A Christian must not live as though time is all that matters. As the hymn says, the sands of time are numbered. They are contained in an hourglass crafted by God for his glory. One day the last grain of sand will sink to the bottom of the glass. When this happens God will not turn the hourglass over. When the last grain falls, life on earth will also fall. Don’t live your life for sinking grains of sand. Live it for the glory of the King. The Sands of Time are Sinking The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks; The summer morn I’ve sighed for—the fair, sweet morn awakes: Dark, dark hath been the midnight, […]
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It is easy to pray for good things. We want our loved ones to be healthy and safe. We desire for our country to turn to God in repentance. It is good to pray that our children will come to know and love Christ more deeply. These are good things. But do we have the courage to pray for something more? We sell God short in our prayers when we only ask for things that seem to good to us. In the prayer of our Lord, Christ gives us something better to ask for: he asks that God’s kingdom will come and that his will be done. Wow! This request requires trust in God. This is a request for God […]
School is starting. This means the daily chase is on, again. Recognize all that happens in your travels are superintended by the hand of God. Each traffic light that works, each car that passes by, each person you meet on your journey is part of the decreed will of God for your life. Mobility has become a routine part of life. School schedules, soccer practice, music lessons, field trips, vacations, and a myriad of other events require mobility. Today this mobility has become routine. This is huge. Occasionally, you will hear someone ask for God’s protection for travel for a really long trip. But when was the last time that you heard a prayer request for travel to and from […]
I was reminded today that human anger is a sign of weakness. Just to be clear, I understand there are times for righteous anger. We could all stand to experience more of this type of anger. But this post is not about righteous anger. It is about the anger that deceives, that makes you think your anger is justified. So when a child, a teenager, a spouse, or a coworker crosses an arbitrary line we feel totally justified by an angry response. Our flesh screams unfair! Angry words of self-defense and accusation flow freely from our lips. This sort of language and rationalization will receive a hearty amen from the Satanic cheering section. We think we have been strong, when […]
The things in life that Job held dear were gone in a moment. Job was a man of great faith and he had a deep love for God. He was in daily prayer for the spiritual well-being of his children. Because he feared God with a holy, reverent fear, his emotional response to evil was to turn from it rather than consider it or embrace it. Job’s emotions worked for him rather than against him. When Job was crushed by devastating losses of property and life he turned to the worship of his God. Worship is not a common response to searing pain in life. But Job’s love and awe of God was deeply engraved upon his heart. The very […]
The world’s culture appeals directly to the flesh. It does not ask permission from parents to tempt their teenagers. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, the flesh is an intimate gateway for the world’s temptations. The message that the world gives seeks to discredit the biblical message that Christian parents offer. Galatians 5:19-21 & Proverbs 9 teach that the teenager’s flesh willingly listens to the world’s message of subversion. Parents, you must be aware of this warfare! Your call for your teenagers to be pure may be met with a scoffing, mocking world that already has an “in” with your teenager. “But my teenager has made a profession of faith,” you protest. But the battle against the flesh goes […]
What does wisdom look like today? Here are some basics about biblical wisdom that will help in this search. No one is born wise. The first prerequisite for being wise is to come to saving relationship with Christ. Wisdom comes from a diligent and relentless pursuit of wisdom. Therefore, the pursuit of wisdom is not natural or easy. Wisdom cannot be learned apart from the fear of God. Biblical wisdom is unlike anything that can be achieved by human effort. Your children will be dominated by worldly thought until they desire God’s wisdom. The Beatitudes and the fruit of the Spirit describe what wisdom looks like. When these qualities are pursued as if it were buried treasure, out of a […]
When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. These are words from the hymn, “When I survey the wondrous cross.” No doubt you have sung them before. If you have been a Christian for a while, perhaps you can even sing these words from memory. However, think carefully about what you are singing. For example in the words above, a declaration is made before man and God that nothing you have accomplished, no possession you have attained, no human success can compare to what Christ purchased for you on the cross. Really? Do you live this way? Do those who know […]
The impure, profane speech of the Ephesians had woven itself into the life of the church to the point where Paul addressed the issue specifically. Ephesians 5:4 describes the importance of gratitude. “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” Ephesians 5:4 In the first part of the verse Paul directs that there should be no obscene, foolish talk or any coarse jesting. The Linguistic Key to the New Testament provides the definitions for these terms: • Obscene talk—shameful, filthy or obscene speech • Foolish talk—laughing at something without wit • Coarse jesting—the word implies dexterity of turning a discourse to wit or humor, and deceptive speech, that allowed the speaker […]
The world is a scary place. Life is full of things that you and I cannot control. You cannot will your children to safety. You cannot wish cancer away. You cannot remove the drunk driver from the road. You cannot force world leaders to be wise and responsible. You cannot stop dangers on the playground or even in your backyard. You cannot stop the hurricane or earthquake. In short, you cannot eliminate the things that bring fear in this life. Even in scary times, God calls you to trust him. Here is what the Holy Spirit says to you from Psalm 56: When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I […]