God calls you to trust his wisdom and not your own. Anxiety leads to confusion. Trust in God and his ways leads to peace. Like oil and water, trust and anxiety do not mix. There is much in life that can be overwhelming. But God remains in control of his world. As Philippians 4 warns, anxiety will separate you from knowing the peace of God. Our bodies don’t do well with self trust. (See Proverbs 3:7&8) Trusting God and purposely loving him in all that you do brings health to your soul and stability to your walk. Trusting your own understanding leads to a troubled spirit and to a lack of stability. If your mind is centered more on […]
Monthly Archives: July 2014
28 posts
Your children, like you, have a problem with sin. Sin has an immediate negative impact, but even more destructive is sin’s aftermath. Like radiation fallout after a nuclear blast, sin’s fallout can spread and last for years. Condemnation follows sin: First, and most importantly, sin brings the condemnation of God. Then, as others become aware of our sins human condemnation occurs. Finally, a heart burdened by sin begins the ritual of self-condemnation. There is no person on the planet that can escape the consequences of defying God. No one can escape condemnation and the toll it extracts. Its impact may be felt in minutes or it may take years to play out. Condemnation is […]
The pursuit of wisdom must be a passionate pursuit. I admit that passion and wisdom are not thoughts that are often put together. But this comparison is made with great force in Proverbs: Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 3:15 Additionally, acquiring wisdom means that wisdom is be loved: Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Proverbs 4:6 The love of wisdom is what will protect your heart. Notice the emotional connection with wisdom in these two Proverbs. Wisdom pursued with heartfelt desire and deep love offers protection for your heart. This is how you guard your heart (Proverbs […]
Christ secured freedom that can never be lost. Those without Christ will never experience true freedom. No matter how hard one works to secure freedom from things on earth, the ultimate freedom is to be free of the sins of the heart. We all have craved and compromised for significance apart from Christ. We all have been found wanting. We all know the most oppressive condemnation is that which entangles the heart with the burden of unrighteous sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. Without Christ there is no freedom of worship, no relief from condemnation. Because of Christ’s sacrifice we have been set free. There was no war that we could win, no declaration we could make, no payment that could […]
But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. 3 On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.Malachi 4:2-3
On July 4th, two hundred thirty-eight years ago, Americans declared their independence from England and her King. Unfortunately, such matters are seldom settled by simply signing a piece of paper. England was not pleased with this declaration and went to war. But in the end, America had her desire—she was independent of the English. But in what sense are people and countries ever independent? It is an enticing idea that a person or a country can independently forge their own destiny, write their own history. However, this idea is just as deadly as it is enticing. Reality is this: no country is free from the rule of the Great Sovereign of the Universe. Each person owes his next breath, and […]
Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. Jesus tells the story of a father and his two sons. The father asks his first son to go work in the vineyard. The first son responds with a defiant no. So, the father asks his other son the same question. This son, in sharp contrast, respectfully says that he will do what his father asked. So, on the surface of things, it appears one son is rebellious and one is obedient. This much is true, but not in the way it appears. In the story Jesus quickly adds that the first son changed his mind and actually did as he was asked. The other son never went […]
Anger is a difficult sin. Like an ice-breaker pushing huge chunks of ice in all directions, anger leaves a trail of broken pieces in its wake. Broken chunks of ice are good thing. Broken pieces of life – not so much. Anger is often a response to injustice. With God this is good. His motives and reasons for anger are always pure and right. Your child’s anger is also often a response to injustice. But his motives and reasons are seldom pure and right. A young child thinks he has been wronged because someone else has his toy. A middle-schooler is angry because others are not kind to her. A teenager struggles with anger because of guilt as a result […]