Do You Feel Lonely?
Loneliness is one of the worst experiences people face. God knows this! Referring to Adam, before Eve was created, God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) Everyone experiences loneliness, and it is difficult for us all.
Consider this obscure verse that says, “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) This prophetic word was spoken to the king of Judah to convince him that the two armies coming against him in battle would not succeed. It also has a deeper and more profound meaning for all humanity. Matthew quoted this verse (Matthew 1:23) and declared its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, but conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Theologically and practically, Jesus is best understood as fully God and fully human. He is the fulfillment of the name...
How Are You Doing?
“How are you? … I hope all is well.” This is the kind of greeting many of us write to those we have not been in touch with for a while. It’s a very general and surface approach. When in person, however, we may want to go deeper. Unfortunately, oftentimes people are not very aware of how they are doing and aren’t inclined to answer very deeply. When you ask most people how they are doing, they may describe what’s going on around them – their circumstances. If you press in a little further, they might describe how they feel about their circumstances and what they are trying to do about them. Few people seem to take stock of how they are doing below/beyond their circumstances. Yet, our lives are deeper than what is happening around us.
Our circumstances will change. Sometimes great things will happen and sometimes horrendous things will happen. Sometimes life seems very routine. ...
A New Season in the Spirit
How alive are you?
How abundant is your life experience in God?
The New Testament starts with the book of Matthew, but the first Gospel written was most likely the book of Mark. It reads, “The beginning of the Good News about Jesus …” It then starts with the ministry of John the Baptist – the one who Isaiah prophesied would prepare people to receive Jesus, the Messiah. John called everyone to repentance – to turn from their sinfulness – their self-referenced, self-promoting, self-protecting and self-justifying lives.
John the Baptist proclaimed a new spiritual season in the Messiah that had two powerful stages:
- Turning from sin and receiving fresh forgiveness from God. Baptism (emersion) in water would be the sign of this spiritually cleansing reality.
- Looking for, and being alert to, the Promised One – Jesus, the Son of God. Baptism (emersion) in the Holy Spirit will be the reality of this new life.
As we consider the Advent...
Are You Waiting Well?
Do you have anything for which you are hoping or that you are hoping to accomplish in the future? The waiting can be brutally difficult – particularly if you haven’t practiced waiting and built your capacity to wait. Waiting is not an American value. We want things … and we want them soon! However, Scripture indicates that waiting is one of the ways God builds faith and hope in our lives. “Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:25) Learning to wait patiently builds character and faith. Those who wait, hoping in the Lord will renew their strength. (Isaiah 40:31)
The challenge is not to lose heart while waiting. Sometimes waiting can take its toll on our emotions and bodies. It can even work deep despair into our souls. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs 13:12)
Zechariah was a priest two thousand years ago. He had been praying...
A Season of Waiting … A Season of Preparation
This Sunday marks the beginning of the season of Advent. Advent means “Coming” or “Appearance.” This is a time when Christians around the world identify with Israel waiting hundreds of years for the Messiah – Jesus. It is also a time to intentionally stir our hearts with hope for the return of Christ. We are waiting and looking for His Second Coming. It’s an opportune period to practice waiting on the Lord. It’s also good to inform our waiting and refresh our faith and hope in God.
For what are you waiting? What burdens are you waiting for Him to relieve? What promises, biblical and personal, are you waiting for Him to fulfill? What rekindling are you seeking in your relationship with Christ? Write these things down – and begin to pray and wait with renewed faith in the faithfulness of God.
Faith is not just about waiting; it can also involve preparing for His answers and His coming.
This preparation is a...
Making It Through The Morning After
What do we do after the big day has come and gone? The big day was overwhelming – either for us or for others, or both. It took all we had, and has left us depleted and empty. The “morning after” the big day is important; it may last for a while, but it starts with a day – and how we handle it matters.
DON’T GIVE IN TO GIVING UP
We are tempted to let the feelings of emptiness rob us of who we are and who we are in God. Remember Elijah, after his biggest day of public confrontation – after his greatest victory – felt like dying. He said to God, “I have had enough, take my life …” (1 Kings 19:4) This is the feeling of “the morning after. Acknowledge it, but don’t give up.
REST AND BE REFRESHED
God sent angelic help to Elijah, and He will often do the same for us. The angel seemed to stand by him; he encouraged Elijah to rest and to eat – to take care of himself and be...
What Kind of Spirit Do You Want?
Many people recognize a general brokenness in their own lives, and also sense it multiplying through our culture over the last 50 years or so. We have developed an expansive vocabulary related to different forms of dysfunction, addiction, and mental health. Most people seem to feel a need for help from beyond themselves to develop healthy and free lives. Often, they are on some kind of spiritual quest. In many circles it has even become quite chic to pursue spiritual things. For what kind of spirit and spiritual experiences, however, are people looking?
There is a (sometimes subtle) natural draw to seek spiritual growth primarily for the purpose of self-improvement, personal influence, or power. We can be tempted to use the spiritual realm, trying to get it to submit to our own personal wills. The temptation is to look for spiritual power that will help us get what we want. So, we may turn to impersonal expressions of faith/religion to boost our sense of self – a kind of...
Are You Receiving The Word As It Really Is?
We are bombarded with input all day every day. Our minds can feel saturated, bloated and unable to absorb much more. However, it is critical that we remember that not all words are equal in value. Different messages carry varying levels of importance, and we must stay alert to weigh them well. If we aren’t paying attention we may miss some key communications, or we may give too much time or effort to things that don’t deserve it.
The apostle Paul commended the believers in Thessalonica for rightly receiving the Word of God when it was shared with them. He said they received it “Not as human words, but as it actually is, the Word of God.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13) And, he described that the message came not just “With words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.” (1 Thessalonians 1:5)
It’s important that we make intentional time to read and ingest the Bible. It is not like any other writing in all history...
Do You Pass Quality Control?
Are you growing as a person?
Are you growing spiritually?
How can you tell?
We may hope to become spiritual “giants”, but that will never happen without becoming more honest and responsible. It just will NOT happen.
Spirit life – the Fruit of the Spirit - is described as: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control. (Galatians 5:22) These are wholeness words that permeate and are reflected in one’s entire character. These are the by-products of the presence of God in our lives, and our cooperation with His promptings.
Peter also writes a personal growth list for us to consider: Faith, Goodness, Knowledge, Self-control, Perseverance, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness and Love. (2 Peter 1:5-7) He goes onto say that if we possess these qualities in growing measure, they will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ.
God wants us to be faithful and fruitful in life....
Are You Taking Hold of Reset Opportunities?
Why did God include rest as part of His created order?
Animals rest.
Birds rest.
Fish rest.
People rest.
Land also needs rest.
Even machines and computers need rest.
It is God Who created the concept of Sabbath rest and He intended it to be exercised weekly. He also created a daily cycle that includes rest/sleep.
God could have created us without a need for rest, but He didn’t. He clearly values rest. It serves as a kind of reboot. It cleanses our souls from the toxic buildup that life sometimes produces. It heals wounds that have been inflicted. It resets our minds with hope and direction. The rest of God provides a kind of new start.
Sabbath rest includes stopping our regular work, worshiping the God of creation and reflecting upon our lives within the framework of God’s purposes. It also involves delighting in God, creation, our lives, and our connections.
Isn’t it interesting that many of the Sabbath gifts have fallen out of the rhythms of modern life? No...
