The world is a scary place. You don’t know when or where the next mass killer will strike. 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. If this is true, how can you know peace? How can you avoid being dominated by fear? Even in scary times, God calls you to trust him. Here is what the Holy Spirit says to you from Psalm 56:3-4: […]
Wisdom
270 posts
The Bible is a precious gift. It is tells you about life. It provides perspective in troubled times. If your heart is troubled this morning take refuge in these 185 words. Psalm 37:1-11 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, […]
Last night 12 Dallas police officers were targeted and ambushed. At least 5 are dead. This morning thousands of law enforcement officers will go to work knowing that they too are potential targets of ambush. Why? Because they are committed to something more than their own good. As Paul says in Romans 13, those in law enforcement are “God’s servants for your good”. It is important to pray for the broken and hurting in Dallas. Indeed, pray for the safety of all of those in law enforcement. But it is equally important that we do more than pray. Christians must have the courage to be salt and light. We must stand for truth. We must not be part of the […]
When things are going well, we tend to be okay with God’s control. Being patient is not much of a challenge. But, when life becomes hard it is a different story. Patience is easily lost and frustration sets in. Why? The Holy Spirit says that God is causing all the events in your life to work together for your good. So, when you look at life and fail to see God’s faithfulness, even in the painful things, you are judging God. God says he is always faithful and and gracious to those whom he loves. You are critiquing God based upon your perception of how your life is going. Not a good idea! Patience means living in the expectation of […]
These are troubling days. The wicked appear to have the upper hand. But the word of God assures you that things are not as they seem. King David wrote a song that was used in worship to remind God’s people that the wicked have limits. Meekness will triumph over wickedness! David states that the meek shall inherit the land. Some one thousand years later Jesus quotes these very words as he begins the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus was letting his followers know that even though they would face persecution God would not abandon them or his covenant commitment to do what is right. Christians are to use the weapons of the Spirit and not of the flesh. In this […]
Most would agree that social media and the internet are places where dangers lurk. So it might be tempting to say the solution is to avoid cyber-space altogether. But that would be unwise. Consider this. Driving a vehicle is also fraught with dangers. There are unsafe drivers in abundance. Driving to places of temptation is always an option. One’s self-image and self-worth can easily attached to the type of vehicle driven. Lack of attention can cause loss of property, injury and even death! The unexpected is always around the next turn. And of course, a parent’s nightmare, the car is an opportunity for sexual immorality. Even with all of these negative possibilities we still encourage our children to drive. Why, […]
You may think you know exactly who your enemy is. Your enemy is your unhappy spouse. Your enemy is your stubborn teenager. Your enemy is your ungrateful boss. Your enemy is your friend who said something you don’t like. Your enemy is the economy or the job market. Your enemy is your sickness. In short, you may think life is your enemy. You think you know who you enemy is. Christianity is about hand-to-hand combat. It is important that you identify exactly whom it is that you are fighting! You are likely to believe the enemy is the people and circumstances you encounter. When this happens your energy is spent fighting the wrong target! You need God’s wisdom to identify […]
A loving friend is one who cares about you enough to say what is true. This truth may be about dangers you face and even character issues that you need to examine. But failing to be truthful may also have an aggressive, nasty, secretive component of which to be aware. God has provided a way for you to be able to recognize enemies disguised as friends. Proverbs provides the insight you need to protect yourself and your children. Proverbs 27:5-6 combines two real life examples to help you discern between friends and those who would hurt you. Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. In verse […]
Life is full of drama and upset. Relationships may be filled with tensions and disappointments. The cultural landscape and the world’s political climate are unsettling at best. The noise of life is everywhere. Sometimes hope appears out of sight, other times the relentless drama of life can make it seem as if your mind is about to explode. Where is peace? The Holy Spirit speaks comfort into your life. He uses evocative images to speak to you. In Psalm 46 he says: So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. That’s challenging! Earthquakes and mountain crumbling into the sea are drama personified. Earthquakes, even with all of our sophisticated scientific advances, are not […]
Confidence in God’s truth is something you can’t do without. Otherwise, temptations will overwhelm and ensnare you and your children. Lack of confidence in God’s truth will make your teenagers sitting ducks for the attacks of Satan and the world. Jesus, Joseph and David confidently, boldly confronted temptations. Imagine if Jesus had said to Satan, “I’m not sure,” or “I will have to think about it,” when he was tempted. Of if Joseph had told Potiphar’s wife, “let’s talk about this.” Or if David had said to Goliath, “we need to find a compromise.” Christ spoke confidently of the truth of God’s word. Joseph was confident that God must be honored at all costs. David was confident that God’s power […]