As a child, do you remember whiffs of delight which captured your heart and left you longing for more? Is Joy a wonderful ‘nice to have,’ or is it far more? Is Joy necessary? If so, where do we find it? Click below to read more.
Been fighting discouragement all day. But God answers me when I call. He comforts me and infuses my heart with courage. He gladdens my heart more than when their grain and new wine abound. He …..
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 Wikipedia states that “in game theory, a ‘no win’ situation is when no player benefits from any outcome.” The game has reached a point in which nothing good can happen for anyone involved. How about the game called life? Most of … Continue reading No Lose Situation (Even with ….)
.“We fear if people ever truly knew us, they would not love us, but the truth is if people really knew us, they could truly love us” Jon Acuff
One of our pastors likes to refer to all of us, including himself, as ‘all jacked up.’ I don’t embrace this truth very well, but it’s intensely accurate. During the times I haven’t messed up too badly, I feel pretty good about myself. But when an area of my life begins to stink, I tend to go into denial. It’s easier to slather on the cologne and avoid thinking about it than to come to terms with how far I’ve missed the mark.
I’m on our back porch enjoying the breeze of a chilly spring morning. The flowers are blooming, the trees are just beginning to bud and the grass is greening. I’m soaking in the spender of “now”. A few birds visit our feeder suspended above the wooded path to our barn. A steady flow of cascading water from our fountain forms the background rhythm for their melodious songs.
I rest in the goodness of God. When I’m present with Him, the troubles of my life are out of view. Because He’s good, I’m good.
However, when I remember my present difficulties, if I’m not careful, they can suck the good right out of me.
I’m feeling undone. Life is too much with me right now. The pains and cares, seek to pull me under. Heart ache, people I love hurting, brokenness surrounds me. I feel detached from my Prince of Peace, my Life, my Glory, my Hope, my Source of Joy, the Lifter of my Head.
It’s close to midnight, but I decide to take a prayer walk. Prayer walks, prayer get a-ways have always been a staple of mine in times like this; pulling away from all, alone with God.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24 Picture this: You and a couple of your closest friends are on a journey together. I mean these are close friends. In fact you’ve pretty much spent … Continue reading Death, the Path to Life
Victory, from the Old French word victor, means to triumph or overcome in a struggle. A personal victory might be losing weight, breaking a bad habit or making the dean’s list. There are team victories, political victories and victories in war. Most victories require tremendous strain and effort, but are extremely rewarding. In Christian circles … Continue reading Victory is a Person (God’s not out to change us, but to exchange us)
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Romans 8:10 Deadlines create stress even in the most joyous of occasions. “Deadline” is a negative word which first appeared in a Georgia Confederate prison camp. Confederates built a rail around the stockade where … Continue reading Taking the Death out of Deadlines
Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. Psalm 149:5 If you’ve believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ and have received His love demonstrated by His death for you on a Roman cross, the verse above applies to you. You are a “godly” one because of what Christ … Continue reading Jumping for Joy; It Happens in Football, but what about the Rest of Life?
