There’s an expression that drives me nuts: ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ (No, it’s not from the Bible.) Even though it’s true that God helps those who help themselves, he doesn’t ONLY help those who help themselves. He also helps the down and out and those who are chasing their tails. In Romans 8:26 … Continue reading In our weakness that strength goes viral
strength
What you’ve already been given
Bob Russel tells a story about a farmer who once grew discontent on his farm.* The lake needed to be stocked and managed and the farm itself was an incredible amount of work. It was hilly, the cows needed tending, and the fences needed mending. He decided he was unhappy and wanted to move somewhere … Continue reading What you’ve already been given
Your future in the Spirit
A lot of people have questions about the Holy Spirit. And I’m going to address some of them for you over the next few days. I think it will help clarify our thinking, and encourage us for living. First, is the Holy Spirit an “it” or a “who”? The Holy Spirit is not some random … Continue reading Your future in the Spirit
Even when we don’t understand
Marshall Shelley tells the story of the birth of his son. When the child was in the womb, he and his wife Susan learned that he had an abnormal heart. This was obviously difficult for them. They were told their baby would probably not survive birth. The child might not even make it to full … Continue reading Even when we don’t understand
the good news about your weakness
One of the mistakes we often make is to pretend we have it all together when we don’t. It happens innocently enough. A lot of us are doing our prayerful best to grow and become more like Jesus. But we can exaggerate or embellish our progress! Take me for example. I often don’t have answers to … Continue reading the good news about your weakness
Walk tall
In 2013, a book came out by Robert Galbraith called The Cuckoo’s Calling. It was a crime fiction novel. The reviews were fantastic, but it didn’t sell very well—just 1500 print copies and a few thousand online. But the Sunday Times learned that “Robert Galbraith” was a pseudonym—a pen name. The real author was none … Continue reading Walk tall
Don’t be defined by past hurts
The past. It's big. And there can be hurts in the past. But they don't have to overcome you. This is why.
Perpetuating the illusion
Life isn’t about what your circumstances are, but who you become despite your circumstances. That’s something I’ve been sharing with you this week. As a part of that we’ve spent time with Romans 5:3-4 (ESV) where Paul says that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…” But then in verse 5 … Continue reading Perpetuating the illusion
Despite the odds
Who would you put in the following blank? When I think of someone who is courageous, I think of ________________. When I do it, my first instinct is to think about people who’ve done incredible things in the face of adversity. Through the years I’ve known World War Two veterans, so I think of them. … Continue reading Despite the odds
When you’ve got something to lose
You've probably never thought of "courage" like this. But you probably should.
