Spiritual warfare is a part of every Christian’s life and an integral part of a balanced relationship with God. It is not some “special revelation” meant for a few especially gifted people. Nor is it a formula or a set of complicated, extra-biblical rituals that resemble role-playing games. The new Christian is born into the battle. We do not choose the battle but must learn to do battle. Jesus tells us (John 15:18-19) the world hates you because it hated me first and you are not of the world. Jesus taught us that whatever we ask the Father in Jesus’ name He will give itRead More →

I recently shared a testimony that I encourage you to go check out. Here is a preview. In the spring of 2011, I excitedly began work on the first novel of a new sci-fi series. While still writing the first few chapters, my husband decided to go to a last-minute, Saturday seminar about twenty minutes away from where we lived. I’d been looking forward to a relaxing day at home with him and asked that we skip this one, but he insisted, so off we went, with a device with directions on it in my hand. We never arrived. Instead, I “woke up” from strange dreamsRead More →

Dear Andrea, Some fellow Christians I know and love have said critical things about Christians having their own “Christianese” language, their own books and movies,  their own methods for finding a spouse, etc. They accuse fellow believers who try to live according to the Word and defy the ways of our secular culture of living in a bubble and can be so harsh and condemning. It is hurtful and confusing when Christians say such things. What should I do? Yours, Gentle Reader Dear Gentle Reader, Christians having their own Christian culture isn’t wrong. In fact, the Bible says we are a holy nation, citizens ofRead More →

29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (Phil 1:29-30) The Apostle Paul tells the Philippians here that grace has not given them the privilege of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, but also to experience pain, punishment, and distress–for his sake. The privilege is to be engaged in the cosmic war, doing our divinely assigned part to advance the gospel. The more suffering we endure in our calling, as a direct result of obeying clear  instructions from theRead More →

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” (Ephesians 2:19) If you’re a Christian and you weren’t born Jewish, you’ve probably been told at some point that you’re a gentile. By birth, that is true. But you’re also a naturalized citizen of Spiritual Israel, aka the Kingdom of God. We have equal rights with the other spiritual heirs of Abraham, Issac and Jacob–while those with the physical bloodline are cut off from Israel if they’ve rejected Israel’s king (Jesus) and hence themselves renounced their citizenship.  We should of course still love,Read More →