In Psalm 37 David is feeling frustrated by his lot in life. He feels persecuted and under threat. He has a concern that bad people seem to prosper more than good people. He’s angry, and has somehow been hurt or is hurting. But this is what he says: “Do not fret because of those who … Continue reading A purpose that offsets your pain
daily devotional
Letting go of revenge
A lot of people wonder about Judgment Day. They’re curious about how and when it will happen. And trust me: there is no end of books that jump on the profitable bandwagon of speculation. But there’s a much-neglected facet to Judgement Day that can positively impact our attitudes in the here and now, regardless of … Continue reading Letting go of revenge
The benefit of quality down time
In Matthew 8:23-25 we read: “Then [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Yup. A storm threatened … Continue reading The benefit of quality down time
They went to the gunman’s parents’ house
In October 2006, a gunman took hostages in a one-room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. He shot ten children. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Then he shot himself. Five of the children died, and people around the world were horrified. But get this: Just hours after it happened, people in the … Continue reading They went to the gunman’s parents’ house
Is it the Holy Spirit?
Do you ever wonder if the Holy Spirit is nudging you to believe something or to do something? If so, you wouldn’t be alone. But the Holy Spirit can be confusing to people. After all, he’s invisible! So let me explain a few things. The Holy Spirit is the Person, power, and presence of God … Continue reading Is it the Holy Spirit?
The truly consecrated soul
We all carry things around with us. Throughout our days. Throughout our lives. I’m talking about more than books, backpacks, or phones. I’m talking about invisible burdens and unnecessary commitments. They could include… -guilt about a choice you made five years ago -a to-do list of irrelevant things that don’t really matter -self-pity -or even … Continue reading The truly consecrated soul
Subconscious worship
I’m a firm believer that what you do shapes you. I’ve talked about that before. Your daily habits impact your thinking and your decisions. When you pray regularly, you’re more likely to see God at work in your daily life. And when you serve or volunteer regularly, you’re more likely to feel like the hands … Continue reading Subconscious worship
Only God can count the apples in the seed
A friend of mine told me about something he saw on a fridge magnet: “Anyone can count the seeds in an apple. But only God can count the apples in the seed.” The reason I share that is because it’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t see something important in your life bearing fruit. … Continue reading Only God can count the apples in the seed
How to grow in godliness
“Godliness” is like “world peace”—we want it but we’re not sure how to get it! So let’s break it down. Godliness is being “of God” or more “like God.” Since we’re all flawed, none of us will ever totally get there, but we definitely want to make progress. 2 Peter 3:11-12 says: “You ought to … Continue reading How to grow in godliness
The Age of Melancholy
Psychologist Daniel Goleman says that we live in the Age of Melancholy. Here is how he describes it: “Each successive generation worldwide since the opening of the century has lived with a higher risk than their parents of suffering a major depression—not just sadness, but a paralyzing listlessness, dejection, and self-pity, and an overwhelming hopelessness—over … Continue reading The Age of Melancholy
