The truth that's behind your emotions August 16 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. – 1 John 5:13 After the 1912 presidential election, Woodrow Wilson made a trip to visit an aged aunt whom he hadn't seen in a long time. The two sat and talked for a while before she asked, "So what are you doing these days, Woodrow?" "I've just been elected president," Wilson replied. "That's nice," the aunt replied. "President of what?" "Of the United States," Wilson responded confidently. The aunt gave an impatient laugh, "Don't be silly!" When it comes to what's true, our opinion of the truth has little to do with its truthfulness. You can believe with all your heart that drinking poison will be good for you. But when you take a gulp, the truth will be laid bare no matter what you believed before. This principle is especially applicable when it comes to the spiritual life. The reality is that either Jesus is who He said He was, or we are mistaken. There's no middle ground. Trust in Jesus not just because you feel it in your heart, but because you're convinced He's Lord by His death and resurrection. Be fully convinced in your faith and discover the real truth behind the emotions. Prayer Challenge Pray and ask God to help you go beyond your emotions and confirm in your heart the truth of Jesus. Questions for Thought Why do you think many people see faith as more of a feeling than an actual fact? What does that say about their faith? How do you think the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection makes your faith different from other religions? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post The Truth That’s Behind Your Emotions – Senior Living – August 16 appeared first on GodUpdates.

The Lord desires to make us a people filled with his grace and compassion over our own anger and prideful sense of justice.

There’s nothing better than a good night’s sleep. When my wife and I had our first kid, Judah, 14 years ago, we prized sleep above all else. One of us napped while the other took care of the baby. We’ve never been so tired in our lives. In his narrative account of the stilling of the storm, Mark tells his readers that Jesus was “asleep on the cushion” (Mark 4:38). Why mention that Jesus was sleeping? Was he exhausted from a hard day’s work? From Teaching to Sleeping Grasping the context of Jesus’s sleeping during the onslaught of the storm is critical. After Jesus relates several parables on the kingdom of God (vv. 1–34), he commands the disciples to “go across to the other side” of the Sea of Galilee (v. 35). We also learn that the sea crossing takes place “on that day, when evening had come” (v. 35). This is the same day that Jesus taught the parables on the kingdom. By aligning the sea crossing with the kingdom parables, Mark invites his readers to relate the nature of the kingdom with what will transpire on the sea. As the storm rages and waves crash into the boat, we encounter one of the strangest lines in all of Mark’s Gospel: “But he [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on the cushion” (v. 38). The flow of the narrative is jarring, since we expect Jesus to be awake in such dire circumstances. His behavior is also perplexing because this is the only passage that mentions him sleeping. You typically sleep because you’re, well, tired, and this passage mentions nothing of the sort. Why is Jesus asleep? Let’s consider the significance of the sea and the symbolic value of sleep. Chaos of the Sea God’s enemies dwell in the sea, as the Old Testament is replete with texts that describe the sea as the embodiment of death, rebellion, and chaos (e.g., Ex. 14:16–31; Ezek. 32:2; Dan. 7:2). Even Mark’s use of the word “sea” is noteworthy, because “lake” is a more apt description (e.g., Luke 5:1, 2; 8:22, 23). Could it be that the storm on the “sea” of Galilee symbolizes a demonic horde’s attempt to thwart the gospel’s spread? I think so. The storm on the ‘sea’ of Galilee symbolizes a demonic horde’s attempt to thwart the gospel’s spread. While it may seem strange to view the storm as a demonic attack, notice Jesus’s response: “He [Jesus] awoke and rebuked [epetimēsen] the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still [pephimōso]!’” Why rebuke a storm? It’s akin to yelling at pesky weeds in your lawn or commanding a rose bush to produce larger roses. Throughout Mark’s narrative, the word “rebuke” (epitimaō) often occurs in the context of exorcisms (e.g., 8:32–33; 9:25). The most relevant passage is 1:25, where the combination of “rebuke” and “silence” or “be still” occur together: “Jesus rebuked [epetimēsen] him [the demon], saying, “Be silent [phimōthēti], and come out of him!” Immediately following the stilling of the storm, Jesus disembarks in the “country of the Gerasenes,” where he exorcises a multitude of demons and casts them into the sea (5:1–13). Resting in the Sovereignty of God If there was a demonic attack on Jesus and the disciples during the storm, this fits with Jesus’s sleeping in the boat. Consider, for example, two passages from the Psalms that describe King David asleep amid turmoil: I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. (3:5–6) In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (4:8) These passages reveal that David slept soundly despite his enemies doing their worst. Sleep demonstrates complete trust in God’s sovereign hand. Sleep demonstrates complete trust in God’s sovereign hand. Let’s put the pieces together: Jesus sleeps while God’s enemies attack him, because he, like David, unswervingly trusts in the Father’s protection. He knows nothing can derail his mission to die on the cross and rise from the dead. We also learn something here about the nature of God’s eternal kingdom. The kingdom has broken into history but not in its fullness. Earlier that day, Jesus explained the kingdom’s arrival is like a mustard seed that eventually grows into a mighty tree (Mark 4:31–32). As Jesus and the disciples make their way into Gentile territory to proclaim the gospel and advance this slow-growing kingdom, the demons attempt to thwart their advance. But just as Jesus successfully defeated the Devil in the Judean wilderness (1:12–13), so here he defeats the demons on the Sea of Galilee. Read in Context What do we learn from this remarkable event in Jesus’s life? We learn that Jesus is fully human, and as a human, he slept soundly during an attack, demonstrating perfect trust in his Father. This is the deepest sleep anyone has ever enjoyed. But Jesus isn’t just any human; he slept like King David. We could even argue that Jesus slept better than King David because he possesses perfect trust in God in contrast to David’s imperfect faith (see Ps. 51:1-19). The Christian life is marked by trust in God and his promises. At our conversion, we trust God’s promise to deliver us from our sin on account of Christ’s work. But don’t we continue to trust those same promises throughout our lives? Every morning, we must remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness in the gospel. Christ lived, died, rose, and ascended to the heavenly throne for us. This account also teaches us to read each passage in accordance with the preceding and following passages. The preceding passage concerned the nature of the kingdom (4:1–34) and the following passage describes Jesus restoring the Gerasene demoniac (5:1–20). The arrival of God’s eternal kingdom clashes with Satan’s kingdom. We can glean such insights by keeping track of what precedes and what follows. A helpful place to begin is by using the Bible outlines or the outline of each book in The Gospel Coalition’s Bible commentaries to trace the narrative’s flow. When we let Scripture interpret Scripture, we perceive a richness to Christ and his work that inevitably results in praise and adoration.

