this one belongs to God
Revelation 12:10-12: Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him…
obedience and action
Francis Marion Tarwater, Flannery O’Connor’s young, disturbed character in The Violent Bear It Away, came of age in the backwoods—far from the town and other people. Tarwater’s uncle, a bizarre man who had ecstatic visions and believed he was a prophet, raised the boy. When his uncle died, however, Tarwater headed to the city to find his remaining family. Once…
unlimited riches
“The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).
There are two types of riches in this world. One is material riches, all the latest toys and gadgets, the best restaurants, the newest fashions. The other is riches of the heart. Which will you choose? Let’s examine them:
First is the material riches. Have you…
Artist of the earth
In her book Source, art historian Janine Bourke says that many of the world’s most celebrated artists developed their greatest work when they retreated to nature. Monet painted his Waterlily series after moving to his garden-home at Giverny. Picasso was most creative when based at Cỏte d’Azur in France. Jackson Pollock’s abstract paintings were inspired by Long Island landscapes. The…
keep me true
Today’s world offers us so many choices, many of which can easily lead us astray or even cause harm. So many are walking in dark times. The psalmist wrote: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 NIV).
The song…
seventy times seven a day
Luke 17:1-5: One day Jesus said to His disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves! “If another…
burning strong
Over the past few months, I've encouraged my husband to create a small fire pit in our backyard. As someone who enjoys camping, I love sitting on a cool night in front of a blazing campfire with a mug of hot chocolate in my hands. Tonight as we sat with family near the crackling flames (in the freshly completed fire…
Christians and sin
Romans 6:1-4: Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For…
September 26, 2011
What’s the first name of a Christian friend who inspires you. What is it about them that causes you to feel inspired?
there you are!
"There are two kinds of people,” said advice columnist Abigail Van Buren. “Those who walk into a room and say, ‘There you are!’ and those who say, ‘Here I am!’” The one Person who could have rightly declared, “Here I am,” seemed oddly reluctant to promote Himself. Jesus was much more interested in others. At His first miracle, He admonished…
he who hesitates
In 2005, amid the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the US, a leading politician summed up the response to the disaster with these words: “One of the problems that we’re facing at the federal level and at the state level and at the local level is a total system-wide failure, because people making decisions hesitated.”
This was a clear…
dark night
There’s something about the twenties that causes some of us to experience a dark night of the soul. Maybe it’s dealing with stuff from our past or the uncertainty of the future. Oswald Chambers, author of the bestselling devotional My Utmost for His Highest, fell into a deep darkness during his twenties.
So did I. For 3 years, I was…
powerful and effective prayer
Powerful and Effective Prayer:
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1) Always begin your prayers with thanks for what our great Jehovah Jireh ( God Our Provider) has blessed you with today.
2) Always pray for other people, whether they be friends, family—and at least one person you are having difficulty with. May I suggest you look…
when people rewrite truth
Matthew 15:1-6: Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your…
