Purpose, Peace, and Joy comes from this.

As we follow Christ in obedience and seek to bring honor and glory to Him, rather than ourselves , we find great purpose, abiding peace and inexplicable joy. And though Christ followers are already citizens of Heaven (Phil 3:29), we still live in this world and still feel the pull of sin and flesh (RomContinue reading “Purpose, Peace, and Joy comes from this.”

What if parents, rather than the world, is the reason so many are walking away?

We have all heard the studies – Gen Z and Millennials are increasingly leaving the church and identifying as agnostic. (https://www.barna.com/research/atheism-doubles-among-generation-z/) We shake our heads and spin our wheels trying to come up with exciting programs to entice them back. But what if we are the reason they left? What if it is more theContinue reading “What if parents, rather than the world, is the reason so many are walking away?”

Absolutely the BEST exercise program out there!

About this time every year, I start thinking about diet and exercise. Anybody else? But you know, the Bible says strenuous spiritual exercise is better than physical exercise. And if ever, we need to be spiritually strong, it’s now, in these crazy times we are living. Paul says to “exercise yourself toward godliness” (4:7). TheContinue reading “Absolutely the BEST exercise program out there!”

Were your feelings hurt this Christmas?

Did you get your feelings hurt at Christmas? Was an expectation unmet? Did someone let you down? Did someone not treat your kid or grandkid how you wish they had? Gathering with others just seems to present all kinds of opportunities for hurts to happen. Are you still thinking about it? Is it starting toContinue reading “Were your feelings hurt this Christmas?”

Hold on. God’s doing what He promised.

The things which are impossible with men are possible with God”. (Luke 18:27) Lately, I see so much that seems impossible, and wrong. How dark the world seems right now. Just turn on the news and you’ll know what I mean. (Or, maybe don’t 😳) But how dark, how impossible, it surely seemed over twoContinue reading “Hold on. God’s doing what He promised.”

When you really need to remember again…

In the middle of the night, I confess, I have sometimes laid awake with worry. Should I have done things differently? Did I make the right decisions? Did I say the right things? In the dark of night, I feel myself tempted to believe it’s all up to me. Fear begins to surround me asContinue reading “When you really need to remember again…”

Is it I?

The One who had been laid in a manger, the One of whom the angels sang, the One shepherds told, and the wise men travelled to see —had grown up to be their friend. Their friend.  They had fished together and watched Him feed the five thousand together.   But they had also walked milesContinue reading “Is it I?”

Can we talk about this?

I’m happy to give money. I’ll serve on that mission trip. Sure, I’ll go and speak, and yes, I’ll write these posts. Because I love Jesus, I want to follow Him and I want others to follow Him too. But, just between us, I’d really like to only sign up for those things with theContinue reading “Can we talk about this?”

Have you noticed this to be true?

Can you imagine the emotion, with which Peter (known to be emotional) wrote these words: “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time inContinue reading “Have you noticed this to be true?”

Thanksgiving Tip -that really helps…

Sometimes, I read a verse and wonder if God put it there just for me. 1 Peter 4:9 is one such verse. “ Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” Let me explain: My husband has the gift of hospitality. Like, an extra, heaping, helping of it! If he knows you are traveling near ourContinue reading “Thanksgiving Tip -that really helps…”

More sinister than we think?

God wasn’t kidding when “He created them male and female and blessed them.” (Gen 5:2) Men are bigger and stronger, and can do things I physically can’t do, and have no desire to do. Likewise, my body did things theirs could never do. I am forever blessed to have birthed and nursed babies. There isContinue reading “More sinister than we think?”

Don’t “love” them all the way to Hell.

As we take in truth from the Word, we can use it to daily refute the flimsy, false teachings of this world that come at us all day, every day! Paul uses strong words as he charges his young disciple, Timothy, to teach no other doctrine but SOUND doctrine. (1Tim 1:3) “Doctrine” sounds like somethingContinue reading “Don’t “love” them all the way to Hell.”

Help for the struggles

Slow down, friend. Take note of this. This is some help-you stuff. The Apostle Paul doesn’t just say take a passing glance at good things, he says MEDITATE on them. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things areContinue reading “Help for the struggles”

Love them anyways

I heard from a friend whose daughter is livid with them for voting differently than she did. I watched the news as a “therapist” suggested it’s okay to refuse to go to family gatherings for the holidays if how your family voted upset you. What?! Oh Christian, let’s recognize the lie of the evil oneContinue reading “Love them anyways”

Are you truly loving others if you do this?

I see many, who call themselves Christians, virtue-signaling about how they love everyone (we should) while criticizing others for calling out the sin that is destroying the lives of those they “love”. They post platitudes like “love is love” and lecture others for calling wrong things wrong, while pompously thinking themselves more loving and moreContinue reading “Are you truly loving others if you do this?”

Don’t fall for this.

They were his closest friends. They had walked miles of dusty roads together. They had seen Him delight over the little children, raise the dead, heal the sick, walk on water, feed the thousands and watched Him weep. They had sat with Him as He taught with authority. They had been chosen among the worldContinue reading “Don’t fall for this.”

Christian, you were never called to be unified with a lost world.

Unity for unity’s sake never unified anyone. This is true in our country and in our churches. People will unify around common purpose and common belief not some empty call for unity for unity’s sake. As Christians, we can never go along with things that go against the Word of God in the name ofContinue reading “Christian, you were never called to be unified with a lost world.”

If godly people don’t influence this election, who will?

From Josh Howerton (to pastors, but applies to us all) —- Pastor friends on election week, We have too long been confused by (accidentally) misleading statements like “We don’t follow a red elephant or a blue donkey, but a slain lamb” and “prophetic, not partisan.” While such statements carry a grain of truth, they (incorrectlyContinue reading “If godly people don’t influence this election, who will?”

Your belief about God should impact your view of everything else.

I believe if you can compartmentalize your faith–your god is too small and possibly a false god you’ve defined in your own imagination. For The Most High God is a consuming fire (Heb 12:29). Our theology, our belief about God, should impact everything else in our lives. And it actually does whether you think soContinue reading “Your belief about God should impact your view of everything else.”

We those who know God’s ways are better to find their voices.

Paul says,”hold such men in esteem” (Phil 2:29) Hold such men in esteem. What kind of men? Well, men and women like Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus didn’t only have a strange name, he was a rare one. He’s only mentioned once in the Bible (Phil 2:25). But this much is clear from the text, Epaphroditus was rare,Continue reading “We those who know God’s ways are better to find their voices.”