It’s early Monday morning, very early. What makes this Monday different from last Monday? Will I ask the same question next Monday? Will there be a next Monday? Will faith be deeper? Will hopes grow more distant? Will love bless or curse? Will I be bound by perceptions of weakness? Will fears make me less vulnerable? Will love curse or bless? Will I fear to risk? Will I run from my dream? Will I trust the light in the darkness? Will love bless or curse? Will I embrace death to know life? Will I nourish or starve? Will I honor doubt or truth? Will I trust? Will love bless? Will I have the courage to choose life? It’s early […]
Monthly Archives: September 2019
12 posts
What if you could see Jesus standing next to you? What if you could physically see Jesus next to you when: you argued with your spouse? you disciplined your children? your children were disrespectful to you? you were upset about being treated unfairly? you were tempted to lust? you acted on your anger? your friend threw you under the bus? you were cut-off in traffic? your team lost the game on terrible call by the officials? you had a flat tire? your check engine light came on? you are too tired to pray? You get the idea. Would your typical responses to any of these scenarios change if you could see Jesus standing right there with you? If the answer […]
The monochrome of daybreak is warming to the touch of the sun. The air is still. The quiet of night is fading. Soon engines, birds, wind in the trees and the sounds of the morning will mark the new day. While there is wonder in how this day will unfold, there is no doubt that the steady hand of God will bring about what he has planned. It is true, there is no promise this day will bring what I want, that I will be shielded from my deepest fears. There is only the promise that the One who gave his life for me will do what honors his great name. I pray that God will grant that this will […]
Gentleness requires at least two things: faith and courage. Faith Authentic gentleness is part of the Spirit’s fruit. Thus, faith is the only way to access the power of gentleness and show the wonder of gentleness. Courage To do anything that is possible only by the power of God’s Spirit requires courage. Why? Because to follow God in any area means to deny the desires of our flesh. Being biblically gentle is not natural. Now if you think being gentle is weak and non-confrontational, then you might not see why courage is needed. However, the Spirit’s idea of gentleness is all about confrontation and strength. Let me repeat that. Gentleness is about confrontation and strength! When a harsh or […]
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Monday was the beginning of Fall and Spring, depending on which side of the equator you reside. The Sun’s direction relative to the equator will be to the south until 11:19 p.m. December 21st when it starts its six-month journey northward again. This is the way it has been and the way it will be as long as God intends. The Sun’s annual trek means that the earth will be constantly exposed to changing angles of the Sun’s intense heat. It is this movement that produces our seasons. The changing seasons produce the rains that produce the crops that feed and nourish you and me. Psalm 65 […]
“She makes me so mad, I can’t stand it!” “He thinks only of himself, he doesn’t care if he hurts me or not. It’s maddening.” Did you ever say or think words like these? Well, you are not alone. But what do you gain by being mad, by being so angry you lose control? The answer: you gain nothing of value but you lose much that is valuable! Often, being angry brings such harm that the damage is difficult, if not impossible to repair. Of course, you think you have good reasons for being mad. You have been hurt and nothing will stand between you and your right to express anger. If you are miserable, then everyone else should be […]
This is a short story of two young men with two radically different views of the same treasure. One thought he could not live without the treasure and one who knew could not live with it. This is the choice is still relevant: should you live for what you can see or for what you can’t see? Moses, as a young man, was offered all the treasures of ancient Egypt. They were the best his world had to offer. Power, possessions, prestige — they were all his. All he had to do was be passive and enjoy the providential circumstances that were literally dropped in his lap. But he said no to all of that. Instead, he believed disgrace for […]
Proverbs has some profound things to say about receiving criticism. Solomon warns against living for the praise of others. Learning to wisely receive criticism is a life skill that will serve you and your children well. This skill offers protection from everything to falling prey to sexual temptations or from making poor business decisions. For example, a little boy who craves praise may well grow into a husband who will be angry and disappointed when he is not constantly praised. He can easily be prone to self-pity. This can lead to a man who will be withdrawn, sullen, or even abusive. Similarly, a young woman who lives for the praise of others becomes a target for those who would take […]
It was time for Israel to grow up! For forty years Israel had known God’s special protection very much like what you provide for your children before they leave home. Manna was provided for them every day. The lived under the safety of the giant cloud that provided shade during the day and light at night. Their clothing and sandals did not wear out. Once the people crossed the Jordan River, things would be different. The Israelites had experienced the direct hand of God in their lives in ways that would never be repeated. Their children would only know about these things if their parents taught them. Here is what the Holy Spirit directed Moses to tell his people as […]
The book of Judges tells the story of a dark time in the history of Israel. Yet even in the darkness, God was at work. As He often does, He brought light and hope from the most unexpected place. Naomi accompanied her faithless husband, Elimelech, to Moab; he doubted that God could provide for him in the land of promise. So he turned his back on the provision of God. Years later, Naomi returned to Bethlehem from Moab. Her husband and her two sons had died. All she had to bring back with her was her daughter-in-law, Ruth. Yet, even in Naomi’s bitterness and sadness, she still retained her faith in the Lord of Hosts. This faith was observed by […]