We are called to guard our mouths, for our words could destroy us, our families, our churches, and our society. Those who claim, "I just speak what's on my mind," don't display a virtuous characteristic but demonstrate a lack of self-control. Those who wear their emotions on their sleeves aren't "just being honest," but show they do not guard their mouth. How do we guard our mouths and tame our tongues?

Every so often, news headlines erupt with a hot topic that divides Christians. In the news last week, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled on a case that involved frozen embryos through the IVF process. A simple internet search will explain the process if you're unfamiliar with IVF. The Court's ruling acknowledged that each fertilized egg produced from IVF is a child. However, this sent shockwaves through the church.

Living at an intersection of various cultures has taught me many things. Some of these include similarities between all people. For instance, people enjoy laughing. God has created humor; people tell stories and jokes to make others laugh. Another example involves eating. Each group prides themselves on some dish or food from their nationality, and people enjoy eating. However, one of the most common similarities all cultures have is the use of words.

One of the most overused words in the English language is ‘good.’ Our days are good. Our kids are doing good. That Roman Carbonara was good. Her dress looks good. Good, good, good. We even use the word to remove the harshness of a description. For example, “That restaurant was good, but…” Good is not great, and it’s certainly not the best. It’s just, well, good. It’s no wonder that most people classify themselves as good. They know they aren’t perfect. They know they make mistakes. But they aren’t bad. So, they are good. However, the Bible removes this cultural lie and reveals that good is an excellent word.

We live in a time where tension among ethnicities is high. Over the past couple of decades, an increase in pressure has occurred. The Leftist globalism and "woke" ideology have fueled much of this tension and promoted the elevation of certain ethnicities. These ideologies are unbiblical, with terrible consequences.

Culture and the world attempt to capture our allegiance. Peter struggled with this in his life. When Christ spoke that he was going to Jerusalem for the crucifixion, Peter replied with a contradictory statement by saying, “No, Lord.” Jesus can’t be Lord of your life if you tell him no. Jesus rebuked him for this. When Christ spoke about his death and resurrection, Peter replied with a boastful statement that he would never fall away.

We aren't called to be mindless, naïve, emotionally charged, obtuse people. We must be mindful, wise, joyful, and astute. This means proclaiming the Gospel that quenches all fires and brings reconciliation with the red-hot Eternal God. This means being salt and light, even when people want blandness and darkness. This starts with being a mindful Christian.

The Christian life is one of endurance. As we’ve been covering James, trials produce endurance, ultimately leading to maturity in Christ. These are for our good and given to us by God. On the other hand, indulging in temptations undercut our growth in Christ.

What do you call a person who freely gives up their Queen in chess? You call them the same thing that you call a Christian who doesn't pray. Crazy! That's because prayer is the Christian's advantage in this world. To give that up is to give up a fruitful, joyful, and exhilarating life. To give up prayer is to give up the catalyst to align oneself with the will of God.

Merry Christmas! As you celebrate the coming of Christ through giving gifts, eating lavishly, and resting joyously, give Him thanks for salvation. In order to spark your heart towards gratitude, here is an excerpt from John Piper's book, Good News of Great Joy.

The world may hate you for stomping on their easy solution to guilt or even introducing a means by which guilt is absolved. Yet, we are called to be bold and courageous, not backing down, for we have a hope that rests on the absolution of transgressions.

The role of a king is somewhat lost on our modern Western minds. When people think of a king, they think of a wealthy, fat, finely clothed man with access to every luxury of the kingdom. They might also picture one who sits above everyone else, who is there to be served, and who makes demands. Some might imagine a tyrant who has let absolute power corrupt absolutely. As Americans, we rebel against monarchial rule, for the power belongs to the republic, not one man. After all, we won the war for independence!

The smells of chestnuts roasting and frittelle frying around this time of year signals that Christmas is just around the corner. The season's beauty, wonder, and glimmer inject a spark into society. A sentimental feeling swells as people are friendlier, busier, and looking forward to December 25th. Of course, as believers in Jesus Christ, Christmas holds more than warm fuzzies but a sense of climatic worship.

The story goes of a beautiful girl with fair skin, rosy lips, and dark hair. She held a beauty that none could compare. Likewise, her step-mom had a beauty that many envied. However, instead of being virtuous, she was quite the opposite. This tale of Snow White is familiar to many. However, this is also another story. It’s the story of many churches today. Read more about The Pragmatic Produce.

Will this Thanksgiving be the best of Thanksgivings? How is this even judged? Is it the amount of food? Is it the company you are with or not with? Is it if your football team wins? Or maybe it's how you wake up feeling that day? The world says all these things are the standard of a good Thanksgiving Day. However, Christians can see the Scriptures say something different.

The Rolling Stones recently published an article on the new speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson. Johnson has openly proclaimed his biblical worldview, and even has described his governing as sourced from the Scriptures. He has not been shy about vocalizing his beliefs in the Bible and Jesus Christ. In doing this, he has incurred much wrath from those who hate Christianity. Read more about Hope in A Hopeless Culture.

Due to this pile of rubbish, our culture has come to a boiling point in which relativism has given way to a form of self-absolutism. The air of the culture is no longer filled with an acceptance of all beliefs (though even that was a farce) but now is described by the term "cancel culture". People can’t find joy and peace among the trash of human philosophy. People can’t find grace in our culture. Though the world tries to earn it, all of its efforts are vanity. Our presence begins to clean the filth of the culture as truth and grace go forth.

When we look at Ancient Rome, one of the characteristics that define it is pride. You can go down to Rome today and see the remains of their pride. All Roman men's statues depict handsome, muscled-up, courageous, and dignified men. The figure of Caesar Augustus doesn't simply proclaim pride, but it makes a declaration of his supposed deity. They sought glory and prided themselves upon their own perceived strength.

The Bible is not optional for the Christian. It’s as vital as oxygen! The command to shepherd also involves not feeding the sheep to the wolves, but protecting the flock. Recently, a well-known pastor has demonstrated what it looks like to feed the sheep to the wolves. Andy Stanley recently hosted a conference at his church entitled “The Unconditional Conference.”

The war rages in Israel. As report after report comes out from the horrors and atrocities of Hamas and their surprise attack began on October 7th, the levels of depravity towards the Jewish people have not been seen on this scale since the Holocaust. In the age of smart phones, almost every person has a camera at hand ready to record every evil act committed. The depraved human heart shines forth as Hamas clearly does not care about Just War Theory or the Geneva Conventions. Read more about the The Raging War of Absolute Truth.