I remember being on the receiving end of a prank. I was camping with some friends. We were in our sleeping bags. When I wasn’t paying attention someone yanked up my sleeping bag over my head and held it firmly closed at the top. At first, it was funny. “Come on, guys, cut it out.” … Continue reading As essential as air—the Holy Spirit
romans 8
He. Is. Interceding. For. You. And. Me.
In yesterday’s devotional I focused on the ascension of Jesus. It assures us that Christ is in the control room. [If you missed it, click here.] After all, Jesus leaving this world to be at his Father’s right hand is his cosmic coronation as Lord of the universe. The Apostles’ Creed zeroes in on this … Continue reading He. Is. Interceding. For. You. And. Me.
Fighting forgetfulness: God’s power then and now
A friend of mine was clearly upset. We were classmates. He was no stranger to life’s troubles, and was also very insightful. It was as if he could perceive the meaning of things on multiple levels at the same time. He was sitting in a study carol in the library reading his Bible. I came … Continue reading Fighting forgetfulness: God’s power then and now
Discouragement is a comma, not a period
There’s a movie that some people watch every year: It’s A Wonderful Life. There’s a scene right at the start of the movie where we overhear what is supposed to be a conversation between God and a guardian angel named Clarence. “A man down on earth needs our help,” God says, referring to George Bailey. … Continue reading Discouragement is a comma, not a period
Breathe the Name
Do you ever find it hard to pray? If so, you’re not alone. There are times when we’re so tired or frazzled that we just can’t muster the energy for a talk with the Almighty. Maybe those are the times when we need to talk to him most. But depending on the day and on … Continue reading Breathe the Name
How you respond
Chuck Swindoll has been known to say, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond.”* I don’t think he was quoting a scientific study. My sense is that he was making a general observation: Your life isn’t all about what happens to you, but how you respond to what … Continue reading How you respond
In your pain
In the first century, one of the reasons many people rejected the idea that Jesus was the Messiah was because he suffered and experienced pain. We humans can often think that the presence of pain means the absence of God—back then or now. Some people continue to think that suffering—whether it be at the hands … Continue reading In your pain
Slaughter untrue thoughts with truth
Many of us face battles. More often than we’d like. And many of those battles begin in the mind. But you can respond swiftly and firmly by slaughtering untrue thoughts with truth as soon as they enter your brain. That truth is, in the words of Paul in Romans 8:37, that “in all these things … Continue reading Slaughter untrue thoughts with truth
Super-conquerors
If you’re a follower of Christ you’re a “super-conqueror.” Did you know that? Do you feel like it? (Need some convincing?) In Romans 8:37 Paul writes: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” The words “we are more than conquerors” translate a Greek word meaning, quite literally, … Continue reading Super-conquerors
Even when you can’t see through the fog
Romans 8:28 is a text we could chew on for a lifetime: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It’s a part of a wider passage about living faithfully even in the midst of hardship. What Paul … Continue reading Even when you can’t see through the fog
