Since Jesus came from Heaven to walk among us, Christians tend to think that walking away from anyone, or letting anyone walk away from the truth, is a failure on our part. But Jesus walked away or let others walk away… a lot. I reread the gospels and counted every occurrence where Jesus deliberately parted…
Tending the Garden of the Soul
The Interplay of Our Spiritual Temperaments At least once a week, I’ll want to spend some time going on a prayer walk through the woods. On a regular basis, I’ll need to make sure I’m continuing to study. Perhaps I’ll need to download more teachings or order more books. Also, I should begin respecting my…
Learning to Love… Sacrificially, Passionately, and Crazily!
Dr. John Barger gave an extraordinary address to a gathering of men on December 12, 1987. The address included his testimony of how he had walked the road from being a domineering husband to a serving one. The crux of the message, however, wasn’t just that husbands can do better. We all know that. What…
Jesus Said, “Become Like Little Children”
Editor’s Note: It’s Sit & Listen Saturday at Devotionals Daily. Enjoy reading as well as listening to this devotion from Sacred Parenting by Gary L. Thomas – and don’t miss our exclusive $5 deal on the book! Listen on the blog or on your Alexa device by enabling the skill and then prompting, “Alexa, ask…
Is Better Better?
In God’s worldview, some values rise higher than comfort and happiness. Consider the most concise verses in the Bible on spiritual formation: We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. — Romans 5:3-4 In Paul’s mind, character gets built by learning to persevere through…
Sacred Parenting: Perfecting Holiness
Every Day Is Like an Airline Emergency Have you ever noticed the severe discrepancy behind the very few verses in the Bible that discuss the “how-to” of parenting and the hundreds of Christian books that confidently proclaim “God’s plan for parenting” (or something similar)? If the “how-to” is so important, why can’t we point to…
Own Your Choice
“I take thee to be my wedded [wife/husband].” What I am about to say has been considered somewhat controversial. Normally, I’d try to avoid controversy in an inspirational book like this, but the point is particularly well worth making at this stage in your life. In general, God doesn’t, and won’t, tell us who to…
Treat ‘Em Like Grandkids
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter. — Deuteronomy 5:13–14 A grandfather in Yona Zeldis McDonough’s novel The Four Temperaments reflects on having grandchildren: People…
Strengthen Your Marriage – Build Contempt for Contempt
Several years ago, returning from a trip, I stepped inside the front door and felt like I had walked every one of the four hundred miles I had just driven. I had spoken six times in four days, and had driven through four different states to get where I needed to go. I pulled into…
The Eight-Pound Seminary Professor
The Eight-Pound Seminary Professor Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. — 1 Timothy 5:1-2 No, my baby daughter didn’t teach me about predestination or transubstantiation, or about how…