“It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” To many, this is a great quote . . . a word of encouragement. But most of us know that if there is no difference between winning and losing, we wouldn’t keep score. And like it or not, everyone keeps score. In…
I’m guessing at one time or another you’ve heard someone say… “There’s nothing wrong with it, so I have the freedom to do what I want!” And no, I’m not talking about your kids. I’m talking about adults in the church. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul invited his reads to take a closer look at…
The rest of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians holds his answers to questions they had asked in a letter they had written to him. Questions about marriage, singleness, eating meat offered to idols, the “right way” to worship, the Lord’s Supper, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection . . . disagreements they were having in…
The cultural message for the past 50 years has been “my body, my choice.” But is that true based on God’s Word? In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul wrote: Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not…
How much time do you spend investing in relationships with unbelievers? Historically, there have been some groups of Christians that have chosen to create their own exclusive communities to remain isolated from the “influence of the world”—people who choose not to be friends with people outside of their faith community. In 1 Corinthians 5, the…
Do you have verses in Scripture that make you squirm because they hold a truth you really don’t want to think about? Today’s chapter has a couple of verses that definitely make me uncomfortable… It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the…
Can you imagine? You finally get a letter from your spiritual advisor . . . you’re hoping for a “good job, atta baby, way to go,” word of encouragement. But this is what you get instead: Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people….
Do you think you’re wise? Do you want to be? As I was reading today’s chapter and a couple of verses practically jumped off the page: No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not…
I’m not a fan of insects or reptiles but I’ve always found chameleons fascinating. Can you imagine the creative process where God decided it was important to make a creature able to change colors and camouflage itself to go unnoticed by predators? To make them able to simply blend in… Maybe He made them just…
And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33 Those words sound like the end of the letter to the Romans. They sound like the benediction . . . but Paul often took a few more moments to add personal thoughts to his friends. I was talking with…
I’ve read countless books about prayer in my life. But in recent years, the Lord has shown me that I need to read less about prayer and spend more time in prayer. Here are a few things I’ve learned from actually praying… ♥ Prayer can be comforting—as we bring every need to God’s Throne of…
I’ve been blogging for more than 12 years, and I don’t remember ever receiving the kind of verbal attacks on my faith like I have in recent months. Technology has put a powerful weapon into the hands of social media and those who use it. Studies show that the vast majority of “chatter” on line…
This is a tough topic. Most of us don’t want to talk about it because it typically elicits a strong response from one point of view or the other. But here we go… Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there…
God loves you! He really loves you! Not a “love ya” at the end of a note or an email but deep lasting involved love that cares about every aspect of your life. The Lord’s love for you and me is so much more than warm fuzzy feelings. He loves us completely. God sent His…
Have you ever heard someone say… “Let me tell you, when I get to Heaven, I’m going to have some serious questions for God! Like why did He do __________ or why didn’t He prevent __________.” And I’ll be honest, I think everyone has moments when they don’t understand God’s sovereign decisions after a devastating…
Can you imagine asking how to become a follower of Jesus and hearing the follower complicated reply: “Well . . . first you read the Bible. You DO have a Bible, don’t you? No? Well . . . you need to get one right away! Then, you should definitely receive instruction from a pastor or…
The truth is . . . There is no such thing as do it yourself salvation! And it’s also true . . . that is a hard truth for us to accept. Pride is our #1 weakness. Whether it is manifested as arrogance or insecurity . . . we all, like two year olds, have…
My favorite chapter of the Bible is John 17. It blesses my faith every time I read I read Jesus prayer for His followers to be safe, strong, and united. Rev’s favorite chapter is Romans 8, and honestly it is a close second for me . . . a chapter full of God’s promises to…
Have you noticed culture is trying to eliminate the word “sin” from the public forum? There appears to be an effort to remove the idea of an absolute religious or moral law; therefore, making it possible for everyone to determine for themselves what is right or wrong. And many Christians avoid talking about sin for…
When was the last time you said… “Well, that’s easier said than done?” Okay, maybe you haven’t said the words out loud but I’ll bet you’ve thought them. Especially when you’ve gotten advice like: “I know you’re hurt but God wants you to just forgive and forget.” “You know you need to find a higher…
I love the first two verses of Romans 5… Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and…
