Do you ever read some Bible verses thinking ‘thank God that’s not my problem’? But once you dig a bit deeper you realise that it’s exactly your problem? I share a Bible verse today that had that kind of effect on me. It’s from the sermon of the Mount. Jesus tells us that we can’t serve both God and mammon. I nod wistfully like a Pharisee and I am thankful money has never been an issue for me. (I have many…
If you look for fulfillment in yourself, eventually you will be disappointed. And that’s the opposite of what the popular kids in the world tell you. Somehow we are to find ourselves by looking into our hearts. That’s not how it works in my experience. Instead, when you’re tired, all you can find in yourself is emptiness. Not happiness, not fulfillment, not purpose. But emptiness. And that’s why so many people turn into some kind of drug, whether it is…
I love Psalms. My whole life fits in the book of Psalms. It confronts, consoles, and counsels me. And, yes, it lifts my spirit and encourages me to go on with God. It reminds me what is important, who is in charge and why it matters what I choose and how I live. The book of Psalms guides me to the river of pure joy. Your faithful love is priceless, God! Humanity finds refuge in the shadow of your wings….
Wednesday night I was teaching a class about how faith can help us in tough times. While I was teaching I realized how much we really miss out if we keep on making excuses for why we are not getting to know God better. God can be everything we ever need and more. Yet, we prefer to struggle on our own. Why is that? It’s our loss for sure. But, also, living that way does not prepare us to heaven…
Do you doubt God’s willingness or ability to take care of you today? Is it difficult for you to trust God to meet your needs today? It might feel a bit absurd for sure. We can’t see God. Hence, we doubt. But, let me tell you, God is real. He is alive and active and loves interacting with his children. God wants to take care of you and he wants you to delight in him. We are called to depend…
When things go south who or what does support you? Having a support system is one of those things in life that make a huge difference. There are times when we need support. When we are down or weary, we need someone to lift us up. Who does support you? What kind of support system do you have? Does it work? Human support systems fail My experience is that any human support system – no matter how good and dedicated it…
Do you have a lot of questions about life and faith? Are they keeping you away from God or are they bringing you closer to him? Don’t fight your questions, give them to God. He will answer them when you’re ready. Meanwhile, embrace your questions, live them and praise God in advance for answering you when the time is right. Instead of worrying about the answers, use your time more usefully: spend time in God’s presence. That’s from where all…
I love God for many reasons but one of my favorite things is the fact that he guides me. It’s not just talking. You see, it really happens whether we realize it or not. We are not alone in this world. God is with us and he is ready to help us. The best guide in the world wants to connect the dots for us. And Jesus does not just show us the way. He is the way. He guides…
Summer seems to be a time when everything stops. Nothing happens. Yes, we need that kind of time to relax and rejuvenate. But too much is too much, right? Little by little we become anxious to do something, anything really. The wise thing here is to wait until it’s the right thing to do, not just because we are too anxious to wait. This happens in our spiritual life too. Waiting on God is a big part of Christian living. We…
We all love blessings, right? The more the better, I think. A blessing is a favor of God and a life full of blessings is the best kind of life, isn’t it? But don’t fool yourself. God’s blessings are most often not materialistic and temporal but spiritual and eternal. Somehow, that diminishes the ranks of people who want them. We’d like to have a new car and money enough to control our destiny. But that’s not how it works. Spiritual…
