TODAY’S VERSE:Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Our verse says that God RESCUED us! He chose to save us from sin, from OUR bad decisions. Sadly, we choose against God […]
KIDS’ CORNER: Love and Forgiveness Read More »
God’s ultimate desire is to love. This is His objective. There’s nothing more honorable, noble, or fulfilling to think about than this. Love is so pervasive that it embodies the entire law, “love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). In fact, God is described as love (1 John 4:8) and, because God is omnipotent, “love never
The Lion and the Lamb Read More »
Disability, disadvantage, disband, disbelief, discomfort, disconnect, and discourage. What do all of these words have in common? The answer is obvious – it’s the prefix “dis.” Enact, enable, encircle, encompass, and encourage. Likewise, “en” is the common prefix in the list. According to dictionary.com, “dis” is a Latin prefix meaning “apart, asunder, away, utterly; or having a private,
The Win-Win of Encouragement Read More »
When is the last time you took the opportunity to say “Thank you” to someone for disciplining you? In my experience, such gratitude is rarely, if ever, expressed. It seems more often that a person keeps this kind of sentiment to themselves. Is it pride? I’m not sure, but whatever precludes a warranted show of
Saying Thank You for Discipline Read More »
Being present. Why is that so difficult? Is anyone actually “there” anymore when they are conversing with another? Go to the local fast food restaurant and watch how people, families even, treat each other. Their actions say, “You’re not worth my full attention, so I’ll offer you an occasional acknowledgement, either verbally or visually, so
Practicing Being Present Read More »
Have you ever been face to face with someone who is completely ravaged by guilt and shame? I have, a myriad of times. These individuals were, by all accounts, broken. Now, this may sound strange, but at the time, I was truly happy for them. Allow me to explain. God is merciful. Any time we
The Advantageous Estate of Brokenness Read More »
The most impersonal thing someone can do to you is to “make it personal” through attack. Why? To attack someone reveals a weakness in the attacker, notthe one being attacked. Never thought about it that way before? Let me explain. He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out. — Proverbs
Showing One’s True Colors Read More »
One of the most destructive forces in a human’s life is when a person believes they have options. If every good thing is from God (James 1:17) then there’s really only one good option, God’s will. Consider the following… What if a person were so perfectly subservient that we might rightly call them a “slave”?
The most self-absorbed “person” I’ve ever known is my own flesh. If we’re being totally honest, we can all make the exact same proclamation without hesitation…not about me – LOL – about ourselves (nice try). I mean, whom do we know better than ourselves? Which “self”, the old or the new, have we spent more time with
The Practical Side to Self-Absorption Read More »
“I can’t stand wimpy men!” I’m quoting my wife here. I giggle whenever I hear her share that sentiment. I mean, I totally agree, but there’s just something about those words rolling off the tongue of a reserved woman. If you don’t know her, you might be taken aback. In any case, she brings up