Consequences and Restoration
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. I Peter 5:10 Sin causes us to suffer. You may be in denial that you are suffering because of a sin […]
Pondering God’s Word
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about the child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said them. But Mary treasured up all these […]
Jesus in the Chaos
Yesterday was loud and chaotic. I sat in an hour of morning rush hour traffic. I made meals, and snacks, and shuttled kids to and from school. Two kids were wrestling while another kid had a homework meltdown. The baby is teething. I had just enough time to sneak a workout in this afternoon and […]
Strategies for Evangelizing
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:5-6 Although Paul realized that circumcision was not necessary for salvation, he knew that in order for Timothy […]
Faithful Response
Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services. Nehemiah 13:14 When Nehemiah heard about the broken promises of the people, he immediately initiated reforms. His faithful response as the leader of the people was to […]
The Secret of Using Talents
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the […]
God Fights our Battles
After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” Nehemiah 4:14b The people were […]
Worship Opens the Prison Doors
About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison door were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. Acts 16:25-26 Paul and Silas […]
Faith and Deeds
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and fed,” but does nothing about his physical […]
Changing with Seasons of Life
Today I met with someone and we were discussing a huge change she is making in her life. She and her husband are now empty nesters and they sense that there is another season that they need to step into. One of my favorite subjects is just that: Stepping into each season with confidence Our […]