When All Means Fail
To believe when all means fail is exceedingly pleasing to God and most acceptable. Jesus said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29, NKJV). Those who believe when there is no evidence of an answer to prayer are blessed!…
Tested by Our Falls and Failing
Our failures constantly test us. I do not mean that Christians who fall back into old sins and turn back to the world are being tested. No, those believers face a shipwreck of faith. I am talking about believers who are growing in holiness and are set on following the Lord. Peter gave them a…
A Faith that Ventures Forth
Nothing honors God more than trusting him in the face of difficulties. How quickly we forget the miracles and past blessings. In Psalm 106, Israel testified about the incredible miracle as the Red Sea caved in upon the Egyptian army, drowning every soldier. “The waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left.…
Shame: A Blessing and a Curse
Shame is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety.” Feeling ashamed can take us in one of two directions: restitution and redemption or perpetual defeat. It can be a force for good that leads to healthy living, or it can knock you down and keep you there.…
Coming Off the Mountaintop
After the mountaintop experience of the transfiguration, Jesus came down the mountain and was immediately met by a man who was in trouble (see Matthew 17:1-21). I often have to gently let new believers know that they may be feeling on top of the world, only to get home and be assailed by unwanted thoughts…
An Anchor in the Storm
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil” (Hebrews 6:19, NKJV). The anchor referred to in this passage of scripture is hope. It is not the hope of this wicked world but rather the hope founded on God’s oath to keep,…
Looking unto Jesus
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV). If you were to ask me what is happening in the world right now, I would answer, “Everything Jesus warned us would happen in the last days!” He foretold that men’s hearts would fail them for fear of what is happening on…
Hope in the Coming Storm
David gives us a clear picture of Jesus’ attitude in the face of the coming storm. Peter preached from David’s psalms, which speak prophetically of Christ, saying, “I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken” (Acts 2:25, NKJV). The literal meaning here…
Faith Founded on the Word
God is concerned that we are being shaken in our faith, that we don’t trust him during a crisis. Beloved, our worst sin is our unwillingness to believe he will do what he promised. That offends him more than adultery, fornication, drug or alcohol abuse or any other sin of the flesh. He desires –…
Fine-Tuning Your Mind and Spirit
If there is one word that expresses God’s nature, it’s harmony. From the moment he spread out the heavens and filled the earth with life, every component worked together. We see this symphony all around us, from the stars to the jungles to the hidden caverns deep in the ocean. It is the same with…