Tag Archives: spiritual warfare

Put on your armor and keep standing.

My daughter, Abi, wrote this a few years back. This truth is a powerful, keep-you-going reminder— I felt alone. Sad, disheartened, fighting back tears-very much like an alien and stranger though surrounded by others my age as I sat in my Contemporary Moral Issues Philosophy class, at the University of Tennessee, listening to my classmatesContinue reading “Put on your armor and keep standing.”

Keep Telling The Truth!

God hates lies (Prov 12:22). The devil is the father of all lies (John 8:44). He often uses lies in order to fulfill his goal to rob, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). I’ve seen this play out this year as lies have impacted our family, our church, and our nation. I understand more than everContinue reading “Keep Telling The Truth!”

Eyes on the Better Object

The great, preacher teacher, Oswald Chambers, said, “If I have a lingering thought of defending myself I haven’t truly repented of the sin.” Indeed, we prevent our own freedom when we try to excuse or explain away that which God calls sin. It’s human nature to want to do so. But we are missing freedomContinue reading “Eyes on the Better Object”

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.”

When I’m tired. When I’m hurting.

When I’m tired …When I’m hurting… I desperately need to hear God’s Words above the emotions swimming in my mind. Life is difficult.People are difficult. Sometimes, it would be so much easier to live my life for Jesus if it were not for other people–the ones who hurt you and never apologize, the ones whoContinue reading “When I’m tired. When I’m hurting.”

You can run back

Desperate. They find the tomb empty.. Suddenly angels appear and remind the women of the words Jesus had said about his death and resurrection. The women run to tell the eleven, but the disciples didn’t believe them. But Peter. Peter rose and ran to the tomb. (Luke 24) Why Peter? We know from other partsContinue reading “You can run back”

Ignoring and Accepting Sin is Not Love.

We long for it.We desperately want it.Unconditional love. But the enemy, he’s twisted it. And so many are buying his lie, and the evil one is using this lie to separate people from those who truly love them. The father of all lies has whispered that if people don’t accept our sin, treat it asContinue reading “Ignoring and Accepting Sin is Not Love.”

Misunderstood? Maligned? Here’s some encouragement

They said he was bold with his letters and wimpy in person. They said he preached with impure motives to draw attention to himself. They said he was flesh controlled rather than spirit-controlled. These words had to cut especially deep considering all Paul had endured to bring the good news of the gospel to thoseContinue reading “Misunderstood? Maligned? Here’s some encouragement”

Keep on. For those you love and those you may never meet.

Ministry is hard. There has been more than once I’ve wanted to stop sharing about Jesus, and pull away, and just love those who are easy to love and believe what I believe about the faith and the Word. Recently, I’ve been tossing and turning with thoughts of escaping to a desert island, because, asContinue reading “Keep on. For those you love and those you may never meet.”

Oh, that God would do it again!

I woke up thinking about a conversation my brother, my son-in-law and I had about the great revival movements of God. We had resolved there is NOTHING that might keep God from doing it again. My brother then mentioned how the spark that started the greatest revivals in history had been that of LAY PEOPLEContinue reading “Oh, that God would do it again!”

In the midst of trouble, sit down.

This week, as I have counted my blessings, I’ve found myself counting again something as a blessing I didn’t think I ever would. Several years ago, our family faced what felt like a true enemy in another flesh and blood person. It all seemed to begin right after we shared our faith with this person,Continue reading “In the midst of trouble, sit down.”

We don’t have to follow our emotions into trouble.

Sometimes, I confuse myself. My emotions seem to be all over the place. How very much God knows our tendency to veer from His ways when it comes to our hearts. How often we allow our emotions and affections to rule us. How many revered men have been brought down by illicit affairs? How manyContinue reading “We don’t have to follow our emotions into trouble.”

For those wrestling to understand…

Jacob wrestled with God. That’s too much for my mind to even conceive. Except, I’m wrestling. Not in the physical sense, but certainly in that I’m trying to understand what God is doing through some exhaustingly hard things in my life and in this world. I know it’s true that God routinely does things weContinue reading “For those wrestling to understand…”

When hope seems hidden…

Those who are of the faith, sometimes feel hopeless. Sometimes,circumstances,are so very bad,we even despair of life. We don’t think we can go on. We might not tell our closest friend, but we have even wished we could die. And it’s not because we are feeling so spiritual, just hoping to be in Heaven, it’sContinue reading “When hope seems hidden…”

Did you fall to sin yesterday?

Did you blow it yesterday? Did sin raise it’s ugly head in you again? Did something you thought you had mastered, master you? Didn’t we just talk about fearing God yesterday on this page? Are you disappointed in yourself? Friend, it’s a great date for a clean slate. And this day IS a clean slate,Continue reading “Did you fall to sin yesterday?”

“Who said anything about safe?”

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 causes my heart to love Him even more. What RIVERS of grace! But as we remember His amazingContinue reading ““Who said anything about safe?””

Where else would I go?

This is hard stuff. Are you ready for some hard stuff? I’ve been paused on this verse for several days. I’ve been wrestling. I’ve been reading commentaries and thinking about all I’ve seen God do and know Him to be. Still, I can’t fully wrap my mind around these words God had the beloved disciple,Continue reading “Where else would I go?”

Truth. Not just a wishful hope!

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) ❤️ It’s not you “will” overcome them. You HAVE overcome! This isn’t a motivational speech. It’s truth! It’s a done deal.It’s certain.It’s finished. Not because of youContinue reading “Truth. Not just a wishful hope!”

Don’t be quiet

Christians around the world, in Syria and Congo right now, are being slaughtered. We should pray and we should remember. We should make our voices heard. It’s easy to sit here on my couch, coffee in hand and read these words in 2 Timothy from my pretty Bible, and miss the profound depth of them.Continue reading “Don’t be quiet”