Truth and Consequences
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7 NIV)
The other night, I was watching a round-table discussion about the fate of Michael Vick. If, somehow, you’ve been able to avoid all forms of media for the last few weeks, Vick, once the gifted quarterback for the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons, will be in jail for the next few years because of his part in a violent dog-fighting network.
But lest we get sidetracked by lesser matters, let’s agree up front that our conversation here isn’t about Michael Vick; it’s about forgiveness.
One of …
a refreshing saint
Half way through my three mile run yesterday morning it started raining. Actually it poured and by the time I got home I was drenched.
Although winded and soaked from the workout, I felt extremely cooled and refreshed walking around in the garage before heading for the shower.
Don’t you just love the feeling of being refreshed physically or emotionally … and isn’t it a joy to hang someone who is a “refresher” ?
The Bible often refers to those of us that claim to be a follower of Jesus as saints. And Paul had this to say about saints that …
A Forgetful Faith
“I plan to keep on reminding you of these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth.” (2 Peter 1:12 NLT)
About nine months ago, my sense was that God wanted to deepen my faith, and so I stopped receiving a regular paycheck and started living, as we sometimes say, “on faith” – as if all of life isn’t lived on some sort of faith, even if misguided. (For example, I may think I’m guaranteed a paycheck from my employer over the next ten years, but who has promised me that?)
But I digress, which is, in …
Doctor visits, Ice Cream and Life
A couple of weeks ago, our daughter (Summer) had her 15-month doctor’s visit. Praise God, she’s doing great! Part of the check-up included shots… five of them, in fact. I’m still not sure who was in more pain… Summer, Nicol, or me. Summer, as many of you can probably imagine, howled and cried as the nurse plunged each of the syringes into her legs and arms. So after it was all over, I asked her if she wanted to go get some ice cream. That perked her up a little bit and I think she started right then and there …
The Woman At The Coffee Bar
(Today’s devotional is a little different, and a little longer than usual. May God use it to draw you to more intimate worship with him – jw)
Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in
Jerusalem.” (John 4:21, NIV)
The sound system played a soft and obscure tune from several years back. Gregory Glaner couldn’t remember exactly what year it was from, but that’s one of the reasons he came to this coffee bar: The music challenged his memory and gave voice to his emotions.
He was a regular at …
The Power of Grace for a New Beginning
You wonder if there’s enough grace to start over. Michael Franzese believes so. Once known as “The Prince of the Mafia, ” Franzese was the primary target of a massive, government attempt to bring down the mob’s youngest and most financially powerful gangster since Al Capone. Franzese is now a Christ follower.
Low Medium High
Low Medium High
Source
I don't need one of those
I spoke to four softball teams yesterday afternoon. My brief message was basically about “redemption” … and I could tell by the look on some of their faces that it was not well received.
Strange how people actually believe that they do not need a redeemer. Some how the evil one has convinced them that there is no life after death
… or that they have enough good deep inside that this will get them into “a better place” … or that a loving GOD will not send them to hell.
Forget about what all the so called “expert” on spiritual …
Leadership 101 – Part 10 – Patience
“If any are inclined to despond, because they do not have patience, let them be of good courage. It is in the course of our feeble and very imperfect waiting that God Himself, by His hidden power, strengthens us and works out in us the patience of the saints, the patience of Christ Himself.” –Andrew Murray
If you were to ask my wife to list my strengths, I can assure you that patience probably would not make her Top 5. Sure, I get it right some of the time… with our 16-month-old daughter, even when she lets out …
wor(th)ship
In John chapter nine we read where Jesus healed a man who was blind from birth. This miracle caused much discussion and doubt among the “religious experts”. Strangely enough Jesus, the healed man, and his parents were all insulted and ridiculed following this supernatural act.
The bottom line to this true story is that Jesus came to heal those who are spiritually blind … and we are all born with this blindness. The important thing is this … what to do after Jesus finds us and heals our blindness ? Notice what the healed man did …
God Meant It For Good
“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result.” (Genesis 50:20 NIV)
Joseph’s life was anything but peaceful. It was complicated by youthful folly, broken dreams, and the mean-spirited actions of others. Sold into slavery by jealous brothers. Thrown into prison on false charges. Yet he remained a man remarkable for his lack of bitterness or regret, always seeing God as the “Great Engineer” behind even the worst of circumstances.
In a final confrontation with his brothers, he graciously noted, “You meant it for bad; God meant it for good.”
The theology …
