‘From the Beginning of the Year’

Paul J. Scharf

The holidays are over once again. And, for all that I did to try to hold on to it, the last week of the year has escaped me, as well.

I love the holidays, and I’ve written much about them in the past. I’ve especially shared my thoughts in previous columns about the importance of using the closing days of the year to plan for the months ahead. I have also described my intention to spend the first eight months of the year, in essence, preparing for the last four.

Discussion

Should Christians Make Bucket Lists?

SI Filings

“Don’t waste your final two decades chasing earthly excitements when excitements a thousand times better await you just over the horizon of this life.” - John Piper

Discussion

Barnabas: A Case Study on the Ministry of Encouragement

Forrest McPhail

Acts 11:24 says this of Barnabas: he was “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” God describes Barnabas as a man who lived by the strength and grace of the Holy Spirit. God describes Barnabas a man who believed His Word, a man whose live greatly encouraged others. Anyone that God publicly assesses this way is someone that we want to emulate!

Discussion

Parents, Discipline Your Little Children

SI Filings

“Couple our cultural moment of permissiveness with the unpleasantness of administering discipline and we understand why parents err on the side of lenience. But lenience, like severity, is still an error.” - Ref21

Discussion

2024 and the Sure Foundation for Your Times

SI Filings

“The LORD will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. (Isaiah 33:6)” - Geiger

Discussion

Friends in High Places: On Celebrity Conversions

SI Filings

“our obsession with celebrity conversions evinces a kind of favoritism Scripture explicitly prohibits (Gal. 2:6; 1 Tim. 5:21). James 2 warns us about this: ‘My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism’ ” - CToday

Discussion

Why I Transcribe the Bible During My Quiet Time

SI Filings

“Nothing complicated: I take a notebook, open the Bible, and start copying God’s words. One by one. I focus on the book I’m studying at that time.” - TGC

Discussion

It is Bible reading time!

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“How did you do with your vows of Bible reading last year? I hope you established the habit, whether you made it all the way through the Bible or not.” - Don Johnson

Discussion

Sermon for New Year's Day

Guest

Sermon no. 1816, delivered on Thursday evening, January 1st, 1885, by C. H. Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.

“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.”—Revelation 21:5.

Discussion