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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In Simeon's hands and Anna's gaze, we are reminded of God's promise—not distant, not fading, but alive.
The name of Jesus holds us fast.
It is impossible to live our lives in a way that would convince God of our value because he already knows our value. He is the one who gave it to us.
Belief at Christmas is neither neat nor safe. It is the path that leads to the manger and, from there, to the cross.
Are you looking for rest? Is your heart cluttered? Are you searching for comfort? Just look at the King-sized bed.
The Great King comes for us.
Ambrose's preaching continues to ring out in churches around the world, especially during Advent when we sing his magnificent, proclamatory hymn, "Savior of the Nations, Come."
While Christmas may or may not have pagan roots, it will certainly have a pagan future if Christians lose sight of what it is all about.
The crucified and risen Christ comes to renew, restore, and build up.
In Scripture, laments are raw expressions of grief, but they always point to hope. What if our culture’s obsession with holiday lights is an unconscious way of crying out, “We need good news, and we need it now”?
No matter how many times we hear this good news, it never stops being good news.
To preach Christ and him crucified is to keep the message simple and accessible.