HYMN DAY! “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph Melicott Scriven reminds us there is no better response to life’s sorrows and hardships than talking to our Lord and Savior in prayer. 1 What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What…
It doesn’t seem to matter in what direction we look these days, we discover someone suffering. Suffering from an illness, suffering injustice, suffering deep sorrow… This world definitely has its trials and tribulations. It always has; it always will. When we’re suffering, we want it to end. That’s only natural.…
In my former life, I was a teacher. My longest running placement was with 5th graders, and I loved it. I told the kids the most important character trait they could develop was integrity. Integrity is doing right even when you think no one is looking. It’s sticking to your…
People fail and fall. It’s a given in this sin-fallen world. When a Christian brother or sister falls, too often we want to finger-point and mutter, “What is wrong with that person?”, and otherwise tear them down. This scripture lets us know pretty clearly that we’re setting ourselves up for…
Let’s face it, self-indulgence is fun. But it’s a very temporary fun. It only lasts until the “new” wears off, and then we look for a bigger, better, more elaborate means of self-indulgence. Such pursuits are nothing more than a wearying cycle of searching for the “magic something” that will…
HYMN DAY! This is really more a contemporary chorus than a hymn, but I’ve always loved it. In 1982, Eddie Espinoza wrote “Change My Heart, O God.” Here’s the story behind the song, as told by Eddie to an interviewer in 2016: “I had been a Christian since 1969, but…
How many times have you said to a child (or heard, when you were a child), “You know better than that”? Once the child knows better, he’s expected to behave accordingly. God, our loving Father, has the same expectations for His children. If we know what’s right and we don’t…
Humility really gets a bum rap. So often people think being humble means being weak and spineless or seeing oneself as lesser in value. It is neither. Jesus died for us! That makes us very valuable to Him. Honestly, humility is recognizing our fallen state and admitting that we need…
How do I draw near to God? I seek His will and strive to consistently follow it. I repent when I’ve sinned and turn back to His ways. I keep my heart pure by filling myself with His Word. He’s always there for me, but it’s up to me whether…
