Some people may be able to fool themselves into thinking they have achieved some rendition of true self control. They may be able to conjure up the willpower and the words to “Just Say No!” to various things that are not beneficial to them. Here’s the thing though…..it’s not about managing our “flesh” under our … Read more
What do we need in order to keep growing in faith? There is nothing we can do to add to our salvation to get more saved. Yet there are things we are clearly called to pursue as Christians, which are a part of growing in sanctification. Both Paul and Peter address these ideas. In 2 … Read more
If we delight in something then we are going to want to do it more and more and we will naturally be far more disciplined at it. If we don’t delight in something we’re doing, then regardless of what kind of discipline is put in place, we will most likely stumble, fall, fail, and eventually … Read more
Have you ever had a situation where you didn’t really see the full picture? Only having part of the information can lead to some very wrong conclusions. Sometimes I think that is what happens with Jesus at Christmas. We see Jesus coming to save. We see peace and joy. We see love and salvation, and … Read more
At this time of year it’s so easy to get preoccupied and let the busyness of the season make us lose sight of the One we’re celebrating. We can be so stressed out doing all kinds of traditions and celebrations that Christmas may just seem to pass us by. Do you know what may even be … Read more
The picture we have of Jesus birth in Bethlehem isn’t always perfectly accurate. There are a lot of assumptions that we make based on tradition and parts that we fill in because it seems information is lacking. While exploring one of those issues, we also dive into the reality that Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus … Read more
All things considered most people didn’t notice the arrival of the Messiah. Yet with all of the miracles surrounding Jesus’ birth there was plenty of awe and wonder by those few who did. The Shepherds left praising God for what they had seen. Zacharias & Elizabeth praised God, Simeon and Anna at the temple praised … Read more
We know from Scripture that when Nehemiah was challenged with overwhelming situations regarding the reconstruction of the wall, he did not panic, run, or quit. Instead, he prayed hard and we also see that he worked hard on what God was empowering him to do. Not only Nehemiah, but we see all the Israelites became … Read more
Have you ever had a friend that you really liked, but you lost connection? That can happen in a variety of ways. It could be a falling out where feelings are hurt, and decisions are made to end a relationship. It can be a misunderstanding. It could just be things changed, like job, a move, … Read more
How important is thanksgiving or gratitude? Even secular psychologists can prove incredible benefits of practicing thankfulness. It benefits our relationships, physical health, psychological health, sleep, self-esteem, mental strength and it enhances our empathy while reducing aggression. Those are great benefits which may cause us to say I should practice gratitude, but for the prophet Daniel … Read more