What’s your “this”? As Paul famously sat imprisoned for the faith, he knew “this” would turn out for his deliverance through prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:19). He needed prayer and he needed the Holy Spirit to earnestly hope he wouldn’t be ashamed, but that Christ would be magnifiedContinue reading “To remember in your hard things..”
Tag Archives: eternal focus
I will praise you in this storm.
Before a horrific storm hit my life, my affection for Jesus was short-lived. Oh, I’d call on Him here or there when I had a problem; but I remained in control of me. When the storm came, every false idol, every bit of sinking sand was washed away; and I found Jesus to be faithful,Continue reading “I will praise you in this storm.”
Soap Bubbles
I cried with two different people just yesterday. I spoke with several others dealing with hard, stressful things. I love them all. My heart hurts with each of them. My heart hurts with things of my own. I want to fix every problem.I can’t. I want to take away the heartache.I can’t. I want toContinue reading “Soap Bubbles”
Scary circumstances?
When I look at my circumstances, I’ve been fearful and worried; but when I turn my eyes to Jesus, when I remember His faithful promises, when I trust Him again and again, my faith grows stronger. Paul talks about Abraham’s faith. He pens his letter emphatically assuring his audience of new believers (both Jew andContinue reading “Scary circumstances?”
But what if they say, “Don’t judge me.”?
Like me, you probably hear the phrase “don’t judge” a lot in our world and often out of the mouths of Christians. But the Bible says, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”Hebrews 5:14 ESV If we wantContinue reading “But what if they say, “Don’t judge me.”?”
Is God shaking us?
What if we all have to go through hard days for there to be real revival—for more lost to be found? Am I okay with that? Are you? Let me be clear, I want the election to go the way of conservatives, and values, and religious freedom. I’ll vote that way and think others shouldContinue reading “Is God shaking us?”
If tomorrow never comes…
It’s 9/11.And we ought to all stop.And remember. Today, we should think about those who died —the heroes who ran in and those trapped, huddled in fear. It took five years to build the twin towers. It took 102 minutes from the first impact on the north tower for them both to fall. In 102Continue reading “If tomorrow never comes…”
No matter what…
If I could explain God, if I could control Him, treat Him like a vending machine, if I could predict His next move or always understand His last – would He be worthy of my worship? Would He be Mighty God? But He is Mighty!He is the Great I Am.He is Holy. And this veryContinue reading “No matter what…”
Hold on. It’s worth it.
Surely, I’m not the only one who used to believe that once you become a Christian life will go easy. But the truth is, real faith is far from easy. The book of Luke tells us, Simeon’s eyes finally beheld the Promised One. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, thisContinue reading “Hold on. It’s worth it.”
Please make them mercifully miserable.
I used to think if I just tried really hard to obey God, things would go well with me. You know, circumstantially, this world, well. But it seems there is a longer, eternal, better view. And when God says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but it’s end is the wayContinue reading “Please make them mercifully miserable.”
Will your kids be able to stand in hard days?
This remains one of the most shared things I’ve ever written. In these hard days, I felt it important to share again. It’s hard truth, but there is HOPE! —- They are some of the most miserable people I know–young adults who haven’t really picked a side. They try to live in two worlds—the oneContinue reading “Will your kids be able to stand in hard days?”
We can’t call wrong things right because we love our kids.
I woke up early.Sad.And mad. Sad and mad that, once again, I’ve had a front row seat to watch parents encourage their children to go ahead and do an unholy thing because they, “deserve to be happy”. This is nothing new. For years, I watched as parents of my kids’ friends did this. They compromisedContinue reading “We can’t call wrong things right because we love our kids.”
God, I don’t understand
It is not popular to say, but God will do things we don’t like or understand. In Luke 6, Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath and the religious leaders were filled with rage. Rage. Not awe and adoration that a miracle had been performed right before their eyes. Not celebration for the man whoseContinue reading “God, I don’t understand”
I need to read these words today…
I needed to read these words from the old preacher-teacher, Oswald Chambers, today (pictured with his daughter)– “Put Trust in God First. Our Lord never put His trust in any person. Yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, and never lost hope for anyone, because He put His trust in God first. He trusted absolutelyContinue reading “I need to read these words today…”
Markets are crashing. Rumors of War.
I picked up my Bible. Markets are crashing. There are rumors of wars. I picked up my Bible. As I opened to my daily reading, I sighed. Oh, I’d really rather be in the Psalms or one of Paul’s letters… but my reading plan has me in the Old Testament-2 Chronicles 32 and 33. ButContinue reading “Markets are crashing. Rumors of War.”
Video from Kim and a message on HOPE
These days are hard. How are we to live with hope? What does that look like in the day to day? I don’t often share from my speaking events, but I feel God especially poured out these words earlier this year when it was especially hard — it was just after my Dad went homeContinue reading “Video from Kim and a message on HOPE”
Words on a page. Hope in my heart.
Words on a page.Hope in my heart. These words weren’t meant to be put on a shelf after Easter. I need to remember again. Maybe you do, too? As His blood flowed down, and the human heart of my Savior stopped , the curtain separating men from a Holy God was torn in two. (LukeContinue reading “Words on a page. Hope in my heart.”
What younger women in the faith want from older ones
Mabel (our Lhaso Apso grand dog) sat in my lap on our screen porch watching our older dog Macy simply relax as the thunderstorm rolled by. She looked at Macy, she looked at me, then she laid her little head down as if she had reasoned that if Macy were okay, she was too. AndContinue reading “What younger women in the faith want from older ones”
God hears your prayers. You know that, right?
John is about to end his letter with a powerful punch of truths. John would have his readers remember the confidence they have in Christ, and the confidence they can have in prayer. When John wrote his letter, Christianity was spreading like wildfire, though it was far from easy to be a Christ-follower. False teachersContinue reading “God hears your prayers. You know that, right?”
What we really need…
When I think about this crazy world, I think about my daddy. We will gather after church today as a family to celebrate and remember my precious dad on his birthday—he passed away in January. We will pray and thank the Lord for this man who found church and then the hope of Jesus. MyContinue reading “What we really need…”