We compete, and we compare, and we strive, and we put terrible pressure on ourselves to “keep up.” But the good news is that we were not made to keep up. We were made to be free… to be who we already are. ~ Rebekah Lyons Introduction Country music superstar Garth Brooks and Christian recording…
Believing and Listening
The Best Answer to Prayer The word of the Lord came to [Abraham]… “A son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars — if indeed you can count them.” Then He said to him, “So shall…
Living As a Called Person
Editor’s Note: Life is busy. Life can get chaotic. Often, we plan our business carefully, we calendar items down to 15 minute segments, we plan our school schedules, we organize dinner and fun events with friends and family. But, life is more than work and busyness. Our inner lives, our spiritual walks with Jesus need…
Undaunted: God Doesn’t Call the Qualified
Read Exodus 4:10-13 God called Moses to rescue His people from slavery in Egypt. But Moses felt his lack of speaking skills disqualified him from pursuing God’s plan. God saw it another way. Called to Rescue There is only one Rescuer with the power to free us from the darkest prison. That Rescuer is the…
The Legacy of Work
In short, work — and lots of it — is an indispensable component in a meaningful human life. It is a supreme gift from God and one of the main things that gives our lives purpose. But it must play its proper role, subservient to God. It must regularly give way not just to…
DIY: God Qualifies the Called
But Moses replied in the LORD’s presence, “Since I am such a poor speaker, how will Pharaoh listen to me?” — Exodus 6:30 HCSB It used to be that if you had a problem with your toilet, you would call a plumber. If you had some faulty lighting, an electrician was the person to call.…
When Jesus Said, “Follow Me”
“I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the LORD, “because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.” — Jeremiah 30:17 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings. — Hosea 6:6 * Before you begin, read Mark 2:13–17 and Matthew 9:9–12 * Matthew reached above his…
A Sermon Lived Out
Everyone has a story, a testimony about what God has done for him or her. Your story may not come in a book with a yellow cover and a cute little boy on the front, but that doesn’t mean it’s not as real as our story is. We all have stories of what God has…
Light Looking for Darkness
Once, in a Walmart, Nick and I bought Sophia a flashlight of her very own. Sophia flipped on the one we thought would work best, trying it out. But none of us could see even a little glow. The fluorescent lights of the store were too bright; the flashlight’s meager light was swallowed up. “Oh,…
What Is the Most Valuable Job in the Church?
Which gifts are most valuable in the church? Wrong question! Paul concludes [in 1 Corinthians 12]. All the various gifts in the church work together to create one well-functioning body. If you take any out, or if you make the whole body just one part, you ruin the beauty, not only of the whole, but of all…
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