"God told me." "The Holy Spirit laid it on my heart." "The Spirit is compelling me." Those phrases and others like them are frequently thrown around the church today without giving many people pause. In fact, it seems the Holy Spirit’s primary role is laying burdens on believers and compelling them to deliver specific, timely messages to the church.

If you rely on internal, subjective messages and promptings from the Lord, what prevents you from imagining the input you want from Him? Moreover, what reliable, objective mechanism exists to keep you from misinterpreting your own imagination as divine instruction?

Go with your gut. That might be good advice when shopping for shoes online, but it’s not a reliable means for interpreting or understanding God’s Word. Too many people in the church today trust the inclinations of the upper abdomen to be the final arbiter that determines both when God is speaking and what He is saying.

I remember listening to a Christian radio station when a caller asked, “What should I look for in a church?” The host responded by saying, “The thing I look for is fellowship. That’s the most important thing in choosing a church.” That may be a good feature of a church—but that is not the right answer.

Physical diseases have symptoms, or marks, by which they may be diagnosed. In fact, that is how we become aware that we are sick: We identify something unusual about our health. We recognize the telltale signs that something is wrong. The same is true of false teaching. Those infected by it will manifest certain characteristics.

Grace is not merely poured out in the moment of salvation; it is evident throughout His eternal plan of redemption. After all, He chose those whom He would save before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Theologians refer to this precious truth as the doctrine of election, and it has been a major point of debate and division in the church.

In Ephesians 3:16–19, Paul prays that believers would be “strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man” in order that they might understand the “love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.” In other words, it takes a lot of Spirit-supplied strength for us to catch even a glimpse of God’s love—and when we do, we’ve only scratched the surface.

We often skim quickly over the introductory parts of Paul’s epistles, but they are usually pregnant with meaning—and in the case of his letter to Titus, profoundly so. In his seemingly simple salutation, Paul gives us some vivid insight into how the plan of redemption started.

A legal arraignment is where the accused is brought to court to answer formal charges. And that is what the apostle Paul did with all of humanity—all of us—in the third chapter of his epistle to the Romans. At this trial, the whole human race is brought before the eternal Judge. The charge against us is uttered in Romans 3:9: “What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin.”

In a legal arraignment, the document detailing the specific charges against the accused is called the indictment. In a civil court, there is always the possibility that the charges could be dropped if the accused can prove his innocence or cast enough doubt on the charges brought against him. But sinners are never afforded that luxury in God’s courtroom.

The problem of sin isn’t fundamentally external. It’s most visible in our actions, but our actions are merely the manifestation of a corruption that comes from within.

The doctrine of man’s depravity, of all the cardinal biblical truths should never need to be defended. The empirical evidence for man’s sinful nature is irrefutable and ubiquitous. It is the inescapable reality of life.

All false religions lie to us about man. While most of them concede that man has not reached perfection, they refuse to acknowledge the bare sinful facts of life and history. They insist on offering a system of human achievement that can please God. Only God’s Word tells us the painful yet loving truth.

The book of Judges repeatedly employs a chilling phrase to depict the waywardness and corruption of God’s people: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). God’s people had forsaken His law and their covenant with Him, and did whatever they wanted to fulfill their sinful desires. It’s also a fitting summary of the world we live in today, as our culture is overrun by chaos and corruption. We’re seeing every day the consequences of a society doing what is right in its own eyes.

Parliamentary representation by women in Pacific Island countries remains stubbornly low at 8.4 percent. Yet women leaders across the region have been meeting every year for the past four decades to discuss goals and drive action to address gender inequality and the most pressing development challenges in the Pacific. One of the critical issues discussed […]

Sarah Strack is Forus Director

When the weather is bad, the residents of the Litoral neighborhood in Manzanillo, Cuba, are forced to evacuate their houses. When it’s calm, the sea penetrates the foundations of houses, leaving them vulnerable. Now the community is getting together to restore the mangroves and improve the environment to return their homes to safety.

Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, calls prostitution a “system of violence” that does not benefit society at all, especially the women and girls forced into this system. Alsalem spoke at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute in New York on Wednesday, October 2, to discuss her special report […]

Over the past few months, the escalation of gang violence and mass displacement in Haiti have been of great concern for humanitarian organizations. Severe levels of armed violence have resulted in significant instability, with food insecurity, sexual violence, civilian casualities, and restricted freedom of movement plaguing the nation. Displacement cases have risen sharply, to the […]

When I joined CIVICUS in 2019, I came in with two decades of work on influencing and monitoring public policies through grassroots and global activism. Joining CIVICUS as Secretary-General felt familiar, like returning home after a period of separation. My first international role in 2006 – as Campaign Director of the Global Call to Action […]

  Our world has witnessed unprecedented levels of economic development. The advance of our technological capabilities continues unabated. Our financial resources continue to grow. Yet, as of last year, an estimated 750 million people live in extreme poverty. Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than $2.15 per day. Roughly 60% of the world’s […]

At a rally to mark International Youth Day on August 12 in Tanzania’s southern Mbeya region, John Mnyika stood with a determined expression, addressing his supporters. The air was charged with anticipation. Mnyika, the Secretary-General of Tanzania’s opposition party, Chadema, was preparing to speak about the upcoming elections when the chaos erupted. Without warning, heavily […]

