It’s that time of year again. Pumpkins are put away, Christmas décor in beginning to fill the stores, and there’s one more big Holiday to celebrate before the Christmas jingles hit the airwaves – Thanksgiving. As Christians we know we are supposed to “give thanks is all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and “give thanks to…
The Hope of Jesus
Hope We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. — Hebrews 6:19–20 The first-century symbol of Christianity was an anchor, not a cross. Pictured on the epitaphs of first-, second-, and third-century believers,…
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…
Breakfast on the Beach with Jesus
Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” — knowing that it was the Lord. — John 21:12 It had been a tough morning, to be sure. Following Jesus’ death, several disciples returned to their regularly scheduled programming. They got up early, took their…
A Battle to Fight
Hanging on to the Truth In any hand-to-hand combat, there’s a constant back-and-forth of blows, dodges, blocks, counterattacks, and so forth. That’s exactly what is going on in the unseen around us. Only it takes place, initially, at the level of our thoughts. When we are under attack, we’ve got to hang on to the…
Who Is God?
When we talk about God, it turns out we’re all over the map. In the West, we still live in a hangover from our Christianized past. There was a time when you could say “God,” and people would immediately think of the God we read about in the Scriptures and see in Jesus. Most…
Refined by the Fire
Refined by the Fire by Kay Warren, from Praying through Cancer The doctor was very matter-of-fact. When he told me I had breast cancer, his inflection didn’t change, his manner didn’t warm up, and he offered nothing in the way of comfort. He left the room, leaving me to weep alone. While this earthly man…
When the Unexpected Exceeds What You Imagined
Who Am I? More than a decade ago, when Nick and I first began researching the possibility of establishing an anti-trafficking organization, we were given a terminal prognosis: impossible. The feasibility study from the consultants we’d hired used that word ten times in their report. Ten times. And opening an office in Thessaloniki? It was…
Learning to Wait
When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. — Matthew 14:32 Waiting is the hardest work of hope. ~ Lewis Smedes Waiting patiently is not a strong suit in American society. A woman’s car stalls in traffic. She looks in vain under the hood to identify the cause, while the driver behind her leans…
When You Believe in God But Are Ashamed of Your Past
It’s Always the Shame As a pastor, I’ve discovered that many people are dying slowly in a secret tomb of shame. Some are ashamed of their poor financial condition, plagued with guilt about their irresponsible spending and debt. Others are ashamed about sexual sin from their past. Many carry extreme guilt with them into their…