Have you ever talked to someone… and they just sit there in silence, never saying anything back? It ends the conversation pretty quickly. Silence tends to make you think that the other person isn’t listening, or doesn’t care. That’s how a lot of people feel about prayer. Since they tend to do all the talking … Continue reading Hearing back from God
spirituality
A major stumbling block to faith
Yesterday I talked about having a relationship with Christ and whether or not it is authentic. Today I’d like to focus on something the Bible identifies as a major stumbling block to that relationship: Money. In Luke 16:13 Jesus says it with his usual eye-opening candour: “You cannot serve both God and money.” It’s a tricky … Continue reading A major stumbling block to faith
Getting back in tune
Instruments need tune ups. Pianos fall out of key, and guitars go out of tune. Well, guess what. Every once in a while, people need tune-ups too. One of the ways to do that is through a spiritual retreat or time-out. I’m not talking about a conference, workshop, or road trip. What I’m talking about is … Continue reading Getting back in tune
Giving troubles over
Susanna Wesley lived a few hundred years ago. She gave birth to 19 children. 10 survived infancy. To say she was busy is an understatement. Plus, she had a difficult life—marital troubles, financial hardship, and illness were frequent visitors. And that’s not to mention the pain and difficulty of coping with the death of 9 … Continue reading Giving troubles over
Get consistent
This week I’m sharing some thoughts about prayer. Like oxygen, prayer is a life-giving necessity for a vibrant spiritual life. Yesterday, I talked about how motives matter. Today, let’s talk about CONSISTENCY. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul says to “pray without ceasing.” But if you’re like a lot of people, there’s more ceasing than there … Continue reading Get consistent
Don’t get worked up about $20
When I’m meeting with someone and we’re about to pray, I often ask them what we should pray about. One of the most common answers is to not sweat the small stuff. I get that. Sometimes it’s easy to let something small get blown out of proportion and take over our brain. To help out … Continue reading Don’t get worked up about $20
Merry Christmas! (special edition)
You’re right. I don’t usually send out a devotional on Monday morning. But today I wanted to make an exception. Why? Because I wanted to say Merry Christmas! “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 KJV). The way I see it, … Continue reading Merry Christmas! (special edition)
Turn holidays into holy days with this prayer
The word “holiday” comes from the phrase “holy day.” The idea with holy days is that they're set apart from the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life to help us celebrate, focus on, and learn from something godly and exceptional. Christmas is a holy day. But when we treat it as a “holiday” it doesn’t … Continue reading Turn holidays into holy days with this prayer
Secrecy strangles
All of us struggle with something. But many of us keep it secret. Some of you struggle with over-spending. Some of you struggle with pornography. Some of you struggle with body image. Some of you struggle with over (or under)-eating. Some of you struggle with addiction. Some of you struggle with gambling. Some of you … Continue reading Secrecy strangles
Like you’re actually talking to the King of kings
The famous Billy Graham says that prayer is the “sweetest work of the soul.” If that’s true, why do so many people struggle with it? One of the continual refrains I hear is that prayer is hard work and that it’s easy to get distracted. So today I’d like to offer super-practical advice to those … Continue reading Like you’re actually talking to the King of kings
