“Is your default mode toward others judgment or grace?” asked Rick Warren on Twitter a few years ago. It got me thinking. This is crucial. Have I fully embraced grace, been changed inside out and now truly reflecting and extending God’s love and grace? And not hate, doom, and judgment? Because God is love and he wants us to live and move in grace. “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so…
Spiritual books are my companions on my way home to God. Books are my spiritual friends and I love spending time with them. And most of all I love that they enrich my thinking, empower my spiritual walk, and encourage me on my pilgrimage. Of course, the most important book in any Christian’s life is the Bible. I cherish it and I devour it daily. I enjoy comparing different translations and I am forever in awe how God can speak…
I am utterly thankful that the Bible includes Lamentations. Just as life in general spiritual life is not always sunshine and smooth sailing. When life is heavy and hard to take, you don’t need to hide from God. Actually, that is exactly when you most need Christ. With the words of Jesus: “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit.” (Mark 2:17, MSG) God sent his only son to the world…
Prayer is such an awesome gift for us. We just neglect it too often. We somehow don’t believe enough in its power. But can we afford not to pray? I don’t think so. I have written a post about my reasons why I can not live without prayer. Prayer simply invites God into our lives. Hence prayer enables us to be human and leaves everything else to God. Prayer is also an antidote for anxiety and a power tool in God’s…
I always find it delightful when science can explain something of faith. This past week I’ve been in awe of the research findings of Dr. Andrew Newberg (from Myrna Bring Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University and Medical College.) who has been studying how prayer and meditation affect brain activity. (The 3 minute video is well worth watching.) In a recent study, Dr. Newberg injected subjects with a harmless radioactive dye. Then, while they engaged in prayer or meditation, he…
People who don’t know better think believing in God is just about rules, regulations, and religious behavior. If this was true, I’d be the first to quit. I am not drawn to religiousness. I am drawn to God. And not to a statue somewhere. But to the Living God: personal, relational, active. Christian faith is not about keeping alive a bunch of rituals and commemorating a fairy tale. Christian faith is celebrating the freedom we receive by grace through faith…
Sometimes we think that God calls only impressive, competent people into his service. But I think we could not be more wrong. God is looking for willing people whom God would like to bless and equip for his service. Moses is a great example of this. Moses objected, “They won’t trust me. They won’t listen to a word I say. They’re going to say, ‘God? Appear to him? Hardly!’”(Exodus 4:1, MSG) Moses could not believe that he would be able…
To say prayers in a decent, delicate way is not heavy work. But to pray really, to pray till hell feels the ponderous stroke, to pray till the iron gates of difficulty are opened, till the mountains of obstacles are removed, till the mists are exhaled and the clouds are lifted, and the sunshine of a cloudless day brightens-this is hard work, but it is God’s work, and man’s best labor.~ E.M. Bounds
“God majors in impossibility” is one of those uplifting, encouraging, and empowering facts of faith Mary DeMuth writes about in her new Everything book. Impossible is nothing to God, he is mighty powerful! Also nothing is impossible with God, he will empower us to thrive by grace. This quote encourages me to embrace life fully no matter what happens: “God’s heart…is not that we escape our lot, but that we learn to thrive in the midst of it” (Mary DeMuth)….
When we are reconciled to God through Christ, we are made new. Suddenly, by grace, the beta version of us is launched. The old (alpha) life is gone, a new (beta) life bubbles inside of us. But, as you know, the beta version is still a work in progress. The sanctification process will take a life time of living in Christ.
