Articles Tagged 'Religion'

For over 30 years, Heartlight has shared articles to help people live for Jesus in everyday life. While we are no longer publishing new articles, this enduring collection features relevant pieces throughout the year to encourage faith, offer biblical perspective, and speak to real-world joys and struggles.

Daily Altar of Grace

Phil Ware takes the two love commands of Jesus, the Greatest Commands, and applies them to all of life for a follower of the Lord.

God isn't going to accept anything we offer him — our hearts, our Sunday worship, our offerings, our praise, our hopes, our private prayers, our dreams — if we knowingly remain at odds with a brother or sister in Christ.

Through the Keyhole of Grace

Phil Ware compares Jesus to a keyhole through which we look at God and the closer we get to Jesus the more clearly we see God and gives us a reading plan to discover more!

What can we learn about God by looking at Jesus?

The Way of Jesus #2: Unsettling the Religious Status Quo

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the deadly consequences of a religion that forgets the love of God for broken people and the mission Jesus has for us to the lost world and helped define the way of Jesus through the cross to the empty tomb.

We must always remember that God's love for broken people and our call to his mission must matter most.

Beyond Religious Places, Practices, and Rituals

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the deadly consequences of a religion that forgets the love of God for broken people and mission Jesus has for us to the lost world.

We must always remember that God's love for broken people and our call to his mission must matter most.

Caring for the Vulnerable

Phil Ware and Demetrius Collins lead us into worship through songs, Communion, and the Word God, inviting us to experience, proclaim and rejoice in the love of God for all people and to be stirred to share that love with others.

We are Jesus' heart, hands, and feet. Let's remind each other that we should bless the broken, forgotten, left out, and needy.

Beyond Religious Places, Practices, and Rituals

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the deadly consequences of a religion that forgets the love of God for broken people and mission Jesus has for us to the lost world.

We must always remember that God's love for broken people and our call to his mission must matter most.

Not a Patch, but a Whole New World

Phil Ware continues looking at the gospel of Mark and reminds us that Jesus isn't a patch on religion or a new joy to infuse old and stale religion; he is an altogether all new thing.

Pursue Jesus. Completely pursue him. You will notice that while you are not religious, you are being drawn to a holy character and gracious compassion that religion longs to impart, but cannot!

Where Is the Love?

Tom Norvell reminds us that as disciples of Jesus, our job is to bring the love of Jesus into every arena of life, even if the rest of the world has forgotten to do so.

As followers of Jesus, it is my responsibility to speak and demonstrate the language of this authentic love.

The Grace of Dropping Stones

Tom Norvell reminds us of a well known truth we so often forget and even more infrequently apply.

Would I be willing to drop my stone first?

How to Discredit Christianity

Rubel Shelly reminds us that wild predictions about Jesus' return on specific dates often are used by sceptics to discredit Christianity.

Want to know how to make unbelievers disbelieve even more?

Through the Keyhole of Grace

Phil Ware compares Jesus to a keyhole through which we look at God and the closer we get to Jesus the more clearly we see God.

What can we learn about God by looking at Jesus?

The Elephant Is Still an Elephant

There are many opinions, many theories, and many philosophies. But there is an absolute truth: there is only one God and the only way to Him is through Jesus Christ.

Truth doesn't stop being truth

Rules for Building a Snowman?

Rubel Shelly reminds us of the keys to following Jesus by pulling our leg about a bunch of rules for building a snowman.

So there are actually rules for this?

But Herod's Time Ended!

Phil Ware reminds us of the simple, yet powerful words found in the hard story of Jesus' birth and Herod's attempt to murder him at Bethlehem -- But Herod came to an end.

The cycle of violence is heartbreaking — will it ever end?

The Nones

Rubel Shelly reminds us that the group of those who claim none for religion is growing quickly in the U.S. and that they do so because they are are tired of the hypocrisy.

Are you a none?

Same Thing, Only Different

Phil Ware continues his series on the prodigal son called the journey home, this message is about how both sons wanted the same thing and both loved the father's stuff more than they loved the father.

How can we follow in the same pattern doing the same ol' thing yet it appear on the surface as something very different?

SpiritFire - Two Choices

Phil Ware kicks off a series called SpiritFire on the Holy Spirit and emphasizes we have to either walk by the flesh or by the Spirit.

Which do you choose?

Worthless Religion?

Tammy Marcelain shares insight on who we welcome and how we welcome them into our midst, and also reflects on what we do to push them away and hurt them with our words and actions.

What can empty our faith of its value?

The Frantic Pursuit of Rest

Bill Sherrill talks about our rush to rush into everything and how we need to read God's Book about life and how to experience it.

Why does it seem to get farther away while we run faster to chase it?

The Jesus Vibe: Daily Altar of Grace

Phil Ware takes the two love commands of Jesus, the Greatest Commands, and applies them to all of life for a follower of the Lord.

Can't I just keep a little of my life protected from this?

Seeking God

Idolatry in India leads to a false notion that their gods are drinking milk, but the true and living God knows us and cares about us.

What god are you seeking?

The Added Burden

Religion often addes burdens to people's backs, but Jesus came and relieved burdens.

Is your faith lifting burdens or adding to them?

Where is Your Church?

Church is found where people who make up the Lord's Body are at work doing Kingdom business.

Do you know where your church really is?

Doing Things Religiously

Worship is more than what happens every seventh day, it is all of our lives.

How are you doing on your spiritual exercises?

You Must Remember the Forgotten

True religion is more than just spouting off religious phrases and remaining isolated from worldly people -- it means to take the sin and worldliness out of people and take care of them.

Will you remember those everyone else forgets?