Christmas and gift giving. The two have always been associated with each other for good reason. The magi gave Jesus the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The shepherds gave Jesus the gift of their time and belief. Mary gave Jesus the gift of her womb. The offerings seem practical. The wise men’s treasures could…
Endless Grace, Endless Love
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness . . . and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. — Colossians 2:6-7, Colossians 2:10 Come Monday morning I forget. A…
Getting Out of Your Pit
Only God can hang with us through the length and depth of our need. And the length and depth of our baloney. Maybe I’m just talking about myself, but whether or not I realized it, I usually found a way to frame my pit to make me look like a victim. Not only is God omniscient, His Word is “sharper than…
Every Man Questions “Do I Have The Strength It Takes?”
Why don’t men play the man? Why don’t they offer their strength to a world desperately in need of it? For two simple reasons: we doubt very much that we have any real strength to offer, and we’re pretty certain that if we did offer what we have it wouldn’t be enough. Something has gone wrong and we know…
He Paid the Bill
If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with a medical condition, chances are, you are also being confronted with mounting medical bills. And health care is expensive. Globally, health care cost is projected to continue skyrocketing. In 2016 researchers found that America spent almost twice as much on health care compared to other…
Jesus and the Blessing of Appropriate Meaningful Touch
Jesus was a model of someone who communicated the Blessing to others. In fact, his blessing of children in the Gospels parallels the important elements of the family blessing, including appropriate meaningful touch. Let’s look at Mark’s account of that blessing. Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the…
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…
Hope Is Faith Waiting for Tomorrow
Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. — C. S. Lewis We all are hopers. We are creatures who cannot stop wishing. We are four-leaf-clover collectors. We wish on the evening star. We tell stories about genies coming out of a bottle to grant three wishes. After a turkey dinner,…
Surrender by Acting “As If”
When I find myself feeling unsure of my identity in God’s eyes, His Word offers me plenty of assurance about who I am in Christ. Ephesians 2, especially, gives me this helpful and hopeful reminder: But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even…
What Does the Bible Say I Should Do and Not Do?
Whenever there is a conflict between what we feel we’re expected to do and what we feel we should do, it’s time to step back from the decision. And seek clarity from the only source free of the entanglements of misguided opinions and unrealistic expectations. God. Maybe it feels a tad silly to bother God…