As the religious leaders and the crowd cheered for His crucifixion, Jesus was brought before Pilate, who finding no fault in Him, asked the question we all ultimately must ask ourselves— “What then shall I do with this Jesus who is called Christ?” Matt 27:22 The question is meant to be personal. No one couldContinue reading “The Question No One Can Answer For You”
Tag Archives: hope in Jesus
The Two Beside Him
Those two criminals.Bleeding.Bruised.Guilty. In the Savior’s final moments, one criminal hung on each side of Him. Those two represent all of us. We are each likeoneor the otherof them. It’s no accident, this true picture. There they were.So close to Jesus.Can you imagine? They both knew who He was.But only one of them would beContinue reading “The Two Beside Him”
Do you hear His words?
I wonder about that morning after the Triumphant entry, after Jesus had rode in on the donkey, after the crowd had cheered and waved palm branches…I wonder, did He look around at His disciples? I wonder, as the disciples still celebrated the over breakfast, did he wonder if they remembered what He had told themContinue reading “Do you hear His words?”
Hold on!
I have shaken my head so much my neck hurts. I’ve tried to convince myself things aren’t as bad as they seem, but I’m secretly thinking they are worse than we all know. Yes, the world is a dark place, but we, who call ourselves believers, need to diligently remind ourselves of what we believe.Continue reading “Hold on!”
“Well, what if the dollar collapses?”
Our family had been talking about news story after news story, hard things, when one of us remarked,, “Well, what if the dollar collapses?” To which my son, Ben, said, “Well that might be a good thing as it would surely bring revival to this country as hard days often do.” And, honestly, I thoughtContinue reading ““Well, what if the dollar collapses?””
When we don’t understand.
I sat crying yesterday as the news of the Nashville school shooting came, not just from my television, but from family and friends. My brother-in-law grew up with the dad of one of the little girls who was killed. My sister-in-law had gone to college with him when he started a ministry there. My husbandContinue reading “When we don’t understand.”
Are you worried and doubting?
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 “Are you worried and doubting?”
Our hope was NEVER meant to be in ourselves.
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 “Our hope was NEVER meant to be in ourselves.”
When you don’t understand the hard things happening in this world
Matthew 2 has always bothered me. I don’t like the fulfillment of the prophecy of “Rachel weeping for her children” as Herod slaughters countless male babies under two years old. Babies. I’ve wondered why God would let this bloody, horrific event take place. But to stay stuck in this is to have my theology offContinue reading “When you don’t understand the hard things happening in this world”
Just do the next right thing
Something I notice as I read Matthew 1 and 2 is that God didn’t give Joseph all the steps at once—just the next one. But all the while, God was accomplishing His perfect will and working in ways Joseph couldn’t see. Joseph didn’t know the wise men were on their way with gifts. But theyContinue reading “Just do the next right thing”
I woke up early thinking of those I love in this hard world…
I woke up early thinking about my young adults, and several others that I love like my own. They are trying to make big decisions in a hard world. They are fighting discouragement as many of the normal things, we who are older, took for granted, now seem so very far out of reach. TheyContinue reading “I woke up early thinking of those I love in this hard world…”
Unexpected, hard ways…
Matthews gospel records the miraculous birth of the Savior. (Matt 1:18-25) The oh-so familiar story has been the subject of countless movies, books and church programs. And we often, breeze past these verses. But Jesus did come. Prophecy was fulfilled. God sent His Son to us! And if this were not true, there would beContinue reading “Unexpected, hard ways…”
One thing that defeats FEAR!
There are so many things in this world right now, that tempt us to fear. I’m sick of seeing the enemy rob us of peace because we are distracted, discouraged, and gripped by fear. The enemy really uses that. But here’s one thing I’ve learned that has disarmed him time and time again in myContinue reading “One thing that defeats FEAR!”
Stop Praying Safe Momma Prayers!
Jesus is my everything. My satisfaction. I learned to walk in real relationship with Jesus in the midst of intense trial and tragedy in my life. It was through those hard days that God taught me to trust Him for all of my days and where He became my everything—more than enough for whatever lifeContinue reading “Stop Praying Safe Momma Prayers!”
I’m Not Enough For My Kids
I’ll be sharing with young moms this morning and tonight at First Baptist Concord. I’d appreciate your prayers. As I think of that, I’ll share something God laid on my heart several years ago— I’m Not Enough For My Kids What feels like a long time ago now, a squirmy, wet, beautiful, little creature wasContinue reading “I’m Not Enough For My Kids”
Don’t run ahead in your own strength
His fame grew. The crowds pressed. There was so much ministry to be done. So many lessons for the Savior to teach. And what did He do? He withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. (Luke 5:16). So often, I see needs….So many good things to do. And too often, I run ahead in my ownContinue reading “Don’t run ahead in your own strength”
Even When We Don’t Understand
To watch someone suffer pain and hold on to God, knowing He could’ve stopped it, but chose not to, is truly a holy thing to witness. My words don’t seem worthy to even attempt to describe such. Yet, little has encouraged my faith as much as this story has. It’s one I’ve closely watched unfoldContinue reading “Even When We Don’t Understand”
Are some too far gone for revival?
There’s a lot of talk about revival in our country. But, have you ever wondered if some are just too far gone? Perhaps, you have even wondered that about yourself. But the thing is, not being to earn it, is pretty much the whole point of the gospel. God makes this clear when Jesus calledContinue reading “Are some too far gone for revival?”
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…
Just over a year ago, an early morning message took my breath away. A mom, who loves Jesus, serves the Lord with her husband in ministry, and who had sat with me at ballgames as we watched our daughters cheer, messaged to let me know her daughter was tragically killed the night before. Tears filledContinue reading “Hope, when you feel like you have none…”