Bad moods are inevitable. Some of us find our way into them more often than others, but it happens to us all. It may be caused by how we are feeling, events that happen, as a response to stress, or just because. Heck, I have been so moody, it seems like I am sometimes...
There’s no easy way to say this, so here it is; we’re going to die. And when that time approaches for each of us, we want to be able to look back on our lives and say we have no regrets, right? That’s the idealistic scenario, at least. Is it realistic? Maybe. Of...
It’s safe to presume Jonathan Edwards was devoted to self-examination. Perhaps that’s one of the things that has made this the perfect topic for the year of listening up. That’s because, though 1Glories is ever-evolving, one element is pretty constant; “refining life,...
The inquiry into why we sin has to be one of the most asked questions of all time. And that is probably true of both believers and non-believers. Though the latter may not ask specifically why we sin, they probably wonder why we do bad things. Jonathan Edwards...
There often seems to be a lacking of personal accountability in our world. In fact, it seems like personal accountability is a dying skill, much like cursive and Latin. That’s why I love that Edwards built personal accountability into his 23rd resolution. And I...
Not a day goes by that I don’t find myself judging others. On the one hand, I grow angry with myself because I am judging others. On the other hand, I thank God for revealing to me those things I should seek to rid from my life and being. In that regard, it is a...
One of my former pastors encourages people to ask “what is the right Christian response to this?” when faced with conflict. It’s not just conflict, though. It’s an appropriate question for all matters of life. Being able to press pause for questioning an...
I am the biggest sinner. That’s not a title I wear with any sense of pride, however. I wear the title with shame and humility. But the bigger question, though, is why I am the biggest sinner? The answer to that is rooted in the study of Edwards’s resolution...
“Chad, every day can be a literal hell on earth, and it will never even begin to compare to the joys of heaven.” A good friend of mine shared this little bit of wisdom with me many years ago, and I have not once forgotten it. It’s been a refrain of perseverance during...
In modeling the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to seek “Your Kingdom Come.” This is probably viewed by most as a bringing of Heaven to earth. In other words, it’s something we long for in a future tense. What is forgotten or ignored, though, is the present perspective...
Are you fooling yourself? It’s an honest question, but one that is hard to answer. Along with it comes other questions. For instance, how do you know you are fooling yourself? And how might we get awareness of fooling ourselves? It’s really no simple matter, but it is...
Holy Communion is sort of my personal New Year or rebirth. That may sound ironically selfish, but stick with me. You see, when I have the opportunity to join with fellow believers in Holy Communion, I view it as a cleaning of the slate. A moment when I come into the...