Can a hollow tree grow healthy apples? Of course not! If a tree is hollow it doesn’t have any of the strength it needs. Plus, it can’t draw water from the ground that is supposed to flow into the branches to help produce fruit. Well, you’re the tree. In John 15:16 Jesus says this to … Continue reading Can a hollow tree grow healthy apples?
spiritual growth
Chauffeur knowledge vs Real knowledge
In 1918 Max Plank won the Nobel Prize for physics. As was sometimes customary back then he went on a speaking tour. He traveled Germany with his chauffeur giving lectures on Quantum Mechanics. Every night he gave the same lecture. His chauffeur commented that it had become very predictable. In fact, the material had become … Continue reading Chauffeur knowledge vs Real knowledge
Loving people you just don’t like
Some people totally rub you the wrong way -- and you despise them for it. But given Jesus' command to "love one another" what do you do? Well, this certainly helps.
Don’t be afraid to share your imperfections with others
A pastor I respect, John Ortberg, said that “perfection is the great enemy of spiritual growth.” I like that because it makes clear the fact that if you try (or pretend) to be perfect it actually undermines your spiritual growth. What I think he’s getting at is that none of us are perfect. But if … Continue reading Don’t be afraid to share your imperfections with others
When your mind is stretched to a new dimension
Yesterday I said that God loves you as you are—but that God loves you too much to leave you as you are. I said this because we can sometimes use God’s love as an excuse for stagnancy or disobedience. Just because God loves us that doesn’t mean he necessarily condones everything we do. Although we’re … Continue reading When your mind is stretched to a new dimension
The #1 factor for spiritual growth?
I think the number one factor that contributes to your spiritual growth and to your maturity as a person is... Difficult circumstances. Granted, I don’t have any data to back that up. But that’s what I think after talking to hundreds of people, reading hundreds of books, and from my own personal experience. First, difficult … Continue reading The #1 factor for spiritual growth?
Time to juggle up the playlist?
If you’ve been following along with the Up! devotional this week you’ve probably caught on to the fact that I’m talking about how wildly impressionable we humans are. People say that children are sponges. But so are adults! (We’re just better at hiding it.) I read a study that said we’re more likely to trust … Continue reading Time to juggle up the playlist?
When you don’t FEEL God’s presence
There’s a compelling passage in 2 Chronicles 32:31 about a king named Hezekiah. It says that “God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.” Many things happened when Hezekiah was king. But in this verse we’re told that God “withdrew” from him. It was a … Continue reading When you don’t FEEL God’s presence
Connect in conversation
“I want to grow in my faith.” I hear some variation of that statement almost every week. And I think it’s awesome. It’s a desire to learn more about God, about how to live in a way that honours him, or about spiritual progress and following Jesus more closely. Each person is a bit different … Continue reading Connect in conversation
Consistency in the storm
In 1911 two explorers and their teams set out on a 1400 mile journey to be the first in modern times to reach the South Pole. Roald Amundsen led one team. And Robert Falcon Scott led the other. They were pretty much equally matched. But they had different strategies. Scott traveled based on the weather … Continue reading Consistency in the storm
