Every time I come across this quote by Jim Elliott I cringe. Does this convict you too? “Unwillingness to accept God’s ‘way of escape’ from temptation frightens me what a rebel yet resides within.” When we pray that God would help us….that God would rescue us from our temptations…..and then do exactly the opposite even when God is providing a way of escape….that is rebellion against God. The God-rebel tunes in to sedition— all ears, eager to sin. He has…
Some people turn away from God when going gets rough. But then we should do precisely the opposite: run to God. But how to do it when we are angry? How to approach God when all we have is bewilderment and questions? The Bible, once again, shows us the way. Habakkuk is a minor prophet in the Old Testament that shows us what to do when we are angry with God. O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,…
I know the title gives a tall order for this post. But that know-how is necessary for spiritual growth. In order to bear fruit we need to be pruned. But we don’t like it. We don’t like to get hurt. So we resist it. But that leaves us in spiritual limbo. And that is not a desired state of being. Not from our point of view and not from God’s point of you. What to do then? Any branch in…
God’s word is a mirror. We just need to dare to look at it. What do I mean? We could take, for example, any story Jesus told to his disciples. If we dare to ask the Holy Spirit to read our heart and show us what we need to know, God’s word will be a mirror for us. The picture that we see in our hearts is God’s message for us. Keep this in mind when you read the parable…
Would you like to have some tangible proof before believing? Wouldn’t it be nice? But that’s not the way of faith. We need to believe to see the glory of God. That’s how Jesus replied to Martha when Lazarus was dead: Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God? (John 11:40, AMP) God has prepared to give us everything but we first need to…
Do you realize the fullness of Christ? Do you live it? School’s out; quit studying faith and start living it! You have received Christ; now live him. Put what you have learned in practice and live large. Do everything in him and let your living spill over into thanksgiving. My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re…
Why on earth would we need spiritual strength training? The Merriam-Webster dictionary tells us that few definitions of strength are capacity for exertion or endurance, power to resist force, and power of resisting attack. These are all qualities needed in spiritual life. Because life is no picnic. It is a life-or-death fight. We need to be ready. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And…
The metaphor of the vine and the branches is very powerful. It emphasizes the importance of being organically connected to God. It reminds us that our aliveness is totally dependent on God’s grace. It gives us a chance to be part of God’s kingdom work here and now. “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to…
I’ve never felt comfortable writing a Mother’s Day post. And even this is mostly an unlikely one. I have a wonderful mom (love you!) and I love being a mom. But my heart goes out for anyone who would (have) like(d) to be a mom and isn’t. I don’t feel comfortable boasting about my blessings. (But we are certainly encouraged to count our blessings). The only thing I want to boast about is God’s grace. And that is the best…
Life is extremely messy and complicated. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming. How could we live abundantly in the midst of everyday chaos? The answer is not the most popular in this self-centered world. Yet the answer remains the same and -what’s most important- the answer really works. Jesus is the answer to the messiness of life. Jesus is the answer to the chaos of life. Jesus is the answer for everything. I was reading John 8 this morning and was…
