Faithfulness is being dependable, so that others can trust what I say and do. The rainbow is the sign of God’s covenant with all living creatures that promises he will never again destroy all life with a flood (Genesis 9:12). Just as God is always faithful to his word, so you should be faithful in all you say and do. Prayer for faithfulness: Dear God, it is hard to be faithful all the time. I just can’t do it. Even when I’m trying, I fail a lot. Please help me to be more trustworthy and dependable. Thank you that Jesus was completely faithful for me. In Jesus Name, Amen Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your […]
Monthly Archives: May 2013
35 posts
My wife and I had a conversation with a neuro-ophthalmologist at Duke University a few months ago. He explained to us that 30-50% of the brain’s activity is taken up with vision. That fact amazed me. The eye is the lens that lets in the light, but our brains do the processing and storage of the images carried by the light. So everything I see is processed and stored in my brain, even if I don’t remember all of what I see. So that led me to consider, well, just how much can our brains store? Here is an answer from Scientific American: “If your brain worked like a digital video recorder in a television, it has enough memory to hold […]
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. Psalm 3:5 O Lord God, who has given man the night for rest, as you have created a day in which he may employ himself in labor, grant, I pray, that my body may so rest during this night that my mind cease not to be awake to you, nor my heart faint or be overcome with apathy, preventing it from adhering steadfastly to the love of you. While laying aside my cares to relax and relieve my mind, may I not, in the meanwhile, forget you, nor may the remembrance of your goodness and grace, which ought always to be deeply engraved on […]
Did you pay your dues at church today? This is a ridiculous question, isn’t it? Of course it is. Nevertheless, the question must be answered – did you pay your dues at church today? Christians often miss the most obvious implications of our faith. As Paul tells the Ephesians, we have been saved by the gift of grace. There is no room for boasting. Even though we believe this to be true, we can still attempt to pay dues. How does that work? If you go to church when you would rather be somewhere else, you are paying dues. If you go to church because you want others to think well of you, you are paying dues. If you go […]
Parents will sometimes have heated arguments with their older children and teenagers. I know this is not exactly breaking news. But, here is something to consider. There is a danger of forming lasting opinions and judgments based on the arguments. A heated conversation is a bad time to form lasting opinions. For example, a father may conclude that his son is totally rebellious and has no desire to do anything he is asked to do. This is because in a heated argument his son defiantly refused to do obey. Dad tells mom later on that he is so disappointed with their son and his bad response. However, if Dad would calm down for a moment and he might realize that […]
You hear a loud cry coming from the children’s room. You walk into the room and discover that Sarah, your four-year-old daughter, has just hit Brandon, your three-year-old son, because he wouldn’t give her the toy she wanted. You take Sarah into your room and administer the appropriate discipline. Sarah sadly tells you she knows that she should not have hit Brandon, but she just was so angry with him that she did it anyway. She tells you that she just can’t do it, she can’t obey and be good. What do you say as a parent? Response # 1 —Mom replies with an even but stern voice,“Well, Sarah, that is what discipline is for. Eventually, you will learn that it […]
Christians have played a vital role in events that have shaped history. It is good to be reminded of those who have gone before. It is good for our children to learn of the courage, accomplishments and prayers of those who have trusted Christ. One such example is English navigator and seaman Sir Francis Drake (circa 1542 – 1598). Drake was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe and was instrumental in defeating the Spanish Armada. Drake was the son of a Protestant preacher. Drake, like all figures of history, had strengths and weakness. But, as you can see from the prayer below, he was passionate about his faith in Christ. In 1577, while on his voyage around the world […]
Are fear and forgiveness opposing concepts? Forgiveness includes acceptance, freedom, love, and understanding. Fear involves dread, terror, and rejection; so how can fear and forgiveness be connected? There is another meaning associated with fear. The American Heritage Dictionary’s third listing for fear is this: “Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.” The third sense of the word is one of being overwhelmed by greatness. In the Bible, God is described as so good, so great, and so powerful that fear of Him is an automatic response. Isaiah experiences this when he encounters the living God: “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of […]
What do your children fear? This is a question that every parent must be able to answer. If you don’t know what fears your children have, you won’t be able to adequately address the concerns of their hearts. Thus, the question is not whether your children will fear, but what do they fear. This requires that you have an intimate understanding of the way your child views his world. This is why listening well to your children is essential. Each child is different. It doesn’t matter how old your children are. They all have fears that must be understood. Each is in need of the same renewal and victory over sin that is found in Christ alone. Psalm 62 says this: Yes, […]
Most discipline issues appear to come at inconvenient times. The truth is that it is never the wrong time to teach your children about their need of Christ. Really! This is the point of all discipline. This is why you want to be use words with restraint and with an even-temper. You don’t want to say anything that distracts from the main message of Christ by using worn out phrases such as these: How many times have I told you not to… When will you ever learn… Enough is enough… Can’t you see that I’m busy.. How old are you… It never ends… Who did it… Why can’t you just… Now you’ve done it… If you would just obey… This […]