I’ve always been amazed by Jesus’ response to Satan’s first temptation: “if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread” (Matthew 4:3). I picture Jesus there, looking at the stones. His ribs are poking
He sat in front of me with urgency in his eyes and tear streaks on his cheeks. He spoke about his gut-level desire to make a difference in the lives of children. His emotion moved me because he was a
The world we live in can be very stressful at times, wouldn’t you agree? Especially when you have to listen to and deal with the world’s problems, your own problems, your friend’s problems and your family’s problems. With so many
During times of cascading badness, friends sometimes need to believe for those caught in the crush of seriously bad stuff. Life can be crushing. Some people seem to get more than their fair share of the crush than others —
Why am I always so hesitant to gather? Why do I always see the distance I have to drive? The screaming kids I have to transport? The house I have to clean? The work I have to prepare? The things
In the middle of something beautiful, we are shocked to see an eyesore — a shocking revelation of ugliness in the midst of something glorious. A dead animal in the middle of a field of wildflowers stinks up the whole
Jesus said it as clearly as humanly possible: Jesus called [his disciples] together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead,
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it [thorn of difficulty] away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all
She was a young mom with two little kids in car seats blasting down the freeway in her black, upscale, SUV. She nearly hit me as she crossed way over the lane marker going 75 on a toll road while
Christmas is today. This is your opportunity to give a gift to Jesus. How would you feel to have your own birthday party and everyone received a gift but you? This is how we often treat Jesus. We celebrate His
Ask the wealthy– money and fame doesn’t always equate to happiness. The reason is simple, if you’re not happy with yourself and appreciate the simplest things in life, joy will escape you. I know people who have more than most,
Do you know what quiet time is? It is fellowship with our Holy God. The reason that some people do not have a quiet time is that they feel uncomfortable. They don’t want to look God in the face because
Have you ever stood at the threshold of what feels like “not enough”? The money doesn’t stretch, the job doesn’t satisfy, the opportunities seem locked behind Read More »
There is a very specific kind of tired that sleep cannot fix. It’s the exhaustion that settles deep into your bones when a problem doesn’t just Read More »
Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in a cycle of old problems that never seem to go away? Maybe you’ve tried different solutions, but nothing Read More »
If you live in this world long enough you are going to experience many ups and downs, many hills and valleys and many overwhelming circumstances that Read More »
The pastor said, “If you’re like me, you …” Then he described his feelings that closely reflected my own. I was surprised to think my experience might Read More »
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith Read More »