When Satan Attacks

“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:16 NLT) Recently I had the privilege and honor of being among the ones who spoke at my mentor’s Celebration of Life. While the message the Lord gave me came quickly, I struggled forContinue reading “When Satan Attacks”

The Two Faces of Pride

“Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26b NLT) Pride isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it depends on the object of our pride. In 1 Samuel 17, from which the above verse is taken, David is exhibiting pride, but his intention isn’tContinue reading “The Two Faces of Pride”

Defining Our Wants

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 NLT) In some ways I believe we tend to “water down” the things Jesus says to us in His Word. We too often want to “spiritualize” verses like the one above until weContinue reading “Defining Our Wants”

Rescue Us From the Evil One

“Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation,Continue reading “Rescue Us From the Evil One”

Mountains Without Valleys

“After His baptism, as Jesus came out of the water, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on Him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.’” (Matthew 3:16-17 NLT) Remember a time you felt reallyContinue reading “Mountains Without Valleys”

What Does It Mean That Jesus Has Overcome the World?

“…But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b NLT) John Piper said: “You cannot know what prayer is for, until you know that life is war.” Neither can you know how valuable and profoundly important it is that Jesus has overcome the world, until you know that being a believer in JesusContinue reading “What Does It Mean That Jesus Has Overcome the World?”

An Audience of One

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 NLT) Have you ever been discouraged? Did you know discouragement is one of Satan’s favorite tools? Why? Because Satan is a liar, and discouragement is a lie posing as the truth, to cause us to believe something, usually about ourselves, that is untrue. AContinue reading “An Audience of One”

Keeping Our Focus on Jesus (Part 2)

“…especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” (Hebrews 12:1b NLT) The battlefield on which a follower of Jesus will live and die, is between our ears. The most dangerous mine field of our existence as a believer is our mind. To keep our thoughts focused on Jesus while pursuing the sinful ways ofContinue reading “Keeping Our Focus on Jesus (Part 2)”

What Am I Missing?

“And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” (Matthew 6:23b NLT) Often as I’ve spoken to someone about their need of Jesus, their recurring theme is one of uncertainty. It’s like they agree with me. . . BUT! So, as I inquire further, the bottom line becomes:Continue reading “What Am I Missing?”