I have a personal desire to visit as many National Parks as possible before I die. A few years ago, my wife and I got the opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon. While preparing for our visit, I read several articles online about what park-goers should see and what to avoid. I was surprised to read about people who die each year from falling into the Grand Canyon. I decided that we were not going to contribute to those statistics. We were going to enjoy the beauty of the giant gorge without lett…

Thomas Edison, creator of the incandescent bulb, once famously remarked, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Edison was no stranger to failure, spending hours in his lab tinkering with his inventions until he was finally successful. Failure, to Edison, was just a stepping stone to success. The question was not “Can I even reach my destination?” The question was “How long is the path to getting there?” But not everyone is like Edison. To some, the fear of failure is…

I have played guitar for nearly twenty years. Countless hours of strumming, chording, and fingering have led to an ability to play the instrument almost unconsciously. I can pick up a guitar like two old friends pick up a conversation. Comfort and familiarity flow from the knowledge that these fingers on those frets make that particular sound. I can confidently stand on a stage with a guitar in one hand and a pick in the other because time and trial have taught me what to expect as I play. Yet…

It has been said that the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place, meaning that communication is difficult and it often does not happen the way we expect. We live in a sinful world and we are imperfect people, so it is inevitable that there will be communication problems and misunderstandings. Being misunderstood can bring out many emotions. We get angry thinking the other person just isn’t listening or afraid that our friendship might be in jeopardy. Are…

Sometimes the biggest news of the week is not the most important item in the news. Sometimes it is the one that breaks through the noise of the normal news cycle and surprises us with the attention it receives. That happened this baseball season with a crazy story at a major league baseball game in September. During a week when Washington political turmoil, violent crime in our cities, and international conflict all seemed to be on repeat, a story about a boy, his dad, and an angry woman got a…

He Said, She Said We’ve all had to wade through the maddening dynamics of a he-said-she-said-disagreement. Siblings disagree about who broke the TV. Coworkers accuse each other of responsibility for the cash overage. Politicians debate whose policies are responsible for rises in crime. Perhaps the most famous example of such a disagreement involved two mothers and a dead baby. The first woman accused the second woman of switching her own dead baby with her own living baby. The second woman deni…

Change is not only possible, but it is a reality for every follower of Christ! Those who have turned from their sin to trust in Jesus for salvation have already experienced massive change as they have been brought from death to life and darkness to light. However, this change is also gradual as we continue to walk with Christ. How is this so? The answer is through the power of the Holy Spirit. So, it is important for us to know who he is, what he does, and how he sanctifies us. Who The Holy Spi…

When the subjects of singing and temptation are used in the same sentence, they usually describe a problem, not a solution. Music has likely been cited as a source of temptation more often than an antidote, but this reality should encourage us in the potential for music to help us. How many parents have sought to protect their children from specific adverse uses of music but have not also introduced them to its more beneficial uses? If music can be so persuasive as to lead someone to consider t…

First Press is excited to release Dr. Heath Lambert’s new booklet, The Sufficient Message for Ministry in Paul’s Day and Ours, now available as a free PDF download. This resource began as a chapel sermon delivered at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in October 2024, and it comes at a critical time for the biblical counseling movement. Many are increasingly tempted to mix Scripture with secular therapeutic strategies. Dr. Lambert addresses this temptation with urgency and clarity, showing…

Counselors Love Books Some of the happiest moments of my life have been in the vast amounts of time I’ve spent with conservative biblical counselors. If you have never had this privilege, I promise you’re missing out. These wonderful men and women share several happy commonalities. They love Jesus and his Word. They love to spend time together with other ministers of the Word. They love to spend time with hurting people to help them overcome their challenges. They also love books. This love of…