I grew up loving movies and loving Jesus. But my filmgoing and churchgoing felt like separate worlds with little overlap. That changed one afternoon when I was a high school sophomore. I was in a movie theater in Shawnee, Kansas, and the movie was Terrence Malick’s WWII epic The Thin Red Line. It was the first time I watched a “secular” film that spoke to me directly as a Christian, engaged my head theologically, and stirred my heart to love God more. The Thin Red Line showed me the rich possibilities for how faith and film could interact. After that transformative filmgoing experience, I committed myself to carefully exploring the faith-film conversation and helping others do the same. I’ve continued this exploration as a student, film critic, and teacher ever since. Over the last 25 years, I’ve come to see the intersection of faith and film is multifaceted and multidimensional. Here are four aspects of the relationship that might help you as you think about how movies relate to your Christian faith. 1. Faithfully Viewing Films A big way our Christian faith interacts with film is in the mode of our viewing. Are we watching movies Christianly? Are we exercising Christian discernment and wisdom in both the films we select and how we watch them? How do our “no” and “yes” to certain films arise from Christian convictions and affect our witness? How does what we watch affect our souls? How do Christian viewers enter this highly secular sphere without being morally compromised by it? These questions and others are essential as we think about what it means to faithfully view films. 2. Films Interpreting Faith How does Christianity fare as a subject matter in contemporary movies? Many modern filmmakers incorporate Christian imagery, motifs, and virtues in their films, in both positive and critical ways. Christianity looms large as a dominant cultural force, so naturally artists can’t resist interacting with it. How do Christian viewers enter into this highly secular sphere without being morally compromised by it? Occasionally, Hollywood turns out movies that depict Christian faith in substantive, even challenging ways. Think of true-story films like Chariots of Fire or The Mission, or complicated portraits like Calvary or Silence. But in many other cases, Christians are depicted as villainous, unhinged bigots (e.g., Doubt, There Will Be Blood, The Wonder). Whether it’s a good, bad, or ugly portrayal, it’s almost always helpful for Christians to pay attention to how our faith is depicted and interpreted by filmmakers. 3. Faith Interpreting Films Filmmakers offer interpretations of Christian faith. But Christian faith likewise can offer fruitful interpretations of films—even films that aren’t clearly about matters of faith. This is an area I’ve loved growing in over two decades of being a Christian film critic. Far from setting aside my faith when I sit down to watch movies, I view them through the lens of my Christian faith—recognizing spiritual longings and theological dynamics in movies, even when filmmakers didn’t intend to create anything overtly spiritual or theological. I love being able to explore how the Christian gospel offers “subversive fulfillment” to the longings expressed in a film and provide answers to some of the questions it raises. 4. Faithfully Making Films Another way faith interacts with film is in the actual making of movies. More and more faithful Christians are becoming not just consumers of films but creators of them. Sometimes the films are explicitly Christian and fall into what might be called the “faith-based” genre. But often Christians make movies that don’t overtly deal with faith topics or subjects yet nevertheless explore Christian virtues and narratives consistent with biblical values. I’m also interested in the question of a Christian aesthetic or style of filmmaking. How do we make movies in a distinctly Christian way that brings goodness, truth, and beauty to an often dark realm? Announcing New ‘Faith and Film’ Virtual Cohort Are you interested in engaging with film in spiritually enriching, God-glorifying, and gospel-advancing ways? If so, join me for an eight-session virtual cohort this fall, beginning October 2. During our weekly meetings (Wednesdays, 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. ET), we’ll dive deeper into the four topics described above, discuss 10-plus recent and older movies, and together grow in our understanding of how to evaluate and engage films from a Christian perspective. If that sounds like something you or someone you know might be interested in, click on the button below for more details. LEARN MORE AND REGISTER This will be an interactive cohort with limited spaces. Reserve your spot soon—the last day to register is September 25. I hope to see you there!

Trevin Wax explores the challenges of spreading the gospel in a culture of expressive individualism. His talk is followed by a discussion with Dean Inserra and Christine Hoover. The panel discusses the effects of expressive individualism on North American culture, emphasizing the transformative power of the gospel to address feelings of inadequacy and shame. They highlight the rise of personalized pseudo-religions and stress the importance of local church engagement and deep relationships in ministry. Regardless of the prevailing culture, the gospel has the power to fulfill people’s deepest longings.

Native Truths

International mediators have held a new round of talks aimed at halting the Israel-Hamas war and securing the release of scores of hostages, with a potential deal seen as the best hope of heading off…

After mass demonstrations broke out in the aftermath of the disputed Venezuelan elections on July 28, President Nicolás Maduro has taken harsh measures to quell protests and disrupt the political opposition.…

Landing at Luton Airport, as I began a holiday in Britain, I wondered if I would see luggage being hurled across the terminal. Taxis set alight. Travelers doing battle in the car park.  To joke is…