faith and understanding
Hebrews 11:3: By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
Faith requires us first to trust God, and, in return, He will give us understanding of His ways. However, we can't know or understand God through man's knowledge. There is only one Way…
there is a difference
John 14:23-24: Jesus replied, “All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me. And remember, My words are not My own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent Me.”
In today's…
broken, but loved
John 3:17: God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.
It's obvious, when you look at creation as a whole, that God loves diversity. Debbie and I have three sons, and each one of them is different from the other two. They're distinct in almost every way, even though they're…
all things are possible
Matthew 5:21-22: You have heard that our ancestors were told, “You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.” But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you…
the storm
Now we have understanding concerning the storm we faced. Let’s not blame each other for what has happened. But we must take responsibility to secure our control center (which is our mind) with the Word of God.
It’s cleanup time. Since we’ve seen the disaster the storm has caused, let’s get rid of the debris both physically and spiritually. As Matthew…
big toe lack of belief
A co-worker was having a conversation with her son about spiritual things. Striving to express his present lack of both belief and commitment to Jesus, the young man said, “God isn’t in my life right now; He’s just in my big toe.”
Have you ever felt that way? Has doubt or lack of commitment left you with a serious dearth…
imperfect prayer studies
A 1988 study by Dr. Randolph Byrd found coronary care patients were 11 percent more likely to recover when they had received the prayers of others. A 2006 study led by Dr. Herbert Benson suggested there was no improvement for patients at all. A more recent study (September 2010) by Candy Gunther Brown at Indiana University reported significantly positive results…
what do you see?
You can look at a window and see its glass and frame or you can look through a window and see the mountain vista it’s there to reveal. Today’s passage is a little like that. A superficial reading will miss the beauty of all that we’re meant to understand.
On first glance we see just another healing story about Jesus—albeit…
the law of faith
John 11:23-26: Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die. Do you believe…
jimmy joy
When my friend Jimmy’s cancer returned for the fourth time, he made a choice. Though he knew the path ahead would be difficult (another invasive, painful surgery inside his lung), he strove to bring glory to God. So during his week-long, post-operative stay in the hospital, he greeted the doctors and nurses (and anyone who entered his room) with a…
covered
Springtime in Georgia rarely arrives without fanfare. While many anticipate the brilliant pink and white azaleas, others stock up on antihistamines and await the onset of the sneezing season. This past spring, the pollen was especially intense. One morning, my husband and I were amazed to see an ominous cloud of pollen visibly hanging in the air. Our noses and…
random strangers
I recently read an article about a site where Web chatters are exposed to random strangers from around the world. As the article states, “One minute you’re chatting via Webcam with a mom of two [in the US] and the next you’re staring at a stark-naked man in Bangkok.” One psychiatrist calls the site “a predator’s paradise.” Definitely not a…
from the dust
"Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to My coming. He saw it and was glad. The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can You say you have seen Abraham?" Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!” At that point they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was…
fear and unbelief
"Then the word of the Lord came to him: 'Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.' So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, 'Would you bring…
there will come a day
"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They…
