In Psalm 51:10 David prayed: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” As outlined a few days ago, David had committed multiple sins. Big sins. Snowballing sins. Then he was confronted by the prophet Nathan. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of repentance. He asked God for mercy … Continue reading Create in me a clean heart
transformation
Warning signs over sanctuary doors
Will Willimon was the dean of the Duke University Chapel. There was a student who had never been to chapel and didn’t have any intention of going. Willimon asked him why. The student explained that things were going pretty well in his life and he didn’t want to get “jerked around” by God in a … Continue reading Warning signs over sanctuary doors
Genuine beliefs have hands and feet
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were in prison. Instead of bemoaning their fate they were praying and singing to God! The jailer was captivated, not only by their words but by their behaviour (see verses 25 to 30). He wanted to know what to do to be saved. They told him about believing in … Continue reading Genuine beliefs have hands and feet
Regardless of our circumstances
What if some of our prayers were somehow misdirected? What if, instead of seeking God’s will within us, our prayers were always focused on lesser things? After facing dangerous opposition, what did the disciples pray for in Acts 4:23-31? Did they pray for a day at the spa, or for their persecutors to take a … Continue reading Regardless of our circumstances
Celebrating resurrection! (when you don’t feel like it)
Last week my wife, Laura, was talking to a man in the grocery story about Easter. At the end of their conversation she said, “Happy Easter!” He replied, “I doubt it.”
A merciful reset
In an article for The Gospel Coalition Canada called “Better Than Before,” Darryl Dash quotes a prayer that was once handed to a pastor: “Pray that God uses these days as a merciful reset of our lives.” What a powerful perspective and prayer for us as well. That these days—as difficult and uncertain as they … Continue reading A merciful reset
Good guilt?
In Psalm 38:4 David said, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.” Can you relate? Feeling guilty is no fun. But let’s explore whether some guilt can actually be a good thing. First, there is Loud Guilt. It’s that guilt you feel when you’ve clearly done something wrong. Maybe you’ve … Continue reading Good guilt?
The future you
Many people are confused about who the Holy Spirit is and what he does. That’s partly because they’ve been given confusing information. I remember a school dance in grade 7. A teacher told us that we needed to “leave room for the Holy Spirit” between dance partners. So whoever the Holy Spirit was, he was … Continue reading The future you
A nicotine-tinged dog and spiritual progress
Being aware of your flaws can make you feel bad about your spiritual progress. But what if this awareness was actually a good thing? Let me explain. When Tim Chester was growing up he had a small, white dog. One day it snowed and the dog went outside. That’s when Tim noticed that his dog … Continue reading A nicotine-tinged dog and spiritual progress
Dealing with frustration
It’s easy to get frustrated. That’s why having a different attitude toward your frustrations can make them… well, less frustrating. So what is this “better approach”? Frustrations aren’t always final. They might just be calling your attention to something that needs to change. For example: -If you’re continually frustrated that there aren’t enough hours in the … Continue reading Dealing with frustration
The Up Devotional 