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Praise in the Dark
There is a quip: “Believe in the dark what you learn in the light.” We are followers of Jesus Christ and are learning to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). We haven’t arrived yet (Philippians 3:12), but God is working on us (Philippians 2:13), and will keep working on us until the day of…
Read MoreWhy are You so Harsh with Yourself?
Agranddad was talking with his very upset granddaughter. She told him she’d been talking to herself, and, well, “Things were said.” I laughed when I read that, but I often say harsh and negative things to myself. I’m sure you do too. We, too often, believe the negative, harsh things we say to ourselves, along…
Read MorePraise El Roi—The God Who Sees
Where have you come from and where are you going? (Genesis 16:8) You remember the story. (See Genesis 16:1-16) Hagar, Sarai’s maid, ran away from Sarai and the Lord found her by a spring of water. He asked her those questions, and told her to return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority. (Genesis 16:9) The…
Read MoreAlas!
Before you read this post, please read Daniel 9:1-19. My challenge—to myself and to you—is to write a corresponding prayer to Almighty God for the USA. Daniel had been exiled in Babylon about 70 years when this prayer was written. He sought the Lord by “prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.” (verse 3) Do I—do you—care…
Read MoreMistake or Lie?
Recently I heard a person condemned for citing incorrect statistics. Was it a mistake or a lie? Did the person believe the statistics were correct, or was there intent to deceive? There is an important difference, both for the one making a mistake/telling a lie and for the one being told. Mistakes are part of…
Read MoreWe Are Witnesses
We are Witnesses You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord.(Isaiah 43:10) You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.(Acts 1:8) Me, too? Yes, I am to tell…
Read MorePraise our (Perfect) Discipliner
God, our perfect Father, perfectly disciplines His children. Christ took our deserved punishment so we, His followers, are not punished, but are disciplined in order to make us into the image of Christ. Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his…
Read MoreHummingbird Bully
Our hummingbird feeder was well used and needed refilling every 24 hours. It was fun to watch. But then… A hummingbird bully* appeared, chasing any hummingbird that tried to feed. After a day or two of raucous activity, the feeder now rarely has a hummingbird visitor. And those, not for long. One web site counseled…
Read MoreCourse Correction
Flying Once when we were on an instrument flight plan (a flight with a defined course and altitude, monitored by Air Traffic Control), I bumped the navigation device, changing the setting. And, instantly, we were on a flight path other than our assigned one. WHOOPS! Air traffic control contacted us, we identified our (my) error,…
Read MoreTruth
Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:17) Nine little words; three critical concepts. Sanctify We, Christians, have been saved from the power of sin. We are now being saved from sin’s power as we learn to walk according to the Spirit. Sanctification isn’t always comfortable because suffering is often the tool God…
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