - Grow in Faith with Daily Christian Living Articles
“After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.’ … But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening [epistērizō] the churches” (Acts 15:36, 40-41, emphasis added).
6 Practical Ways We Can Strengthen the Church
A quick internet search for “church planting” will result in a myriad of articles, from research on current statistics and advice from church planters to a whole host of organizations with extensive structures and programs in place to establish and grow new churches. I wonder, though, if it’s meant to be as complicated as it would seem by this mass of information.
6 Practical Ways We Can Strengthen the Church
A quick internet search for “church planting” will result in a myriad of articles, from research on current statistics and advice from church planters to a whole host of organizations with extensive structures and programs in place to establish and grow new churches. I wonder, though, if it’s meant to be as complicated as it would seem by this mass of information.
Does God Care about My Weight?
A quick internet search tells me that in the United States, Americans spent more than $75 billion dollars on weight loss and diet control last year. This includes everything from diet soft drinks and artificial sweeteners to health clubs, meal replacements, diet supplements, prescription drugs and even weight-loss surgeries. That’s a lot of money, not to mention the time and attention our culture puts on what the scale says about us.
Does God Care about My Weight?
Author 2023 31 Oct A quick internet search tells me that in the United States, Americans spent more than $75 billion dollars on weight loss and diet control last year. This includes everything from diet soft drinks and artificial sweeteners to health clubs, meal replacements, diet supplements, prescription drugs and even weight-loss surgeries. That’s a lot of money, not to mention the time and attention our culture puts on what the scale says about us.
A Picture of God’s Perfect Grace in the Life of Moses
What is grace? The simplest definition is “unmerited favor.” To receive grace is to gain what is undeserved; it is to obtain what can never be earned or gained by our own efforts. The world has its own idea of what defines grace, but like all virtues, grace is rooted in the character of God. He is the original author and only true source of grace.
3 Undeniable Truths to Help Us Understand the Trinity
“To meditate on the three Persons of the Godhead is to walk in thought through the garden eastward in Eden and to tread on holy ground. Our sincerest effort to grasp the incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity must remain forever futile, and only by deepest reverence can it be saved from actual presumption.”–A.W. Tozer A quick search on the internet brings up many articles explaining the doctrine of the Trinity.
3 Undeniable Truths to Help Us Understand the Trinity
Author 2023 19 Oct “To meditate on the three Persons of the Godhead is to walk in thought through the garden eastward in Eden and to tread on holy ground. Our sincerest effort to grasp the incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity must remain forever futile, and only by deepest reverence can it be saved from actual presumption.”–A.W. Tozer A quick search on the internet brings up many articles explaining the doctrine of the Trinity.
How Does the Sovereignty of God Impact the Great Commission?
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20). “So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
How to Trust God if You Feel Like He Let You Down
A popular quote says, “When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust His heart.” In other words, sometimes God allows things in our lives that we simply can’t comprehend. From our human understanding, it isn’t logical to permit suffering if you have the ability to prevent it. But that’s just it – we only have human understanding.
How Can We Model the Love of Christ through Good Listening?
A good listener must become a good “responder” so that the conversation has an effective outcome. Listening doesn’t end when the other person has finished speaking. The goal isn’t that both of you “said your piece” and walk away, unchanged or with no better understanding of one another. How we respond in one conversation lays the foundation for the continuing relationship we want to build, as a bridge to share the gospel and model the love of Christ.
How Can Parents Effectively Explain the Gospel to Their Kids?
A great concern for parents who are followers of Jesus is how to explain the gospel so that little hearts and minds can comprehend and believe. If we give our children nothing else, a right understanding of who Jesus is, why He came, and what our response should be is enough. Understanding and accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ lays a solid foundation for this life and affects their eternity. What else is there?
How Can the Church Support Foster Families?
God has a special place in His heart for the afflicted, for those who are humbled, weakened, bowed down, or oppressed through the actions of others or by the circumstances that occur because we live in a fallen world. Everyone is familiar with the picture of Jesus gathering the little children around Him and correcting the disciples’ idea that they were a bother or distraction.
7 Traits of a Gospel-Centered Good Samaritan
The story of the Good Samaritan has been told and retold for centuries as an example of how to care for others and meet their needs in obedience to Jesus’ command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. It’s a parable – a physical story with a spiritual lesson. While the emphasis is on meeting a person’s physical needs, I believe the greater application is acting in response to the spiritual need for salvation.
Powerful Verses for When You Feel Discouraged
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). “’Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool’” (Isaiah 1:18).
