Is it possible to get from worries to wonders in mere seconds? Yes, it is. Not by our own might but by the Holy Spirit.If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you. (Romans 8:11, CEB) If the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the tomb lives in you, also…
Is it wrong to have fun and enjoy life? Is it okay to love life? Is joyful living a sin? These are questions that used to haunt me as a teenager. I was on the verge of independence, eager to start out my own life. I had grown to love the Lord more than anything but I didn’t know if it was okay to have fun, enjoy life. I have a bubbly personality so this was indeed an important question…
Is the call for simple living a chore or a privilege? Something you have to pretend or something you embrace wholeheartedly? Simple living is not the easiest task to accomplish in our hectic world. Our attention as consumers is constantly wanted. It takes a lot of practice to successfully navigate between needs and wants. It takes a lot of prayer to maintain a lifestyle that is focused on God and not on stuff. A God-loyal life keeps you on track;…
How do you imagine God? No matter how much energy we put into imagining, studying, and defining God, we will always fall short. God is more than we can imagine. God is always MORE! Just as you don’t understand what the life-breath does in the fetus inside a pregnant woman’s womb, so you can’t understand the work of God, who makes everything happen. (Ecclesiastes 11:5, CEB) God is indeed more than we can imagine. God is more than we can…
Have you tried to change your habits or get back into gear? Isn’t it hard? After our 2-week vacation I have had really hard time of getting back to routine of going for my meditative prayer walks at 6am. I managed to get up yesterday but missed this morning. Sigh. Larry Lea has said “Everyone wants to change, but change demands desire and discipline before it becomes delightful. There is always the agony of choice before the promise of change.”…
What is God whispering to you this new year? Has he given you a word, a phrase, a verse? Would you, please, share with us what God is doing in your life? The word God has given me is DEVOTION. I feel called to devote my heart and mind to God. Not just theoretically but enthusiastically. We have an awesome God but too often we don’t really spend time in his presence. We have an almighty God but too often…
Winter is not my favorite season. But I’ve learned to appreciate it and to see it as a necessary part of life. Waiting is not my favorite thing, either. But I’ve learned to appreciate it and to see it as a necessary part of the renewal process. Nonetheless, the LORD is waiting to be merciful to you, and will rise up to show you compassion. The LORD is a God of justice; happy are all who wait for him. (Isaiah…
Even Christians don’t always understand why Jesus had to be born. Couldn’t God just love us without fussing about old sins? There really wasn’t other way to make us right with him. God is holy and he wants us to be holy, too. We needed a redeemer and it had to be a human being. But nobody could do it. So God sent his only son to the world. Christ was chosen before the creation of the world, but was…
You have a place in God’s plans. Yes, God is calling you to enter deeper into his grace. God is calling you into a full partnership with him. How do I know this? Just by reading the Bible. Every follower of Christ is called to make disciples and serve the body of Christ. Not just pastors! Every single follower is called to partner with God. Malcolm Smith has said “We have one function in life: to be the manifestors of…
This time of year the hunt for the perfect Christmas gifts is on. I find this hectic shopping season a bit ironic. Because I strongly believe that we can’t buy the perfect Christmas gift. It is free for all. We can find what ever we’ve been looking for only in Jesus. This free gift of Jesus is bigger and more life-giving than we can ever imagine. Jesus is not just a sweet baby at Christmas. Jesus was crucified on the…
