He knows you
He knows you. He knows every microcosm and nanosecond of your existence—every cell, atom, and molecule; every interest, weakness, and achievement; every hope, dream, and grief.
hope deferred
As any couple trying to have a child knows, every 28 days you’re looking for signs of success. For many couples, this expectation is met with disappointment for a few months until conception occurs. But for others, this monthly cycle of raised and dashed hopes can last for years. Proverbs 13:12 describes such an experience well: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”
restore us
He brazenly told me of his life as both a drug user and dealer. I strived to show him that I cared as I described the real and fulfilling life that can be found only in Jesus. He described the death and destruction that he had experienced. My instinct was to try to rescue him, to help him find restoration in God. But, after just a few minutes, he said goodbye and walked away. As I watched him slip into the shadows of the streets, I silently lamented.
the touch of love
A hug is a powerful thing. Picture a sobbing mother and father clutching each other as they stagger in grief. A third person walks up, a pastor or close friend, and throws his arms around both of them. Their sorrow is too much for words, but his touch says enough and all that should be said.
Jesus, help!
My friend’s baby suffered brain damage during delivery. The doctors aren’t too optimistic. They think that even if the child survives, she won’t lead a normal life.
God forbid it!
This world is fallen and full of suffering. The decaying of this earth is evident all around us, even though todays science tries to convince us that the earth started out as decay and has progressed to its current “superiority.” Most of our life’s mission is to remove suffering from mankind. We have decided that with enough education and control…
cover-up
Historians weren’t sure if Reformer Huldrych Zwingli had been sexually promiscuous with the daughter of a prominent citizen. Misbehaving priests weren’t uncommon in the 16th century, yet such gossip seemed like something his Roman Catholic enemies might spread to discredit Zwingli.
healed
Healing has never been a clear-cut issue for me. While I have never experienced a miraculous physical restoration, I have seen God’s hand of provision at work in my body and others’ bodies.
speaking of Jesus
While waiting for a mechanic to rotate my car’s tires, I struck up a conversation with a man in the waiting area. Troy was visiting my town for a few days and had discovered that his vehicle needed repairs. After some small talk, the Holy Spirit prompted me to go deeper and I was able to express my faith in Jesus to him. We exchanged contact information, and later I received an email from Troy that contained these words: “My stay in [your city] was great, but you were the only person I heard speak of Jesus. Others spoke of their church.”
where are you looking?
Saulo was 16 when he drove the getaway car for a robbery that ended in murder. Now 32, Saulo says, “I remember sitting in the county jail, and it really sunk in: ‘Wow, I’m not going home,’ and [I] realized what I did. I didn’t want to live. I couldn’t believe what I did.”
a private problem
Pastor. Husband. Father. Sex addict.
money or mobility?
I hardly ever encounter beggars on the streets. But in some countries, you can find them begging at the markets and shopping malls. Once, when visiting a neighboring country, my hosts told me that for my own sake I had to ignore the beggars. If I showed the slightest interest in one, he would pursue and pester me until I gave him some money. And the moment I gave to one I would be very quickly swarmed by many others.
suffering with God
Pain. We take pills to ease it, hold prayer meetings to heal it, develop strategies to avoid it, and think up philosophies to explain it. We rarely, however, consider suffering as part of God’s plan for our lives.
counting the cost
Jesus’ good friend Lazarus had died (John 11:14,17). And so He performed an amazing miracle by raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44)—leading many who came to the funeral to believe in Him (John 11:45). But the Pharisees and priests responded differently. From that time on, they began to plot Jesus’ death (John 11:53).
