You can find the article here: http://rickthomas.net/what-to-do-when-your-spouse-wants-out/

I was in unbelief. I felt like I was hit by a truck. I didn’t even argue with her I was so shocked. She had begged me to go to counseling for some of our problems for months, but now I was ready. And now this?! I didn’t fully understand what was happening until she was already driving away.

You can find the article here: http://rickthomas.net/why-does-god-bless-some-but-not-others/

God blesses people because He chooses to bless people. It is not about any person’s ability to merit God’s good favor, but always about His un-manipulate-able mercy to undeserving people.

You can find the article here: http://rickthomas.net/the-wisdom-in-giving-your-friends-and-family-room-to-sin/

Death, taxes, and being sinful are assured until Jesus comes back to take us home.

This piece is not about death or taxes.

It is about the prospects of being sinful–a reality we can never fully eradicate from our lives.

Sin is only depressing for those who have no hope. We have hope. His name is Jesus, and being in Christ positions us for a better perspective about the darker side of our lives, while giving us more ability to overcome that reality (1 Corinthians 15:19-20; Romans 8:37).

You can find the article here: http://rickthomas.net/if-i-love-you-i-expect-you-to-love-me-back

Is this statement true or false?

Love is a commitment accompanied by action with no expectation of anything in return.

Loving another person should come with an expectation that your love will be reciprocated. The fullest expression and experience of love is when two people love each other well. To not expect this or to not want this is to misunderstand the greater purposes and benefits of love.

You can find a transcript of the podcast here: http://rickthomas.net/episode-18-why-it-is-important-to-know-who-the-biggest-sinner-in-the-room-is/

Member question – I love Drive by Marriage. (Find DBM here.) Learning to know and remember that I am the biggest sinner in the room is Basic 101 Christianity, but it is not well taught, studied, or learned. Yet, in my opinion, it should be foundational for the Christian walk.

I cannot do a Google search and come away with much information about how I am the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). On the other hand, if I Googled some marital sin(s) that my spouse committed against me, there would be a plethora of information.

You can find the article here: http://rickthomas.net/if-you-could-only-export-one-thing-to-your-child-what-would-it-be/

We’re all in the export business. There are no other options within the human family. We live shoulder to shoulder and bumper to bumper with each other. No matter where you are, other people are around you.

You can find the article here: http://rickthomas.net/calling-all-perfectionist-everywhere-lets-be-imperfect-for-the-glory-of-god/

I’m working with a couple where the husband is focused on doing everything to the utmost excellence as a way to glorify God.

How can I help him to see that things don’t need to be “perfect” for God to be glorified or for true discipleship to happen?

You can find the article here: http://rickthomas.net/when-christianity-disappoints-you/

With religion in the rearview mirror, he set sail for other opportunities to fill his insatiable void. And, as you might predict, he never found satisfaction in anything.

He slowly began to lose hope.

Then on a late Friday night in April, 1997 he got into his last heated argument. This time it was with his wife. That argument ended after she shot him five times with a pistol.

You can find the show notes here: http://rickthomas.net/how-do-I-change-my-churchs-view-on-alcohol

Member question – I was recently called to a small Baptist church that adheres to the church covenant written by J. Newton Brown in 1853. Part of that covenant mandates that no member of our church can sell or drink alcohol. I do not believe that drinking alcohol is a sin. What would you advise?

You can find the article here: http://rickthomas.net/a-world-view-for-carrying-the-Gospel-into-all-the-cyber-world

The cyber world is a big place. It nearly reaches every person on the planet, which is every person with access to the Internet. We live in a phenomenal age.

The gift of the Internet for the Christian has opened an effectual door that was not imagined centuries ago. The development of the web world has provided Christians with even greater opportunities to share the good news of Christ.