“Have you already left?” Stacia called me as I was pulling out of our neighborhood. “Yep - but I can go back if you forgot something.” “I threw away the key.” I was sure this was code for some clandestine operation that few knew of, and no one dared speak of openly,...
I praise God that my hope and eternal life are not based on my faithfulness, but His. My wayward flesh can renounce Him ten thousand times a day as so many moments are lived for and from the world and worldliness, but His faithfulness never falters. My union...
“LET not your heart be troubled...my PEACE, I give you...” Seriously? That’s the command of Christ: just don’t LET yourself be bothered? Tell that to the mother whose child is wheezing with asthma, or the salesman whose job continues or ends based on the next call, or...
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand...
"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us." - 1 John 4:12 God's very character - His divine nature - is made manifest when we respond selflessly, and not self-righteously, to one another, especially in...
I shared recently that God’s blessing for our good behavior was “fake news” and that His blessing for Christ’s merit on our behalf was truly “Good News!" Some people really don’t like that, because they have believed the lie that their "doing well" causes God’s...
Here’s a question for you today: Where does your "good enough" come from? I’m cooking lamb tonight. Not my best item, to say the least, just what’s in the freezer. Nor do I feel I’ve got time to do it well. I’m also working on some admin/accounting issues for our...
"Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities of the air..." -Paul to Corinth Of course we shouldn't be surprised when the accuser of our soul rallies more attack as God's work abounds increasingly to more Fruit in our lives, should we?...
You may see others have success that seems unwarranted. You may suffer through all kinds of calamity through pain, illness, or obstacles for what progress you do make in your family, work, friendships, finances, fitness, or even hobbies. But let me ask you this:...
Are you ever dumbfounded by God's favor? Ever stupefied by His ridiculous grace? There is no explaining it! There is no justification apart from His divine character. The only way to reconcile such grace – as astounding as it always is – is to realize He is richer in...
There’s a lot of popular talk about building habits and daily routines, and I’m really good with all of that, but you as a believer are already reborn in Christ, and need not worry about doing anything that isn’t compatible with who you are as one righteous,...
"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that...