Most memories of being corrected don’t evoke happy or pleasant thoughts. Often correction means stern or harsh warnings, even when given with the best of intentions. However, in the Proverbs instruction is to be received as precious jewelry, something to be worn with honor. How does this disconnect happen? Why is something that is intended for good and blessing become the equivalent of a curse? Proverbs 16:20-24 provides a guide for how to make instruction valuable. Solomon stresses the obvious, but neglected value of instruction. Those who pay attention to instruction do well. Understanding is like a fountain of freshwater to those who are thirsty. Instruction flows from wise lips and is to be desired. This description of loving understanding […]
Monthly Archives: August 2019
Summer is practically over. It is time for school. There are multiple lists to check: clothing, textbooks, supplies, transportation, after-school activities and more. You know the drill. However, there is one important matter that you don’t want to overlook – your marriage. The challenges of school can be a challenge to your marriage. Time, relationships, and communication are consumed by the demands of school. The relationship between mom and dad can easily shift into one where scheduling and time pressure become the main focus. In this climate relational energy is quickly depleted. Is your marriage ready for school? Don’t be afraid to ask this question. Fathers should take the leadership role here. Mothers, though, should not hold back from encouraging this […]
A Texas superstore. A Dayton entertainment district. A school. These should be safe places, but they were not. Why? The Holy Spirit wrote Scripture knowing exactly what fears you would face in this your life. The face of terror is ugly and unnerving. Cafes, concerts, sporting events, and church are common gatherings that traditionally have provided places of safety and refuge. But as the terror of the dark human heart is revealed before our eyes, the reality is that there is no place apart from God where anyone is truly safe. What happened in Texas and Ohio this past weekend could just as easily have happened to anyone of us and our families. Evil may wear the face of an […]
Psalm 46 was written for difficult times, times like this past weekend in El Paso and Dayton. These opening verses are filled with the drama of life-dominating events. But even in chaos and turmoil, God is our refuge, the one we can hang on to: God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Jacob was someone who knew that he needed to trust God. He made a mess out of his life. He struggled with God and with people. […]
God made you a new creature in Christ. He also designed you to be a creature fueled by thanksgiving. Only someone who comprehends the mercy of God extended in Christ the capacity to express thankfulness from an eternal perspective. Gratitude for someone who does not know Christ is limited to the here and now. Many are truly thankful for the immediate blessings of life. But the true healing joy of eternal gratitude is for those who know the love of Christ. When you lack thanksgiving you are being contrary to the person God has made you to be. The things of this earth have become more important than the gift of eternity that has been given to you in Christ. […]