“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men” – Ephesians 6:7 In his book “Jesus the King”, Timothy Keller writes: “You’re glorifying something when you find it beautiful for what it is in itself. Its beauty compels you to adore it, to have your imagination captured by […]
“LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” – Isaiah 25:1 In December 2021, Cody Carnes released the song “Firm Foundation” (He Won’t)”. Carnes reminds us that when we put our faith […]
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” – Ephesians 6:10 Francis Collins was a young, confident, atheist physician when he visited a dying Christian woman. He noticed with every passing day, his patient’s faith seemed to grow stronger even as her body weakened. “Doctor, I have […]
‘This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.’ Psalm 118:24 One author writes: ‘One of the strategies I employ is to block enough time so that I’m not thinking of what I have to do next. I find it best to wait […]
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:5 In his book “The Sacred Journey”, Frederick Buechner writes: “One winter I sat in army fatigues somewhere near Anniston, Alabama, eating […]
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 In Joshua 1, we read that Moses had passed away and that God was calling Joshua to take over […]
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4 Fear and darkness are all around us. Whenever we feel fearful, we can turn to God and […]
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” – Romans 1:21 Timothy Keller, in his book “Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God”, writes: Cosmic ingratitude is living in the illusion […]
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” – Ephesians 6:18 Author Richard J. Foster tells a story about his youth, working among the Inuit people of Kotzebue, […]
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:9-10 Love must be sincere. Our love must be sincere. Jesus showed us sincere love as He hung on the cross with nails in […]
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place” – Ephesians 6:14 During spring break of his senior year in seminary, Fred Rogers watched television for the first time and what he saw repulsed him. “I got into television,” he […]
“Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has no place to lay his head” Matthew 8:20 I think it is fair to say that never before has a generation had more “things” than the present one, yet with all of the “toys” […]
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 All of us will walk through wonderful mountaintop experiences, but we will also walk through dark valleys. While mountains and valleys are […]
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” Psalm 111:10 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. What an interesting concept! Most of us want to grow in wisdom and understanding, and […]
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” – Ephesians 5:11 During the Revolutionary War, 10 American officers gathered below the deck of the USS Warren on February 19, 1777 to sign a petition to the Continental Congress documenting abuses by their commander, Commodore […]