Excuses. We all make excuses for many different things in our lives, even when it comes to following God’s call on our life. Jeremiah’s excuse is recorded in Jeremiah 1:6. “‘Alas, Sovereign Lord’, I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am too young.’” What is your excuse for not doing what God […]
Loss never really goes away. It hurts every day. I feel the pain and loss of my daughter through death. I feel the pain and loss of relationship with my grandchildren. But you know what else is true? By God’s grace and strength every single day of my life, I rise above that ash heap […]
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22). Perhaps you’ve read this verse and wondered, “What exactly is a cornerstone?” We know from other Scriptures that the imagery of a cornerstone represents the character of the Lord. “Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone the builders […]
One doesn’t have to be a current events genius to know there is war exploding right now all over our planet. However, there is a deadlier war raging—the one deep in man’s soul. It’s the war within. That’s the one you can do something about. “‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus […]
Before there was a name for it, God wrote about it. Narcissism. It’s quite the problem in our world today. In no way do I pretend to know all there is to know about narcissism, but I do have a few observations. The most important one is that God has this covered. “Treatment for narcissistic […]
“We feel sorry for Americans, because it is difficult to be a Christian in the United States.” My daughter, Jamie, who lived and worked in Northern Asia, shared this comment from an indigenous believer. She asked her why she felt that way. “Because Americans don’t really understand what it means to be a true follower […]
We want the blessing of God in our lives without our commitment to love, serve, and obey Him. We believe in God and want Him to answer prayer for our healing, provision, problem removal, and wisdom, but we want God’s blessing on our terms. So we search for that someone who we think has a […]
As ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and church leaders wherever God has planted us, we can learn much about church leadership from the life of Ezra in the Old Testament. Ezra was a priest, a scribe, and an expert in the law to the Jewish community in Jerusalem, exiles from Babylonian captivity, 458 […]
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4). I knock on the front door of a good friend. She is expecting me. In just a moment, she flings the door open, smiling ear to ear, gives me a big hug, and ushers me […]
No doubt, we are living in the last days. Should I be concerned about peace and provision as it pertains to my heart and needs, or is God only concerned with the bigger picture in this world? It is not my fault the nations are a mess and there’s chaos and sin everywhere I look. […]