Global warming has far-reaching effects, and certain countries, particularly those with low lying coastal regions, are more vulnerable than others. Bangladesh, the largest delta in the world, is at the forefront of the global warming crisis. Its coastal areas are increasingly exposed to rising sea levels, natural disasters, and salinization, all of which have devastating […]

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted in 1995 during the Fourth World Conference on Women, remains a cornerstone in the global pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment. With the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review fast approaching, now is the time to reflect on the progress made and the challenges that […]

Gang violence has ravaged Haiti, causing thousands of civilian deaths, displacements, and violations of international humanitarian law. Turmoil is expected to escalate following the removal of Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille from office on November 11. On November 10, the Haitian government announced plans to replace incumbent prime minister Conille, with entrepreneur and former senate […]

During an in-house podcast interview, the Economic Freedom Fighters leader said he had been surprised by the suggestion

The new Trump administration is bad news for American civil and human rights and brings uncertainty for the rest of the world

William's new beard style didn't go down well with his daughter, Princess CharlottePrince William has reclaimed his title as the "Sexiest Bald Man Alive" for the second consecutive year, surpassing Hollywood stars like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. This honour, based on a study of search traffic...

Michael Jackson’s pal Donny Osmond shares reason of their close bonding Michael Jackson and Donny Osmond had quite a similar family background. The Puppy Love crooner made an appearance in MTV Entertainment Studios documentary Larger than Life: Reign of the Boybands, where...

Ryan Reynolds shares views on Eddie Murphy's Oscar snub for 'Nutty Professor'Ryan Reynolds has recently expressed his disappointment over the Academy Awards for overlooking Eddie Murphy’s performances in Nutty Professor.Speaking on Variety Awards Circuit podcast, the Deadpool & Wolverine...

Margot Robbie uses the ultimate emotionally packed movie to cry in movies, and that’s what she did in the Wolf of Wall Street.In a yet-to-be-released episode of the Talking Pictures: A Movie Memories Podcast, which premiers on Nov. 26, the actress was recently questioned how she...

Mariska Hargitay on mother Jayne Mansfield's deathMariska Hargitay got candid on “dealing” with the death of her mother, Hollywood diva, Jayne Mansfield at the age of 3.“I lost my mother when I was 3 years old, and I grew up in a house of people dealing with the tragedy in...

It was two weeks before October 7—when Hamas attacked Israel—that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood behind the rostrum in the United Nations General Assembly hall clutching a crude map of what he called the “new Middle East,” a visual that erased the land of Palestine. A year later, Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza has accelerated, […]

Africa Youth Day Statement by Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif

Scientists warn of vastly higher impacts on billions of people’s livelihood and cost to the global economy by the accelerating losses in the world’s snow and ice regions, aka the cryosphere. Over 50 leading cryosphere scientists released an annual report on the status of the world’s ice stores on Tuesday (November 12) at the UN […]

Lolita Abril urged the CHR to conduct an independent investigation into the killing of her husband Ronel Abril and another coconut farmer Roger Clores last September 26. The two were allegedly killed by elements of the 2nd Infantry Battalion (2nd IB) in an “armed encounter.”

“We’re ready to testify before the QuadComm as victims of extrajudicial killings,” Rosenda Lemita said, stressing that they want Duterte and those responsible to face investigation. For these families, the government’s “nanlaban” excuse is not just for the drug war but also for silencing activists.

A male fourth-year business administration student of PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College stressed that the delay [of allowances] could affect students’ academic performance, especially those who do not have parents to rely on like him.

“Frenchie has finally had an opportunity to take the stand to defend herself. It has taken the government nearly half a decade to prepare a case against Frenchie and during this long period, this young woman has been left to languish in detention. That itself raises serious questions about the fairness of the process."

He is one of the most famous composers of our time. His compositions are heard in the greatest music halls in the world and now, the chamber music studio The Symphonians, is bringing Ludovico Einaudi’s music to life in Limassol. A special concert is planned for November 20 as Pattichio Theatre welcomes an ensemble to […]

Opening remarks by Roberta Casali, ADB Vice-President for Finance and Risk Management, at the 2024 Asian Regional Forum on Investment Management of Foreign Exchange Reserves, 25 September 2024, Japan

Remarks by Masatsugu Asakawa, President, Asian Development Bank, at the 21st Annual Meeting of the Independent Accountability Mechanisms of Multilateral Banks and International Financial Institutions, 1 October 2024, ADB headquarters, Manila, Philippines

The Asian Development Bank is ramping up investment in technical and vocational education and training in Bhutan, which is helping to train thousands

This video introduces a new publication presenting five case studies of projects in the People's Republic of China that illustrate how effective solutions to environmental and social problems have been applied in different contexts.

ADB recently launched the Georgia Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Monitor. Helen Steward, Principal Markets Development Advisory Specialist in ADB’s Office of Markets Development and Public–Private Partnerships, explains what the PPP Monitor is all about.

Remarks by Masatsugu Asakawa, President, Asian Development Bank, at the 30 Years of Kazakhstan-ADB Anniversary Reception, 8 November 2024

Climate change is accelerating the melting of glaciers, threatening the essential services glaciers provide--such as water supply for drinking, hydropower, and agriculture--and increasing the risks of flooding and drought. As Asia and the Pacific's climate bank, ADB is working to protect ecosystems and communities, and enhance livelihoods and opportunities, amid accelerated glacial melt.