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Faith Accesses Victory From God
(Hebrews 11:29–31)
Pat Benatar sang, "love is a battlefield." OK. But I think life is a battlefield. The pressures, the attacks, the deadlines, the struggles: they feel like war. Bullets flying, missiles whirring, and I think I might become a casualty of life. (7/1700 Words)
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In a famous episode during the life of Christ, He invited His disciples to cross the sea of Galilee with Him. "Let us go across to the other side," He said. One by one, they piled into the boat. Many of them had fished the lake for years, seasoned veterans of those waters. They'd seen it all out there. But not that day. That day, a massive storm arose, like nothing they'd ever seen. (15 Minutes/4000 Words)
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Our ancient Hebrew pilgrim, readying himself for the journey to Jerusalem, wanted God in his life. He wanted God every day, not only during the three annual feasts at the temple. He understood, though, how limited his everyday experience with God would be if he didn't go to Jerusalem. If he never gathered with other believers to worship God, he'd experience less of God than he craved. (20 Minutes/5000 Words)
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Great Leaders Have Good Friends
Archival Post
“ I am happy to share this archival post as a reflection on a topic that has been important to me.
I hope you will enjoy either revisiting this topic with a new awareness or reading it for the first time with fresh eyes.”
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Our pilgrim has made his decision -- he will leave his home and embark on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship God. He has said enough is enough. The way of the world is an anathema to him now. He will leave his village and launch into sojourn. He has decided to go up to God's city. (18 Minutes/4700 Words)
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Make Dead Friends
(Romans 15:4)
While writing to the church about the proper handling of liberties, Paul encouraged his readers to develop a lot of dead friends. What I mean is, he thought the endurance required for the Christian life requires a relationship with the characters of the Old Testament. He saw the pages of his Bible as a limitless source of encouragement for the modern life of faith. (8 Minutes/1600 Words)
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A New Father
(2 Chronicles 29:2)
King David was not King Hezekiah’s dad, not even close. Though they were related, Hezekiah was over a dozen generations removed from David, hundreds of years separated the men and their reigns over God’s people. But David’s blood flowed in Hezekiah’s veins, and when his father, Ahaz, proved to be a wicked king, Hezekiah distanced himself. (2 Minutes/350 Words)
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Fasting For Beginners
From the Archives
I cannot recall my first fast. Like my first prayer, it’s lost to the archive. But I do remember the pain of that first fast, for it is the same pain I experience today. I feel I have gotten no better at it. Fasting is still a battle.
Read moreTeaching outline for 2 Samuel 21.
Read moreTeaching points from 2 Samuel 20.
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