“When they saw the courage of Peter and John, and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus,” (Acts 4:13, emphasis mine).
Do you ever feel like you just don’t have the right “stuff” to do great things for God? Read more…
“In all their distress he too was distressed,” (Isaiah 63:9 NIV).
When bad things happen we may never understand the why. God tells us, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9). Read more…
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness,” (1 John 1:9 NIV).
An email comes to me hundreds of times every year. The names are different, the situations are varied, but the underlying theme is the same…I can’t forgive myself. Read more…
First, let me apologize! I am doing an on-line Bible study for A Sudden Glory, and the blog mailing list and the Bible study mailing list got married for a very brief time yesterday. So you might have received Lesson 1 Day 2 by mistake. PLEASE don’t unsubscribe on that email. It will remove you from everything. The problem has been fixed and you should not receive any more Bible study emails unless you have subscribed to that as well. Read more…
“Give thanks in all circumstances,” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV).
Paul wrote the Thessalonians, “Give thanks in all circumstances,” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We read that verse and think it rather nice. So we slap a sloppy coat of thanksgiving on life and go about our day. In reality, most of us are thankful for very little.
Notice the Bible doesn’t command us to feel thankful in all circumstances. Read more…
God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3 KJV).
Gratitude is the most effective way to deepen your consciousness to the fact that you are the object of God’s affection and love. [tweetherder][/tweetherder]Giving thanks awakens your senses to see God, to hear God, to taste and see that He is good. [tweetherder]When you feel far from God, Read more…
“Do everything without grumbling and arguing,” (Philippians 2:14 NIV)
Monday I issued a challenge for you to wear a rubber-band around your wrist and pop it every time you grumbled or complained. Here are just a few of the pictures I received of brave souls who took me up on the challenge! I’m so proud of you! Read more…
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise,” (Psalm 100:4 NIV).
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise,” (Psalm 100:4). Right in the center of my Bible, I find an invitation into God’s presence. And while there is nowhere we can go away from God’s presence, Read more…
“When the Lord heard your complaining, he became very angry. So he solemnly swore, ‘Not one of you from this wicked generation will live to see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see this land because he has followed the Lord completely. Read more…
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet without sin,” (Hebrews 4:15 NIV).
Let’s face it. People let us down. They disappoint us. And so does God. Often our experiences fall short of our expectations for God to meet all our needs the way we think He should, Read more…