Inoculation or Transformation?

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of thisContinue reading “Inoculation or Transformation?”

Where Do We Draw the Line?

“In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us willContinue reading “Where Do We Draw the Line?”

Does Trust Really Matter?

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In Fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselvesContinue reading “Does Trust Really Matter?”

Blinded by the Familiar

“And now my life seeps away. Depression haunts my days. At night my bones are filled with pain, which gnaws at me relentlessly. With a strong hand, God grabs my shirt. He grips me by the collar of my coat. He has thrown me into the mud. I’m nothing more than dust and ashes.” (JobContinue reading “Blinded by the Familiar”

Practice of Profession?

“So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, ‘We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” (Acts 6:11 NLT) The quality of Stephen’s life and the power of his words so convicted the Jews that they had to bribe men to lie about him in order to build a case against him. IsContinue reading “Practice of Profession?”

Loving Truth

“Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth.” (John 17:17-19 NLT) Truth isn’t as obscure asContinue reading “Loving Truth”

Created or Revealed?

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5:3-4 NLT) Have you ever seen someone endure something – a sickness, heartache, trial, setback, or difficulty – and youContinue reading “Created or Revealed?”

Avenues of Doing God’s Work

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23 NLT) On some levels it seemed odd to me that the only job I could find after my divorce was selling cars. And realizing that car salespersons ranked right up there with bank robbers andContinue reading “Avenues of Doing God’s Work”

When You’re Most Like Jesus

“He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left His case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.” (1 Peter 2:23 NLT) What is your highest and holiest desire? When you’re alone with God and He’s filling your mind and heart, what becomes your highest aim?Continue reading “When You’re Most Like Jesus”

What Are Your Strongest Thoughts?

“And then He added, ‘It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.’” (Mark 7:20-23 NLT) HowContinue reading “What Are Your Strongest Thoughts?”