Maybe your dad was always there for you. Maybe he took you school-supply shopping, hugged you when you cried, and told that ex of yours that he or she messed with the wrong kid. Or maybe your dad was deeply flawed. Maybe, through his words and actions or his silence and neglect, you learned that…
You Are Part of God’s Kingdom
“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” — Matthew 6:33 Unshakable Hope The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel” — Mark 1:15 With these words, Jesus not only began His ministry, but He introduced His…
Humility Matters When We Pray
Prayer that storms the gates of Heaven doesn’t have to be fancy or long or filled with Bible verses. In fact, I almost wonder if it needs words at all. It really is a heart’s cry, isn’t it? And one wrapped in complete humility. Recently, I spoke at a Christian gathering that was multigenerational, multiracial,…
Flaming Torches and Living Promises
Doubt. He’s a nosy neighbor. He’s an unwanted visitor. He’s an obnoxious guest. Just when you were all prepared for a weekend of relaxation… just when you pulled off your work clothes and climbed into your Bermuda shorts… just when you unfolded the lawn chair and sat down with a magazine and a glass of…
What Do You Wonder About Heaven?
How Far Away Is Heaven? As a child, I wondered where God lived in outer space and how long it would take to get there. Had I been old enough to read an astronomy textbook, I would have discovered a few statistics that would have blown me out of the water. Our solar system has…
Every Reason to Laugh
True to God’s word, Sarah had a baby boy, Isaac. Can you just see her in her traveling desert nursery? Layers of sheepskins overlapping, white and resplendent on a bed covered by a breezy gauze canopy. Sarah and Isaac lying together face-to-face, her aging lips kissing his plump ones, her sinewy fingers caressing his, fresh…
Prayer: When You Need a Breakthrough
Keep It Urgent When this blind beggar realized that Jesus was passing by, he began to shout for him right away. This sense of urgency seems worth noting for us as well. In other words, don’t wait. If you need healing, ask God to heal you right now. Bartimaeus could’ve continued to sit there, hoping…
Billy Graham: Heaven Is Where I Am
When asked, “Where is Heaven?” Billy Graham wisely replied, “Heaven is where Jesus Christ is, and I’m going to Him soon.” The greatest promise ever given to the human race came from the lips of our Redeemer when Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me…I go to…
Prayer: Stay at Home
As Christians, we often feel the ungrounded restlessness of our ontological lightness even in our prayers. We find ourselves praying for God to “do” this, or for Him to help us “do” that. Our prayers seem to originate from somewhere near the surface of our skin rather than any deep place inside. We go away…
Pray: Come Lord Jesus
After John saw the vision of what is to come and how amazing it was, he ended the entire Bible with this prayer: “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). For most of my forty-plus-year relationship with Christ, my prayer has not been like John’s. It has more honestly been, “I am glad you are coming, Lord,…