Careful attention could be interpreted as “intentional diligence.” Living out our faith requires diligence because there are so many opinions and belief systems in the world. We’ve got to keep our ears and heart tuned to the Holy Spirit’s voice. If we proclaim Christianity, our lifestyle should reflect that we…
To “participate” means to involve yourself or become an accomplice in an activity. “Works” are activities. God calls us to works of moral integrity and rightness; fruitless works are actions that don’t reflect God’s laws and character. When we see fruitless works performed, we have an obligation to expose those…
Spiritually, darkness and light symbolize the only two realms in which we live. Whichever realm we occupy empowers our thinking and behavior. Darkness is synonymous with evil (separated from God either out of ignorance or rebellion). People who are separated from God aren’t IN darkness; they ARE darkness. Once we…
The closing verses of Psalm 91 are God speaking to His beloved followers. The description, “lovingly devoted,” is so important. We all have those rainy day friends—the ones who come around when they need something but pretty much ignore us the rest of the time. We wouldn’t call them lovingly…
WHEN we devote ourselves to Him, THEN we can anticipate His blessings. Look at these blessings. “I will deliver him…” The angels aren’t delivering us, but the God who created the angels will deliver us from evil. God knows who loves Him, and He responds to our love with His…
HYMN DAY! “Just When I Need Him Most” by William C. Poole provides such comfort. He is always there! 1. Just when I need Him, Jesus is near, Just when I falter, just when I fear; Ready to help me, ready to cheer, Just when I need Him most. REFRAIN:…
Calling out to God is praying. We have need to pray, don’t we? Things to celebrate, things we question, problems we want solved…now. *wink* When we praise God in prayer, we invite His presence. When we are so burdened we cannot find the words, He’s provided an Intercessor. Prayer always…
There’s much to be said for satisfaction, isn’t there? Being satisfied is to know we’ve had enough. (And of course, Mattie Ross’s line from True Grit—“I’ve had enough, and enough is as good as a feast”—just rolled through the back of my mind.) Enough equals contentment. Not everyone has a…
I’ve heard people say they decided Christianity wasn’t for them because it didn’t keep them from having problems. I’m always puzzled by the reasoning, because no where in the Bible does it say the Christian life will be free of conflict. Rather, it pretty much assures the opposite! The most…
When my dad was a little boy, he got the grand idea of riding a rug down the stairway in his family’s farmhouse (like a sled down a hill). His first descent went swimmingly, and it was so much fun, he decided to do it again. The second time, he…
