Category Archives: Uncategorized

Did you blow it? Another reason to celebrate Easter!

Did you blow it yesterday? Did sin raise it’s ugly head in you again? Did something you thought you had mastered, master you? Are you disappointed in yourself? Friend, it’s a great date for a clean slate. And this day IS a clean slate, brand new, a blank page, a total do-over for those whoContinue reading “Did you blow it? Another reason to celebrate Easter!”

Failing God with Your Success

The ones who’ve lost so much, the ones who’ve struggled with trials and temptations and ran to God, oh how we love to hear their stories. And then there are the other stories, the ones we hear again and again of those who’ve obtained incredible success in life but fall; and often the story isContinue reading “Failing God with Your Success”

Hold on, because one day….

As Christian’s, there is something we have to do that is incredibly hard to do. We have to be okay with not understanding everything. I’ve talked with so many people, in just the past week, who are walking through incredibly hard things, or dealing with situations that just make no earthly sense. Something devastating hasContinue reading “Hold on, because one day….”

This hard thing…

There are times when I’ve longed for God to do just what I want Him to do when I want Him to do it. If I’m honest, I’ve prayed prayers thinking I fully understand situations and know best how things should go for me and for those I love. But He is God, who cannotContinue reading “This hard thing…”

To not do THIS is foolish and dangerous

Yesterday, as I wrote about preparing our hearts for Easter, I shared about overcoming guilt and shame. What an amazingly MERCIFUL God we serve! Indeed, He is so good and faithful to forgive our sins when we confess and turn from them. He even says, He remembers them no more (Heb 8:12) and that causesContinue reading “To not do THIS is foolish and dangerous”

Overcoming Guilt and Shame

Yesterday, in preparing our hearts for Easter, I shared about identifying sin in our lives; but remember, the evil one who tempted and rejoiced when you fell to sin wants you to hold you down with guilt and shame. And keep you there. The evil one is masterful at deceiving, even God’s children, into believingContinue reading “Overcoming Guilt and Shame”

An invitation to reflect and confess and prepare our hearts for Easter

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Cor 3:16-17) If you are a Christian, you (fill in your name)Continue reading “An invitation to reflect and confess and prepare our hearts for Easter”

Hard words as we prepare our hearts for Easter.

He came for the messed up sinner. I think a lot about that as Easter approaches in just a couple of weeks. We love that He ran after the prodigal, ate with the tax collectors and stepped in to prevent the stoning of the woman caught in adultery. We love that He left the 99Continue reading “Hard words as we prepare our hearts for Easter.”

God knows what you think might be too hard for Him…

You realize, The Almighty God (El Shaddai) , the God Who Sees (El- Roi) knows our doubts and our worries. God knows what it is we think is too hard for Him. Here’s one reason we can know this— In Genesis 17, God makes the covenant with Abram to multiply him exceedingly and give himContinue reading “God knows what you think might be too hard for Him…”

Peace, be still!

I had woken up to a horrific storm. Wind howling. Sheets of rain. Booming thunder. The storm outside passed, but I couldn’t sleep. Another storm, the one affecting us all, the condition of our world, was on my mind. In Luke 8, Jesus is exhausted from his busy ministry. He tells his disciples to getContinue reading “Peace, be still!”

Hard things, but God.

Right now, so many I love are facing what seems like a pile on of hard things. They love Jesus.They seek to follow Him.They are hurting. Really hurting over hard things. But again, and again, I’ve heard each of them talk of their hope. One by one they have each arrived at almost the exactContinue reading “Hard things, but God.”

When you try to follow Jesus and keep messing up!

Do you have trouble following Jesus? Do you ever wonder if you are really a Christian? And how can we tell if we truly love God? John tells us we will love others and keep God’s commands. (1 John 4:20-5:3) And, he tells us, the keeping of God’s commandments won’t seem burdensome (5:3). We willContinue reading “When you try to follow Jesus and keep messing up!”

You can’t kill sin with easy strokes

Stick with me on this one… I once heard a pastor preach about not taking sin seriously and not monkeying around with it. The point was, we have to KILL SIN immediately (the pastor used the illustration of the Prophet Samuel hacking the Amalekite king to death when King Saul had disobeyed God and refusedContinue reading “You can’t kill sin with easy strokes”

Last Days? Do this first…

I can’t read these words and not wonder if we are living in the last days— “But know this, in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors,Continue reading “Last Days? Do this first…”

Not just some of me. All of me.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy name!Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits! (Psalm 103:1-2) Oh my soul.Bless HIS Holy Name with ALL that is within me. Not just some of me.All of me. But all of me is prone toContinue reading “Not just some of me. All of me.”

Real Help! Real Hope!

Many of us are concerned as we look at our world. I see people posting about praying who typically do not do such things. Hard times certainly cause us to look for help anywhere we can get it and to think about the fragility of life and eternity. And, many reason, “Heaven sounds like aContinue reading “Real Help! Real Hope!”

Keep it up…

Do you take your faith “way too seriously”? Have you been left out or scorned because of it? Have others deliberately tried to hurt you because of the Name of Christ you wear? We need only look at our society to know the winds of persecution are fiercely gathering against those who honor Christ andContinue reading “Keep it up…”

But even now…

In John 11, her brother, Lazarus, had died and Martha sits mourning with friends and her sister, Mary. They are told Jesus is coming. Martha bursts out of the house and goes to meet Him. She ran to Jesus. Martha is absolutely devastated over her brother’s death, but she STILL ran to Jesus. She saysContinue reading “But even now…”

Hope when you feel like you have none….

Yesterday, we had an unexpected death in our family. I had to tell my mom, who only lost my Daddy a few weeks ago, that her dear brother had passed away. Tears filled my eyes.I fumbled for words.I prayed. And my mind tried to make sense of it all. And this morning, I was remindedContinue reading “Hope when you feel like you have none….”