10 Truths We Learn about Wisdom in Ecclesiastes 7
The Hebrew word translated “good name” is šēm. Strong’s defines it as “a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character.” It is your reputation – what comes into the minds of those who know you, when your name is mentioned. It’s also how the world remembers you when you’re gone. Solomon had experienced both – a reputation for wisdom, and all the money his heart could desire. He knew which one had the greater value.
The Universal, Unrelenting Love of Mothers of Children with Disabilities
Being a mother is hard. Being a mother to a child with a disability is extra hard. 93 million children suffer from physical and cognitive disabilities worldwide. When I see that number, I immediately think about the 93 million mothers who received news that the child they carried for nine months, bonded with and dreamed of raising, was going to be different than they imagined. A special connection is formed for a mother as her child grows inside of her.
How Can the Church Support Foster Families?
God has a special place in His heart for the afflicted, for those who are humbled, weakened, bowed down, or oppressed through the actions of others or by the circumstances that occur because we live in a fallen world. Everyone is familiar with the picture of Jesus gathering the little children around Him and correcting the disciples’ idea that they were a bother or distraction.
How Can the Church Support Foster Families?
Foster parents care for children who may or may not be orphans. Foster care is designed to be temporary, a time of separation so that the parent(s) can get needed help. The goal is always for a family to be reunited, but in many cases foster children are eventually adopted. I believe what Scripture teaches about widows and orphans extends to families who find themselves in the foster system.
How God Uses Messy Moms to Fulfill His Plan
By Sheila Alewine, iBelieve.com I think my daughters were around the ages of five and seven when I found myself in our walk-in closet letting out a scream of frustration. I don’t remember what was going on that day, but apparently it was enough to make me realize I needed a “time out.” I do distinctly remember the day one of them tattled on me when their father came home from work.
8 Truths to Cling to if You Feel Like You've Failed as a Parent
As parents, and members of the body of Christ, we should strive to always view one another through eyes of grace, remembering that God allows us to partner with Him in parenting the children He gifts us, and that, although He works through broken vessels like us, He is able to do His work in spite of us. I have gone through all the seasons you go through when you raise children.
5 Things to Remember When Your Children Ask Tough Questions
As Christian parents, we have two choices when our children come to us with questions about God, the Bible, and spiritual matters in general: we can dispense a bandaid (quick Sunday School answer) and pray that suffices, or we can grab our toolbox (Bibles) and get to work! I recently read that the average American spends about an hour a day in the car. For mothers of school-aged children, the amount doubled.
How God Uses Messy Moms to Fulfill His Plan
No matter where we are on the path of motherhood, or even “grand-motherhood,” we can all be classified as “messy moms.” We might be a mess. We might think we’re making a mess of it all, but we all have this in common: we need the encouragement and hope that comes from a sure confidence in the overcoming grace of a sovereign God. I think my daughters were around the ages of five and seven when I found myself in our walk-in closet letting out a scream of frustration.
How to Celebrate Christmas Like Mary and Joseph
Holidays are a funny thing. They come to us, handed down from our parents and grandparents, full of traditions, memories and significance. For the Christ-follower, Christmas is a day of celebration and remembrance honoring the fact that God sent His Son into the world as a baby, born of a virgin, for the express purpose of redeeming mankind back from the sin which separated the creation from its Creator.
5 Reasons to Rejoice That Our God Is Omniscient
Sheila Alewine Author 2020 13 Aug Omniscience is one of God’s immutable attributes, which is to say, all knowledge of all things is an inherent part of His character and being. Nothing is outside of God’s sphere of knowledge. The word “omniscient” is defined as having infinite awareness, understanding and insight; it is universal and complete knowledge. God’s omniscience means that He can never learn anything new. Nothing can surprise Him or take Him unaware.
3 Simple Ways to Ask God to Transform Your Heart
By Sheila Alewine, Crosswalk.com “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 5:14-15). As believers we can ask God for many things without knowing for certain that it is His will. We might ask to provide financially, but it may be His will that we do without some of the things we think we need.
3 Simple Ways to Ask God to Transform Your Heart
“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 5:14-15). As believers we can ask God for many things without knowing for certain that it is His will. We might ask to provide financially, but it may be His will that we do without some of the things we think we need.
7 Signs of True Salvation
By Sheila Alewine, Crosswalk.com Do you doubt your salvation? You’re not alone. Many Christ-followers experience times when their faith wavers and the enemy whispers accusations that cause them to doubt if they are really saved. Just as a slow but steady drip can damage over time, repeated trials and temptations can cause cracks in our spiritual armor.
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