“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5). There are times when no amount of positive thinking, confessing, proclaiming, or praying can immediately pull...
Abandoned for Our Sake by Steven Furtick I was talking to someone who grew up largely without a father. His father was abusive to him in his early years, and then the father died. I asked him, “How do you think it affected you to be abandoned by your father?” He...
“Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness.” – Psalm 29:2b & 96:9 (KJV) Holiness is beautiful to God for the same reason rainbows are beautiful to us – the refraction of light. Holiness in us is the refraction of the glory of God’s character through the prism...
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls. (Psalm 42:7a NIV) Tourists standing inches apart on the platform overlooking Niagara Falls have to shout to be heard. Lovers, however, can be yards apart and understand each other instantly with but a meeting of the...
Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be lightly esteemed. (1Samuel 2:30b NIV) Honor in this passage is the idea of weightiness – who or what holds the weight of influence in ours lives. We honor God by honoring His word (Lk. 6:46-47). Here’s...
“Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves . . . but our competence comes from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-5) Confidence comes from competence. But, there’s the rub; God never calls us to a task for which we’re...
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27 NASB) When Jesus spoke the word, “peace,” storms stopped and seas stilled. This is the peace He offers us....
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven . . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Change is inevitable but growth is optional. Gas and grocery prices change daily. Our jobs, health, and finances can change without warning. Of course, there’s the...
“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion . . . and everlasting joy will be yours.” Isaiah 61:7 (NIV) Guilt and shame are the natural responses of our inner justice system that demands that wrongdoing (sin) be punished. The problem is that we don’t want...
“Forgive one another . . . Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Col 3:13 (NIV) We receive all of the blessings of God’s grace when we receive Jesus (Eph. 1:3). However, in God’s economy, our personal experience of those blessings is proportional to our giving them away....
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5). There are times when no amount of positive thinking, confessing, proclaiming, or praying can immediately pull...
Abandoned for Our Sake by Steven Furtick I was talking to someone who grew up largely without a father. His father was abusive to him in his early years, and then the father died. I asked him, “How do you think it affected you to be abandoned by your father?” He...
“Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness.” – Psalm 29:2b & 96:9 (KJV) Holiness is beautiful to God for the same reason rainbows are beautiful to us – the refraction of light. Holiness in us is the refraction of the glory of God’s character through the prism...
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls. (Psalm 42:7a NIV) Tourists standing inches apart on the platform overlooking Niagara Falls have to shout to be heard. Lovers, however, can be yards apart and understand each other instantly with but a meeting of the...
Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be lightly esteemed. (1Samuel 2:30b NIV) Honor in this passage is the idea of weightiness – who or what holds the weight of influence in ours lives. We honor God by honoring His word (Lk. 6:46-47). Here’s...
“Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves . . . but our competence comes from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-5) Confidence comes from competence. But, there’s the rub; God never calls us to a task for which we’re...
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27 NASB) When Jesus spoke the word, “peace,” storms stopped and seas stilled. This is the peace He offers us....
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven . . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Change is inevitable but growth is optional. Gas and grocery prices change daily. Our jobs, health, and finances can change without warning. Of course, there’s the...
“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion . . . and everlasting joy will be yours.” Isaiah 61:7 (NIV) Guilt and shame are the natural responses of our inner justice system that demands that wrongdoing (sin) be punished. The problem is that we don’t want...
“Forgive one another . . . Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Col 3:13 (NIV) We receive all of the blessings of God’s grace when we receive Jesus (Eph. 1:3). However, in God’s economy, our personal experience of those blessings is proportional to our giving them away....
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