Our Guard against Neglect
When I asked the Holy Spirit to show me how to guard against neglect, he led me to consider Peter’s drifting and his eventual renewal. This man denied Christ, even cursing and telling his accuser, “I don’t know him.” What had happened? What had brought Peter to that point? It was pride, the result of…
I Am Power and Compassion
I am writing this message for all who are on the brink of exhaustion, about to faint and overwhelmed by your present situation. You’ve been a faithful servant, and you’re confident that God can do the impossible. However, you have some lingering doubts about his willingness to intervene in your own struggle. Consider this verse.…
Being Strengthened in Faith
God had promised Abraham that he would have a son, one who would become the seed of many nations. Remarkably, Abraham didn’t flinch at this promise, even though he was well past the age of siring children. The essence of true faith is found in this single verse. “And not being weak in faith, he…
The Inner Cry to the Lord
Of all 150 psalms, Psalm 34 is my absolute favorite. It is all about our Lord’s faithfulness to deliver his children from great trials and crises. In it, King David declares, “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. …The angel of the Lord encamps all around those…
The Big Picture of God’s Work
A very popular verse for many Christians is “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV). The word in there that I really noticed is ‘together’ because if we think that all things in our lives will…
God’s School of Pop Quizzes
In many ways, the disciples who were with Jesus seemed to experience crazy situations without warning. In one case, they went out in a boat and a huge storm hit them. “They went and woke him [Jesus], saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing.’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you…
Lord, Your Servant Is Listening
Do you know it is possible to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart? If you are hungering for Jesus, you may already be desiring and earnestly trying to obey this command of the Lord. I want to encourage you that it is possible, or God would not have given us such a call.…
Surrendering Our Plans to God
“Then Jesus lifted up his eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?’ But this he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do” (John 6:5-6, NKJV). Jesus took Philip aside and said, “Philip, there are thousands…
The Glory of Jesus Christ
Jesus prayed for his disciples, “That that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us… And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them, and…
God at Work Bit by Bit
The Old Testament is filled with God’s miracle-working power from the parting of the Red Sea, to God speaking to Moses from the burning bush, to Elijah calling down fire from heaven. All these were instantaneous miracles. The people involved could see and feel them happening. They are the kinds of miracles we want to…