“This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” – Romans 5:5 Do Christmas and New Year celebrations share anything in common besides adjacent places on our calendar? If you look only at the secular culture around us, you […]
Read More“Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me.” – Micah 5:2 “Where is the Christ?” asked the ruined people of Judah. Seeking a shepherd to save and restore them, they found a promise that one day the small village of Bethlehem would […]
Read More“I will sing about the Lord’s faithful love forever…The Lord said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn an oath to David my servant’…But you have spurned and rejected him…How long, Lord? Will you hide forever?…Remember how short my life is…Blessed be the Lord forever.” – Psalm 89:1, 3, 38, 46-47, […]
Read MorePastor Tim Keller calls it the “Prayer Paradox.” Jesus seems to offer a blank check in John 14:14. Ask anything in My name, and I will do it. Yet we also read that there is a limit to what God will do in response to our prayers…“If we ask anything according to His will, He hears […]
Read More“Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger withheld His compassion?” – Psalm 77:9 Dr. Robert Creech offers the following helpful definition of anxiety: “the automatic biological reaction to threat” (Family Systems and Congregational Life: A Map for Ministry, 2019). Real or perceived, our reaction to threat is automatic and physical…first. But our second action […]
Read More“The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks.” When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.” – Exodus 5:19-20 Have you ever prayed for help and things got worse? If so, then you can appreciate the […]
Read More“‘May your servant find favor with you,’ she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.” – 1 Samuel 1:18 It is a remarkable change if you remember her story. Heartbroken by her infertility, this young woman pours out her hurt to God. After an embarrassing encounter with the priest, she […]
Read More“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” – Luke 6:40 Don’t be thrown off by the word, “disciple.” Jesus isn’t talking here about super spiritual people. He is talking about ordinary, everyday students. But don’t be thrown off by the word “student” either. Jesus […]
Read More“All humanity will come to You, the one who hears prayer. Iniquities overwhelm me; only You can atone for our rebellions.” – Psalm 65:2-3 Real prayer has that effect. In fact, it is one of the chief indications that you are encountering the Holy One. What is this indication of imminence? Awareness of sinfulness. It is […]
Read More“For the choir director: ‘Do Not Destroy.’ A Miktam of David. When Saul sent agents to watch the house and kill him.” – superscription of Psalm 59 Psalm 59. Usually, the subtitles in our Bible are later additions added to aid modern readers as they navigate the ancient biblical texts. Not so with the Psalms. The […]
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Think These Things 