Faith (Page 7)
Keep Paddling
We all have good days, but we also have bad days. Don’t let the bad days overthrow you like a rocky current on a river! Please remember to keep paddling! I remember this story told to me by a man who was an expert at canoeing. He told me he was canoeing down a canal, and the wind was coming from an unusual direction, making it hard to canoe down this tight space with the wind blowing right at him.…
Exercise Your Access
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:15-16 [ESV] The Lord Jesus Christ, as the High Priest seated at the right hand of the Father, is one of…
The Weight of Water
A pastor once gave an illustration in a sermon. The usual glass of water rested on his pulpit in case he needed to quench his thirst, but this time out, the pastor intended for this object to prove a conscious point. He picked up the glass and asked, “Folks, how much do you think this glass of water weighs? Note that it is plain, old water. How much does it weigh?” After several moments of awkward silence, the pastor encouraged…
Good and Faithful Servant
How do we rest when this world is so busy? The answer is quite simple yet hard to implement at times. But while we “stay” busy, we “remain” in Him. It doesn’t necessarily mean we are less busy but more “intentionally” focused on the work of the Lord. Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the…
Why You Should Grow Your Roots Wide With Christ
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8 [ESV] Agricultural analogies are often given in the Bible because they work well at explaining spiritual concepts in a…
It’s a Good Idea to Pray Because He Understands
Some days are hard. Let’s just face it. So how do we overcome the loneliness and the disappointments of our day? This may seem like an obvious Christian response but hear me out; let’s pray to God about it! Not just pray with a few words but converse with our Heavenly Father in a long and depth way. The church and people have hurt me, so it’s easy to settle to speaking to God in a few words or not…
Book Review – Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel
Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life, by Craig Groeschel 2021. Zondervan, 246 pages. Retail cost $17.99 (US), $23.99 (CAN) Have you ever sat down and asked yourself, “What lies am I currently believing?” or “How often do I think about what I’m thinking about?”. These and other questions are addressed and answered in Craig Groeschel’s newest book: Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life. Groeschel, Pastor of Life.Church and New…
The Way Of God Leads To Life
“The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death.” – Proverbs 12:28 [NIV] The path of the godly leads to life. A holy way of living will lead to a life of blessings, while the wicked way of living leads to a path of curses. If you want a good and fulfilled life, you must follow Christ at all costs. Life as a Christian will have hardship, but it’s much better to suffer from…
Trust the Journey of Your Life
We are all on our own unique journeys in life. From different life experiences, ages, and wisdom we have garnered throughout the years, God is with us, and His love never changes. James 1:17: “All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change” [NET]. Since God never changes at all, we can give Him our burdens on this voyage of…
Dare To Be Different
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” – 1 Peter 2:9 [NKJV] As children of God, we are made to be different. We are cut from another cloth. The world is not going to understand everything we do. The world is not going to comprehend why we smile when things go wrong, or…
Wise People Give Good Advice
“The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.” – Proverbs 12:26 [NIV] You know a person is wise when giving legitimately sound advice to their friends. The wise will ensure that their friends get helpful, edifying guidance regardless of whether they like it. Foolish people just tell people what they want to hear, even if it leads to their downfall. Telling people the hard truth is never fun, but it’s much better than telling them…
The Only Thing In Which You Should Ever Put Hope
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” – Romans 15:13 [ESV] Do we have any sports fans out there? If you are, I’m sure you know what’s like when “your” team comes so close to taking it all but doesn’t. There can be years where your team can almost be a real-life analog for some inspirational sports movie, you…
Iced Latte Anonymous
I need to go to Iced Latte Anonymous. I know a group like this doesn’t exist, but I would be the first to sign up if there were such a thing! I am addicted to the velvety and bitey coffee taste, with whole milk and two Splendas, please! And it has to be iced, not hot. That’s much more savory, in my honest opinion. More seriously, we all have addictions. Co-dependence on others, drugs, alcohol, chocolate, or even iced lattes!…
We Don’t War With Man
“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 6:12 [NLT] Wars frequently occur on earth, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a recent example of hatred, conflict, and death. The news of Ukraine shocked the world because of the possibility of World War 3, and it brings to mind that despite the…
Negative Things Can Work With God
Just the other day, I was watching a sermon online from my pastor in Florida. He was preaching from Romans 8:28 and how God uses tragedy and negative events in our favor. When bad things happen to us, we usually blame ourselves or we blame Satan. In reality. negative things are an expected facet of this Christian walk. We will suffer, but our suffering won’t be in vain. When we were in the world before we were saved, we suffered…
Lenses
I had my annual eye exam the other day; you know where they put that giant, awkward machine-thing in front of your face, and you have to rest your chin on it? The optometrist flips through a series of lenses, trying to help you see as clearly as possible to narrow down where your vision is. At the bottom of the exam wall chart was the letter B, but I swore that I saw it as an N. It was…
We Are Tested By The Fire
Adversity is what builds character. We need storms in our life to show us where we are weak and how much we really trust God. If everything were hunky-dory, then we wouldn’t have a compelling testimony. God put us through hardships not because he hates us but because He wants us to become like purified gold. In the refining process, gold has to go through an intense amount of heat to have the impurities removed and for what is remaining…
Summer Spiritual Growth
“Rest” doesn’t mean time away from God. Most people love the summertime. Aside from some blistering temperatures, depending on where you live, there are so many appealing things about the warmest months of the year. You may get to enjoy vacations, summer backyard barbecuing, no school, trips to your local beaches and campgrounds, and loads of fun in the sun. Yet just because it’s the summer months here in the Northern Hemisphere doesn’t mean we can press the “pause” button…
Life is an Unexpected Adventure
I am going through a lot in this season of life—many “firsts” for me. One of my good friends has breast cancer and had to get a double mastectomy. Cancer doesn’t run in my life, and I never had a friend who had cancer before. It’s hard to see her tired like she is and has suffered for the last two years. She got diagnosed at the start of the pandemic. With everything going on in the world, a cancer…
Recommended Book Resources For Men’s Ministries
Want to dive further into men’s ministry or learn what it means to live the life of a Christian man? In preparation for the upcoming Warrior Disciple men’s ministry book, I wanted to offer what I thought were other great books for men’s ministry and spiritual growth for guys. The following are just a mere smattering of terrific resources to help you in your pursuit of going deeper with God: The Quest For Character by John MacArthur If you can…