What comes to our mind first reveals our true priorities. Jesus understood this when he taught: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. (Matthew 6:33) Our immediate thoughts and concerns expose what is most important to us and where we seek our security.
Read MoreLent is a good time – though a very hard time – of reflection. True reflection which invites the Holy Spirit to reveal to you those things that He wants to change can be difficult. That is the nature of conviction. It isn’t easy but we need to keep our eyes set on the goal, which is far better, a new life. I like to pray the scriptures and use those as an opportunity to listen to what the Spirit is saying to me through it. The apostle John wrote, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1 John 2:16).
Read MoreThe fear of missing out (FOMO) is a real thing. People don’t want to be left out of whatever is going on. They want to be part of the crowd. They want to share common experiences. Also, people can be ginned up by advertisers that a sale will only last so long. If they
Read MoreNow that it has warmed up a little bit with the sun shining, Mary Kay and I have thrown open the windows to get a good cross breeze through the house. The fresh air pushes out the stagnant winter air. It feels like a whole new lease on life
Read MoreMary Kay and I got a rescue dog, Jack, which had some fearful tendencies. We wanted to help him so that he could be at ease when our friends come over to the house. The only way to do that was by learning from the expert, Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer. We probably watched 200 episodes.
Read MoreAbraham and Sarah struggled to trust God. It was a long journey from their initial hearing the voice of God Almighty. God promised Abram a large family that would become a nation, land, protection, blessing, wealth, and that his people would bless all the other nations. God promised everything a man could wish for and Abram was eager to start the journey to the
Read MoreI once heard a story about a man who was in Amish country in Indiana. He went up to an Amish farmer and asked, ‘Are you a Christian?’ The Amish man gave a profound response, ‘I don’t know.
Read MoreI went to Chicago last week to see my daughter in her senior musical, “Into the Woods”. There were a couple of lines that caught my attention. About halfway through the musical Red, after encountering the seduction of the Wolf, said, “Nice is not the same as good.”
Read MoreLike so many of the Psalms, Psalm 95 starts with a call to praise. “Sing for joy… shout aloud… come with thanksgiving… extol him with music and song.” The way to come into God’s presence is with praise. The Psalmist is telling us to pull out all the stops.
Read MoreWe have officially entered into Epiphany, the celebration of the magi – wisemen – coming to see the newborn king. Matthew tells us that “They went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.” (Matt 2:9)
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