Even when you hurt, you are never alone. Whenever you are hurt by others, you can take comfort that Jesus deliberately planned that he would experience exactly the same hurt and pain so that he would know first hand what you are going through. He did this so that you would know that no matter how isolated and discouraged you may feel, he has been there before you and trusted his Father, so that you could also trust him. Hebrews 2:17-18 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he […]
Monthly Archives: February 2015
21 posts
Love delights when others delight in God. Love is satisfied most when the one you love is satisfied. Love anticipates God will always care. Love offers encouragement when none is expected. Love does not regret the success of others. Love does not announce one’s own success. Love takes refuge in humility. Love seeks the honor of others. Love is not interested in self-promotion. Love knows joy before it knows anger. Love does not keep score. Love is thrilled when the truth is known. Love guards others even when it hurts. Love accepts care from others. Love is always certain of God’s promises. Love never caves. This love is the true standard of Valentine’s Day. From I Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is […]
From the bedroom to the schoolroom modern culture has become obsessed with a democratic spirit. If I want to do something, why can’t I? The idea that even one’s most intimate, hidden and personal thoughts will be held accountable to the God of the Bible is abhorrent to our culture. Even Christians have become embarrassed to state such an idea openly. The modern attempt is to put God and his Bible in an intellectual box and then label that box bigotry and intolerance. Surely we can do what we want with our bodies, our unborn children and our thoughts. The spirit of the people of Babel lives on with great passion! Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city […]
Let’s get one thing clear. The Fifty Shades movie opening this Valentine’s Day weekend is an assault on young women and God’s institution of marriage. Pleasure is found in pain, in yielding to the lusts of perverted men who whose desire is to dominate women. This is somehow packaged as the ultimate sexual / romantic adventure. This marketing lie appears to be effective. All indications are that this 100 minute long movie will dominate the box-office, perhaps even setting records for a Valentine’s Day weekend. For years Hollywood’s message has been: Sex is about sensual experience, pain, and perversion. Biblical love is outdated and dull. Experience is ultimate. Pornography is the best venue for learning about sex. Make no mistake, […]
Six year old Jennifer has shown a pattern of not responding quickly to her mother. Mom realizes the problem lies more with her than with Jennifer. Mom had allowed herself to be distracted by other things. So instead of scolding Jennifer for failing to come eight times in a row, mom says this: “Jennifer, please forgive mommy for encouraging you to disobey me this afternoon.” “Mommy, I don’t understand.” “I realized that I have allowed you not to come when I called. Do you remember not quickly obeying mommy?” “Uh, yessss.” “Do you remember how God wants you to obey?” “To do exactly what I am told, right away, with a good attitude.” “Exactly! This is why I am asking […]
This is probably a question you seldom consider. And at first bounce the answer you might be tempted to give is cancer. But let’s think this through. Cancer can take nothing from you that will damage your relationship with God and with those close to you. Sin can do this and much more. Cancer cannot keep you from God, but sin certainly can. Cancer is something most people take seriously. Sin – not so much. Spending time and money to find the right treatment schedule is done without question. You ask people to pray for you and your condition. You give money to cancer research. You might even put more money in the offering plate! Upon receiving a cancer diagnosis […]
Living for your children will not sustain your life. If your hopes and dreams are bound to your children, you will be disappointed, perhaps even bitter. If you expect your children to provide the comfort and support that can only come from God you will be deeply hurt. You will set yourself up to be disappointed and crushed when your family fails you. No spouse, no child can provide comfort that can only be found in God. God will have no other gods before him. Your first loyalty must be to God and God alone. Children who have become the objects of their parents’ worship cannot bear the weight of being idols for their parents. They will become cynical and […]
Thanksgiving is a distant memory. Christmas and New Years Day have come and gone. The Superbowl is over. What’s next? The TV commercials and the displays at the stores and supermarkets say that Valentine’s Day is next. Then chocolate hearts give way to chocolate bunnies. All we have to do is follow the important dates on the calendar, add in birthdays and anniversaries, and a few special events. This is what life is all about. Really? Is this how we are supposed to mark our lives, living from one date on the calendar to the next? Is this what Paul means when he says to take hold of life that is truly life? You can get your children’s attention by […]
One Super Bowl ad shows why America is in great peril. God was used a marketing ploy. Even God’s cell phone can have a dead battery! This ad is from a company that sells charging accessories for electronic devices. The ad depicts a chaotic world that has suddenly gone out of control. At the end of the ad we see why: a character who is supposedly playing God has a cell phone whose battery is almost dead. The character sighs and the world continues to fall apart. God is truly irrelevant, at least in ad country. From these ads we learned that: lingerie makes for great sex, that an insurance company can keep our kids from dying, people can be […]
Children and pets make wonderful photographs. They also make heartbreaking moments. This combination provides a real-life test of just how practical your theology is. If God is in control of all things and he loves you then how is it possible that your child’s puppy, kitten, parakeet, fish, hamster, turtle or rabbit has gone missing, or worse? It is possible because this is what life is like in a fallen world. If you have pets, this is a question that needs to answered with compassion and credibility. Not having a clear, comforting answer is one way of telling your children that God doesn’t really care about them or understand them. Having pets provides you with the opportunity to trust God’s […]