This is an excerpt from the third chapter of By Water and the Word: God’s Gift of Baptism for You by Brian Thomas (1517 Publishing, 2026), pgs 52-60.
Even when the bitter places sink down deep into our bones, the Restorer never relinquishes his grip on you.
To Live Well is therefore not a general advice book, but a message suffused with the gospel.

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The narrative of the Nativity is what Christmas is all about.
Longstanding tradition must be bolstered by something outside of ourselves that also lies outside of the traditions of men.
Instead of a “how-to” manual, the Bible is a “what-you-didn’t-do” story.
God’s creatures on four legs are some of the greatest storytellers of the Scriptures.
“Praying the Bible” sounds odd to the ears of most believers today. That’s unfortunate.
The point of Revelation is to reveal consolation in Jesus, not to revel in chaos and confusion.
Erasmus and the Unintended Reformation
God does not give us an undebatable answer to suffering. Instead, God suffers, too.
Don’t get in the habit (or, if you already do it, get out of the habit) of saying, “I could never talk about these things the way my pastor does.”
Regularly reading and hearing God’s Word helps us to keep a song in our hearts.
What does professional wrestling and preaching have in common?
What (if anything) makes a sermon distinctive?