Monthly Archives: October 2017

16 posts

Why Do Your Children Fight?

Why do your children fight? The short answer is, the same reason you do! They fight because they do not have what they want. As adults, we think we have moved beyond childish selfishness, so we have developed “mature” reasons for the arguments that we have. However, if you strip away the adult “sophistication” of our arguments, you will find that you are not much different from your children who squabble over a favorite toy. We believe the lie that if we are hurt a robust defense is justified. Getting into a fight seems like the right and necessary and “real” thing to do; we have to protect ourselves! We are like our children. The hard truth is that you […]

Who Has Ever Given To God?

God is special simply and profoundly because he is God. He is unsearchable. He turns to no one for help or advice. He is in no one’s debt. No one calls him to account. All things are because he is. He died for the unworthy, the unlovable, the ungrateful. He became sin so that his people would live. He is three persons and one God. It is this special God who sent his Son to die for me because it pleased him to do so. He is my Shepherd. I have no needs. He is my savior, I have no words. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments,
 and his […]

Sailing Too Close To Shore

One objective you have as a parent is to keep your children safe. But this objective is not an easy one. Planning ways to keep your children safe implies there are dangers in life. And even with the best planning, hard things still occur. There are enemies on every side, both spiritual and earthly. Living as children of light angers the forces of darkness. You and your children are part of a cosmic battle that has been raging since creation. A preoccupation with being safe may keep you from trusting God. No, I am not suggesting you should be irresponsible and ignore safety. But what I am saying is that it is God who ultimately keeps you and your children […]

A Prayer For Troubled Times

Dear Father, we need your help this day. Our world is a mess. But you are holy and worthy of our praise.  We ask that your kingdom will come with power to our family, our lives, our country and our world. There are many things that trouble us. There are threats of war, disease, and unrest. There are acts of terror in our own cities. We pray that your will be in charge where we are just as you are in heaven. We ask for your peace to rule our hearts, to still our minds, to ease our fears. Father, we ask you give us what need to live this day. We know that your eye is always on us. […]

Where Is Hope?

Life can be crushing. People will turn evil. Madness will come. Hurt will run deep. And yes, even worse, our own sins find us out. Where do you go, when the lights go out? Who is there to bind the wounds of your heart? There is a river that runs from life through death to life again. It is the river of hope and strength when all else seems lost. One hell-bent man can bring a nation to its knees. One angry burst of words can send a relationship over the edge. One lost moment of anger and lust can devastate the soul. Where do you go, where do you flee, where is there peace, where is there hope? There […]

Mercy For the Broken

Morning brought heavy hearts in America this Monday. At least 50 are dead and hundreds are wounded in Las Vegas and the numbers are still climbing. One man planned to destroy as many human lives as possible. As a country we are overwhelmed with grief, with anger, with sadness. And, once again the haunting question returns: Why? It will take days and weeks for the authorities to begin to give the immediate answers. But ultimately these reasons will not satisfy or heal the vulnerability of our hearts. Just knowing that individual’s motives and perversions does not bring wholeness and healing. It is important to find out the immediate whys. It is important to take better safety precautions. But these steps […]