We are very grateful for the preaching ministry of Pastor Colin. His faithfulness to God’s Word and gift of clear, practical teaching has blessed many a listener, and we pray that this list of 10 sermons will bless you as you head into a new year! 1. The Joys of Life […]
A Guide to Biblical New Year’s Resolutions
Confession: I used to roll my eyes at the thought of making New Year’s resolutions. After all, how many people actually keep them? I wondered. But when Pastor Colin preached a sermon a while back, called “Resolved! Life Commitments for a New Year,” it became clear to me that resolutions […]
Resolutions: Good Intentions or Real Actions?
“This year is going to be different,” I say, as I roll up my headphones and look for my gym key card, which I had not used for the last two months. I find it shoved in my glove compartment and play “This Is My Fight Song” as I head […]
Top 10 Articles of 2015
Can we start by saying thank you for reading the blog? For your interest, feedback, and support of our content, we thank you with all our hearts. It has been a wonderful year of writing biblically-rich, gospel-centered content that we hope has spurred on your Christian life and caused you to love Christ more. […]
Three Ways to Respond to Jesus This Christmas
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear […]
It’s a Wonderful Life
We all know the scene from It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey is told by his guardian angel, Clarence, that he had gotten his wish: George had never been born. The chaotic, selfish, sinful tendencies of the town are amplified as a bewildered George stumbles through Pottersville, panicked and heartbroken that […]
Help Us Launch Spanish Ministry in 2016
It is a joy to see how God has been at work through Unlocking the Bible and modern media. We have much to celebrate! And there is so much more to come. We have several key initiatives we’ll be pursuing in 2016, but we’d like to highlight one right now: […]
Where Joy Is Found
The Christmas season is often one of joy. But for some of us, it is one of hardship and sorrows. Perhaps you’ve lost a family member recently. Or perhaps you’ve been diagnosed with a disease you never saw coming. Maybe you’re struggling with the same sin over and over again. […]
The Pressures of 21st Century Parenting
From the first time I became a parent eight-and-a-half years ago, with three more little ones to follow, one thing has remained the same: There is immense pressure to keep up with the unrealistic and often unhealthy expectations that we, as parents, put on ourselves and feel from others. Some of […]
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
On December 18, Charles Wesley celebrates his 308th birthday — in heaven, of course. I wonder if the heavenly choirs will celebrate by singing “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.” If they do, I’m confident the three persons of the Godhead will be delighted. After all, Wesley’s beloved Christmas carol refers […]
Three Treasured Christmas Songs and Their Stories
Every song has a story.* Christmas songs, in my house, are only heard from the day after Thanksgiving through December. While I write I am listening to an eclectic play list of Christmas selections, ranging from “The Messiah” (in the background right now) to Elvis Presley and everything in between. I’ve sung a number […]
Brought Near by the Blood of Jesus
As for you, tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come — Even the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. (Micah 4:8) The prophet Micah ministered to the people of God approximately 740 years before the birth of […]
Meghan’s Story: “Truth Doesn’t Fear Questioning”
Meghan Feir first connected with us through Facebook, when she responded to one of our calls for prayer. We soon learned that she had been listening to Pastor Colin for the past year, finding his teaching insightful, encouraging, and compelling. Through his messages and “The Power of the Open Book,” […]
How the Christmas Story Helps Us Understand the Refugee Crisis
When should a person flee their country? Calculated, well-thought plans come in all shapes and sizes for refugees. Some families are forced immediately to leave, while others plan the flight in successive layers. No matter, the plight, the pain, and the cost remain the same, for each refugee must face […]
Drained? Receive the Fullness of Christ
Christmas can leave a good number of people feeling more empty than full. And not only Christmas but many aspects of life. Parenting children. Budgeting monthly finances. Maintaining a healthy, vibrant marriage. Making appointments on time. Meeting the boss’ expectations. Running errands within a packed schedule. Caring for family and […]
The Joy of Mourning Sin
Falling into sin is one of the great struggles of the Christian life. We profess to follow Jesus, but our moment-to-moment behavior contradicts us. The awareness of our sin can rob us of much of the joy of Jesus, or paralyze us in guilt, even going as far as to […]
Announcing a Royal Baby
The queue wrapped around the palace. Young and old, people stood all day for news of the royal baby. Prince William and his bride, Kate, had just given birth to the next heir to the British throne, and the throngs were breathless as they waited to welcome the new prince […]
How to Overcome Your Fears
A Christian is a person who submits his or her whole life to the lordship of Jesus Christ. This is the polar opposite of the great movements of our time, both within our own culture and around the world. What are the great things in the Bible that God does […]
Why We Work for Unlocking the Bible
A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed-up in one thing — […]
Four Reasons to Start Journaling
About four years ago, I started journaling my prayers. I didn’t follow a certain devotional or guide. I just began to jot down my thoughts as I meditated on Scripture. I would also write down the things I was asking of the Lord. And almost without my conscious knowledge, journaling […]
Six Thoughts to Consider Before Pursuing Professional Counseling
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14) Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22) Can professional counseling be helpful to a Christian, or is it unnecessary and even harmful at times? Do you […]
God’s Secret Work of Election
If God had waited for me to seek after him, he would still be waiting. No one seeks God (Romans 3:11). No one! Not even you. By nature we run from God. If we seek him, it is only because he has taken the initiative to seek us. I came […]
Three Ways to Put Away Bitterness through the Gospel
Where does bitterness come from? For me, it springs up when an incident is brought to remembrance that still evokes anger and disappointment. It may be the result of someone sinning against me or someone I love, or from one of the many ills such as sickness, loss, and injury […]
Because One Makes a Difference
The Bible says that a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. Every good gift comes down from the Father of lights, and what do any of us have that we did not receive? The ministry of Unlocking the Bible is a stewardship of […]
