Once we have identified what we are experiencing in difficult times as a spiritual struggle, how can we prepare ourselves to grow from it?
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We pastors think of ourselves as those who mentor others. For a moment, however, put yourself in the shoes of someone being mentored. If you had a positive mentor somewhere in your past, think back to what that relationship meant to you then.
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Many years ago, a little girl began to attend the Sunday school class I taught in the church my husband, Chip, was pastoring. Her name was Sandra. Her family was very dysfunctional. Sandra didn’t know what it was like to be truly loved and wanted, much less accept God’s great love for her.
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The fact that a father often says “no” to his child’s requests rarely keeps the child from continuing to make requests. They believe that their father loves them and provides for them.Jesus teaches us a similar truth about prayer. The fact that our Heavenly Father often says “no” to our requests, should not keep us from boldly, shamelessly asking Him for what is in our hearts.Lesson 1: Prayer is essential ...
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History, philosophy, and theology all testify that fear and anxiety have always been a significant part of the human experience. Nevertheless, the word anxiety has a contemporary ring to it. We live in an age of anxiety; it is a part of the fabric of modern life. And it is part of the experience of many believers.
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It was an important milestone in the life and ministry of Jesus—a turning point in His ministry. His time in Galilee was coming to a close. In a short time, He would make the very difficult journey to Jerusalem to ultimately die on a cross.
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Since God is the Creator of children, He must certainly know how our kids ought to be raised and how our families should function. Indeed, He does! We find in His Word a very consistent and easily understood prescription for parents who want to do things His way. Let me quote a few verses that illustrate this divine wisdom. Note three concepts within them that I have emphasized: (1) The ...
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For some, grace is like an injection of God’s power to be administered by trained professionals only. For others, it’s an entirely subjective transaction – a feeling I get as a customer at God’s eternal storehouse. Some imagine grace as a kind of eternal fire insurance. For others still, it’s a vague energy like the Force in Star Wars or a system of justice like the Hindus’ karma.
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One young, single woman quit her job in the city and moved back to her small hometown, abandoning her career, and leaving a place of service in the church she had joined. When asked why, she replied, "I just got tired of eating supper alone." No one is immune to it. Even one of the most brilliant men who ever lived, Albert Einstein, complained, "It is strange to be known ...
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Psalm 47:1 says: "Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy." Most people have no problem clapping and shouting for their favorite sports team, but when it comes to church, they become tongue-tied, merely mouthing the words. Some don't even do that. They come to praise God, but they never do. They keep their mouths shut.
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