Seventy-two of the disciples had just come back from a Christ-ordained, Spirit-led mission trip. They were overwhelmed with what they saw being done through them. Maybe you have been on one, or several, even many mission trips around the world, or even in our country, and experienced the same kind of joy and amazement as […]
Consumerism There is a growing concern that the American Church has become devoted to ‘consumerism’. For a short definition, consumerism is ‘the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of goods’. So, how might this define the Church? It’s actually a mindset. When I work hard to earn money for me or for my family, is […]
The joy of the Lord Nehemiah had led the exiles back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. They had faced much opposition, but God prevailed in every circumstance. Now, Ezra the priest has brought forward the Book of the Law as provided by Moses years earlier. He read it to the people who […]
Connected What a vivid image of our relationship with Christ. Plus the potential for results in it. And, of course, the negative consequences apart from him. We have all seen vines growing around trees, on fences or man-made arches or trellises. They literally attach themselves and actually seem to be a part of whatever they’re […]
Adventure Have you ever been on an excursion, maybe a cruise or safari, not having ever seen what you are experiencing each day? Most are magical, some even breathtaking. Man has always been given to explore the unknown, the not yet seen. Ask the founding fathers of America, those astronauts going into space, or the […]
God’s will This doesn’t seem to leave any room for complaining or being anxious. Which is what many of us are used to doing. This is not a self-help formula. Because those rely mainly on human effort. I know, because I’ve been guilty of them on numerous occasions. So why is this dominating lifestyle important […]
Our source of life What a vivid image of our relationship with Christ. Plus the potential for results in it. And, of course, the negative consequences apart from him. We have all seen vines growing around trees, on fences or man-made arches or trellises. They literally attach themselves and actually seem to be a part […]
Discord among the Body of Christ A recipe for joy-filled living. It’s not speaking of family members, although that may be the case. It is addressing the Body of Christ. For it to even be stated would indicate that there is disunity. Just start with the denominational level of the church, here in America and […]
The Blessing When someone I just met tells me to ‘have a blessed day’, I know I’m most likely speaking to a believer. There is something very spiritual about the word; blessed, or blessing. Many families, mostly Christian, pray a blessing at mealtime. Rare to see that in public today. But pronouncing blessings is good […]
Fathers and daughters You don’t have to look far to see the fatherhood effect. I read recently that the depression of fathers and their daughters is linked, and that an adolescent girl is more at risk of developing mental health problems if the father had experienced depression in the weeks after her birth. It made […]