Joy has to do with the reality of God. Joy transcends the moment and extends into eternity. Joy does not fade but endures. In our deepest sadness we are rescued by joy. Joy alone makes sense of the pain of life. Joy is the certain knowledge that what is unseen is more vast than what is seen. Joy is the fuel of hope. Joy means your circumstances are opportunities to honor your God. Joy is the evidence that you are never truly lost. Joy means you are not limited by a sin-cursed world. Joy means that you can love when you are hurt. Joy means that you can live […]
Monthly Archives: June 2014
29 posts
“I’m really glad Mom spoke to me about that; I really needed her help.” If your children seldom have this response to your authority, it is time for you consider a different approach. Here are three things that go hand-in-hand with authority this is a blessing. First: listen before you speak. A good listener is able to repeat the words you hear back to the speaker in such a way that he can affirm that you really do understand what he said. You don’t always have to agree, but you must always understand. This attentiveness shows respect, first for God and then for your child. It also indicates that you view your authority as a trust given to you so […]
Fifteen-year old Jessica is a good student and popular with teachers and students. One day a teacher notices that Jessica seems down. She asks Jessica if she can help and Jessica shrugs her shoulders and walks off. Later in the day, this same teacher again sees that Jessica is still down. She puts her arm around her and walks with her to one of Jessica’s favorite teachers, a guidance counselor who also happens to teach the health class on sexuality. Together, they ask Jessica why she is so down. Jessica opens up. She tells the teachers that she thinks she is ready to have sex with her boyfriend. She tells the teachers that she and her boyfriend both went through […]
It does not work to say to God, “Please do your will and mine.” This is actually a presumptive statement. It is God’s kingdom and his will that we must desire above all else. This thought ties directly to Christ’s words in the Sermon on the Mount; seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And, as we see in Christ’s most challenging moment here on earth, he submits to his father and says, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Christ was being totally consistent with what he taught his disciples. So, when your child prays for a particular request, great or small, teach him what Jesus taught his disciples. It may be for someone to […]
A review of The Fault in our Stars. John Green’s book, The Fault in Our Stars, is not to be taken lightly. Over 10 million copies of the book have been sold to date. It is currently ranked the number one best seller on Amazon and has been followed by a recent blockbuster movie. The book’s target audience is young adults and teenagers; the theme of the book is about two terminal cancer patients who are teenagers—not exactly what one would expect to be a winning formula. Green is a talented writer. The story is written in the voice of Hazel, a 16-year-old girl diagnosed with terminal cancer. Her life is transformed when she meets Gus, a 17-year-old boy who […]
Whatever, it doesn’t matter. You have heard these words before, perhaps even from your own lips. These words are not words of encouragement or optimism. They are said when we feel let down, betrayed, discouraged. The irony is that often these words really mean that something matters very much. We continue to be surprised at being disappointed. People have this problem called sin. Sin comes from rebellion to God. At its root, rebellion starts with believing a lie. We believe we can be happy apart from dying to ourselves. We believe that the people we love will not hurt us. We believe that we deserve what we desire. We believe things will be better next time. We believe that we will […]
Being content is being connected to reality. Discontent comes when you believe things are out control. Nothing ever gets by God. He is never stressed. His ability to care for you is never in doubt. There is no circumstance in your life that prevents you from honoring God. So the constant in your life is in finding what will honor God. In response to this people sometimes say, well, I’m only human. But, then you must also say God is only God. He can’t be like you, he can’t mess up. So Paul tells Timothy to be content with following God. This must always be your reality check – bringing honor to God. “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for […]
Dad, Paul says in Philippians that your attitude must be the same as Christ’s. Specifically, you should consider others more important than yourself. This includes your family. Father’s Day is this Sunday. and there is a special note here for you. It is your responsibility to lead your family toward Christ. In particular, this means that you are the one to lead the way in considering others more important than yourself. The first person that a father must consider to be of greater importance than himself is his wife. The true test of whether this objective is being met is to ask your wife. Does she think that you consider her to be more important than you. Then, the same […]
Moms and dads often struggle with not being respected. It is tempting to think that life would be better if you only had a little more respect. It is true that children are commanded to respect parental authority. But, it is also true, that demanding respect will not help your children to respect you. So, what should you do when you are disrespected? Consider these two principles: Respect is not a personal entitlement. Respect is to be won. Respect is not a personal entitlement. The truth is that you did nothing commendable to earn the respect due to your position as a parent. This position was something that God gave to you, you did nothing to earn it. This is […]
This is the third and final portion of our interview with Brian Hedges. Click here for part one. Click here for part two. Many Christians struggle with the balance between faith and works or grace and effort. When we recognize our continuing sins is the answer to just try harder or to believe more? Pastor Brian Hedges new book, Active Spirituality, helps to bring some clarity to these concerns. Brian has graciously consented to answer questions about this important topics. SP: We read Pilgrim’s Progress to our children as they grew up. Would you recommend that Christians do the same? How does Bunyan’s work help address the balance between grace and effort? Brian: Absolutely! The Pilgrim’s Progress is a great […]