What do you do when God tells you to do the impossible and pray for the person who caused your pain and persecution to be blessed? You trust Him to keep His promise to give you amazing strength. As I read today’s verses, the first words that came to mind were, “That’s impossible! I don’t…
What is “genuine love?” How do you know? Paul wrote… Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:9–10 And Jesus told His followers… Love each other. Just as I have loved…
When was the last time you assessed your strengths and weaknesses? It’s easy for us to fall into routines that are so busy they don’t allow time for self-evaluation. We spend our days hurriedly fulfilling expectations and end up surviving with our weaknesses rather than thriving through our strengths. But we have God-given gifts. Strengths…
How’s your self-image? What goes through your mind when you look in the mirror? Think about your career? Or evaluate how you spend your time? So, would you say you have a vibrant self-image? Rev used to ask our Bible Class, “Who do you think about more than anyone else?” Some would say their children….
What is the truth when it comes to love and God’s commands? There’s pressure placed on churches and the people who attend them to conform to an ever-changing culture. It’s the “loving” thing to do, right? Speaking about sin is considered judgmental, and some would say, hypocritical. Talking about obedience is oppressive. Jesus showed us…
My Pastor encouraged us to ask “why” questions. He invited us to lean into our doubts by SEEKing the TRUTH and he believed in God’s ability to increase our faith when we took our questions to Him.
As I scroll through social media or watch the news, the world seems to be getting even more divided. Jew vs. non-Jew. Protestant vs. Catholic. Denomination vs. Denomination. Nation vs. Nation. And on and on. What happened to “speak the truth in love”? What happened to “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything…
God made covenants with Abraham, Moses, and all Israel … unfailing promises that if they trusted and obeyed Him, He would bless them. But like us, they were inconsistent. Some trusted. Some didn’t. And no one obeyed perfectly. So, God sent His Son and gave a New Covenant through Jesus. He promised that through faith…
Most religions have a list of rules and instructions that define “good works.” Christianity alone says that we are unable to earn God’s favor. Here’s what Christians believe makes you right with God.
What makes having faith so important? Do you think all Christians believe having faith is important? I did a little research… An article at Christian Post states that more than fifty percent of Christians in the United States believe good works that will get them to heaven. And in another article … “Nearly seventy percent…
Have you ever wondered why God created the world the way He did? Have you ever questioned His choices for you? Is it hard to trust God consistently when there’s a list of things you wish He’d done differently? Have you ever looked in the mirror and complained about the way God made you? Your…
We make promises and sign contracts, but do we still make covenants? God’s covenants were binding agreements He made with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. David wrote… The Lord always keeps His promises; He is gracious in all He does. Psalm 145:13 The Bible teaches us that God’s Old Covenant was God’s promise to bless and protect the…
Have you ever been so filled with fear and worry that you’ve questioned God’s love? Does watching the news make you anxious about the future? Jesus said that before He returned, “there would be wars and rumors of war.” (Matthew 24:6) Although there have always been wars, it feels like there is an excessive amount…
What difference would it make if you knew that you could rely on the Best Advocate to plead your case faithfully? The Dictionary defines an Advocate as: Jesus said… I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that…
I remember the last weeks of my pregnancies like it was yesterday. Each time our days were filled with hope and love. With our firstborn, we moved, remodeled, and redecorated our first house during the last two months. And with our second, well, I never got used to the astonished look on people’s faces as…
What does it mean that God is your “Abba, Father?” Jesus called God “Father” and invited you and me to call Him “Father” too. He invited us to pray to “Our Father in heaven.” The Apostle John wrote… But to all who believed [Jesus] and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of…
You’ve heard the phrase “preaching to the choir” before. This is one of those times when I’m “writing for the writer.” God knows I need this, so I’m humbly sharing it with you. The words, surrender your thoughts, make me squirm. I’m not very good at it. I want to be, and I pray I’m…
Do you KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST Jesus? If you do, you have been declared NOT GUILTY and carry within you life’s most wonderful blessing. Romans 8 is full of favorite verses for Jesus’ followers, and it’s easy to understand. It begins with the following… So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to…
Happy Independence Day! I thought we’d take a moment to look at the definition of independence… 1. Not subject to control by others: self-governing.2. Not requiring or relying on someone or something else.3. A country or region gaining political freedom from outside control. Some synonyms for independence include being self-sufficient, self-reliant, self-supported, self-sustaining, and having the…
I want to obey God! But it seems that no matter how hard I try, life still gets in the way and I fail to live my faith the way I want. Today’s example: During my morning prayer time, I asked the Lord to help me become more intentional about praying without ceasing. I want…
The enemy of our souls has forever tried to convince us that we can be independent and have complete self-sovereignty over our own lives. However, the truth about freedom and independence is that the enemy is a liar. Paul wrote… Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You…
