What is grace and what does it mean to embrace grace? Max Lucado wrote… God answers the mess of life with one word, “Grace.” I’ve often heard it said that grace is God’s “undeserved favor.” I typically share the following definitions for grace and mercy… And one more says… For Christians, grace is the free…
I’m a problem solver. I love finding solutions and fixing problems. I’m entertained by puzzles and creating ways to resolve dilemmas. Until I can’t. The truth is that many of life’s big problems can’t be fixed. There are times when our feeble human efforts simply aren’t enough. Times when our worlds are shaken by things…
Jesus told His disciples… “And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22 (CSB) Other translations say… “Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (NKJV)“You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” (NLT)“Whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really]…
The Word tells us that God’s justice will come in His timing. When the world is a mess we don’t want to wait, God says to trust Him. He wants everyone to be saved, to Know, Trust, and Love Jesus.
It’s not at all unusual lately to learn a friend or family member is overwhelmed by feelings of fear and anxiety. The truth is that’s exactly where the enemy of our souls wants us all. Satan wants us all distracted, disappointed, disconnected, and discontent. He wants us to live anxious and afraid. Jesus said… The…
I’ve been wondering about the difference between faith and faithfulness. Faith is believing in someone or something. Faithfulness is consistently acting on that faith. We can have faith that we have the best job in the world but if we don’t faithfully fulfill the tasks of that job we probably won’t have it very long….
If you’re a regular visitor here, you know that I’ve made the following one of my life verses: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need. Luke 12:31 I talk a lot about my desire to put God first in my life to SEEK Him first – but what does it…
What is genuine faith? Jesus’ half-brother, James, didn’t have any trouble sharing his thoughts on the subject. The Bible is clear about the fact that everyone is saved by God’s grace… God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not…
The following facts are from an article in the January edition of Christianity Today: Every day, 13 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith. Every day, 12 churches or Christian buildings are attacked. Every day, 12 Christians are unjustly arrested or imprisoned, and another 5 are abducted. And as I write this, the news…
I knew I was holding back a little bit of my heart. I’d read verses of suffering servants in the New Testament. I’d taken Jesus words to heart: Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. John 16:33 Somehow I bought into the enemy’s lies that if I was a cautious Christian ….
I talk to more and more people all the time who say they just can’t watch the news anymore. They simply find themselves too discouraged by the steady message of things that are wrong . . . with crime, protests, riots, and illness. It often feels like the goal is to keep us fearful and…
A number of years ago, we ordered a large rather expensive mirror. It was delivered a few days later and left at our front door. The first thing we noticed was that it was covered with stickers warning: Fragile! Handle with Care! So, Rev and I joined together to carefully pick up the box. Unfortunately,…
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…
Do you ever feel discouraged . . . like evil is winning? The news and social media seem to promote a secular religion and a culture that opposes Biblical truths. Is it any wonder that many of us are starting to feel more and more isolated and alone as efforts are made to silence Christians…
Have you ever wanted to be famous? Do you long to be “known” and popular? Have you ever been tempted to do a little “name dropping” so you could tag along on the celebrity recognition ride? Luke wrote the following near the beginning of his Gospel: Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also…
Are you ever surprised how often “I can’t” is your first thought about something? I know that too often my first thought is “I can’t do this,” whenever I’m facing a challenge. Oh, I want to consistently enjoy God’s strength and peace but I’m ashamed to say that I can let doubt dictate my thinking….
Yesterday we looked at what Jesus said about being prepared for His return. Today, in Matthew 25, Jesus went on to tell His followers about the importance of having faith and the importance of showing others their faith by demonstrating His love. The first parable today, tells the story of 10 bridesmaids who were waiting…
Do you ever feel like life is a crazy roller-coaster ride? One minute you are climbing high . . . life is going well and you are able to get up each day with hope and enthusiasm. And the next . . . you’re taking a giant nose-dive riddled with sadness, fear, and anxiety. I’ve…
“Be afraid. Be very afraid.” (The Movie – The Fly, 1986) Those words have been repeated again and again. And even if the actual quote isn’t being reiterated . . . it can seem like there is an intentional effort by the enemy to overwhelm us all with anxiety and fear. If you’re a frequent…
It only took one terrifyingly turbulent flight to convince me that staying on the ground was better than being in the air. So much better that it took years before I was willing to go anywhere that required air travel. But flying was just one of my many fears. As a child, I was afraid of…
Is it hard for you to be honest with God? Do you struggle to pour out feelings of impatience or frustration? Are you able to tell Him when you’re losing hope because your problem persists and you wonder if things will ever change even though you’ve prayed and prayed and prayed? I love that God…
