Author: Administrador

Topics: Comfort; Death; Dependence on God; Faith; Guidance; Helplessness; Hope; Loss; Overcoming; Presence of God; Tragedy; Trust References: Psalm 23:4; 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Don Moen’s praise song “God Will Make a Way” affirms God’s sovereign involvement in our lives. Here’s how that song was written: Several years ago, Moen was awakened in the middle of … Continue reading “GOD’S
WAY IN TRAGEDY”

Topics: Advocate; Comfort; Encouragement; Friendship of God; Presence of God; Security in God; Support References: Psalm 16:8; John 14:27; 2 Corinthians 7:6; 2 Timothy 4:17; Hebrews 13:5–6 In Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities, a story of the French revolution, a grim procession of prisoners was making its way on the streets of Paris … Continue reading “HOLDING
MY HAND”

Topics: Christian Life; Comfort; Crisis; Faith; Mourning References: Psalm 23:4; Romans 8:35–39; 2 Corinthians 1:3–7; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 Katie Couric lost her husband, forty-two, to colon cancer in 1998. Her sister died about four years later. “I’m very interested in exploring a more spiritual side of me, and I’m in the process of doing that, … Continue reading “WISHING
FOR FAITH”

Topics: Determination; Endurance; Healing; Hope; Overcoming; Patience; Perseverance; Persistence; Resilience; Strength; Testing; Trials; Victory References: Genesis 9:12–17; Exodus 15:26; Hosea 6:1; Romans 5:3–5; James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 1:3; 5:10 A sprawling, shade-bearing, eighty-year-old American elm in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a huge tourist attraction. People pose for pictures beneath her. Arborists carefully protect her. She … Continue reading “RESURRECTION
TREE”

Topics: Belief; Courage; Dedication; Faith; Fear; Integrity; Persecution; Persistence; Protection; Security in God References: Psalm 9; Matthew 5:10–12; Luke 11:49; 21:12; John 15:20; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:12 Chinese officials from the Public Security Bureau invaded a Sunday school room at a church in early 2005. They found thirty children inside and herded them … Continue reading “SINGING
THROUGH INTERROGATION”

Topics: Calling; Devotion; Discouragement; Doubt; Experiencing God; Faith; God’s Faithfulness; God’s Sovereignty; Temptation; Trials References: Psalm 27:13–14; Jeremiah 14:19–22; Hebrews 2:18 At times in her life, Mother Teresa felt abandoned by God. One day she had been walking the streets of Calcutta, searching for a house where she could start her work. At the end … Continue reading “FEELING
ABANDONED”

Topics: Circumstances and Faith; Community; Discouragement; Experiencing God; Memories; Prayer; Providence; Relationships; Truth Reference: Romans 8:28 Senator Max Cleland, who lost both of his legs and his right hand in Vietnam, came to the senators’ Bible study withdrawn and tired. Another senator said, “Max, are you all right?” “Not really,” he said. “I’ve been having … Continue reading “GETTING
THE STORY RIGHT”

Topics: Appetites; Consequences; Danger; Decisions; Discernment; Eternal Death; Fear; Human Nature; Motivation; Priorities; Risk; Sinful Nature; Spiritual Direction; Temptation; Worry References: Psalm 112:8; Matthew 6:25–27; 10:19 We all know the danger of risk. Yet we have a confounding habit of worrying about perceived dangers while ignoring real ones. Consider: •     We agonized over the avian flu, … Continue reading “HEEDLESS
WORRIES”

Topics: Circumstances and Faith; Comfort; Control; Death; Disease; Faith; Fear; Hope; Human Nature; Illness; Medicine; Mortality; Perspective; Powerlessness; Trials; Trust; Worry References: Exodus 15:26; Job 14:5; Psalm 121:7–8; Isaiah 26:3; 2 Corinthians 5:1; James 5:13–16 “You’re gonna be OK,” the lady in pink had whispered as she wheeled me down the hall. “Eighty percent of … Continue reading “PREDICTING
SURVIVAL”

Topics: Church; Culture; Despair; Discouragement; Emptiness; Hope; Human Condition; Limitations; Lostness; Ministry References: Matthew 16:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:25 The nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima prompted Kurt Vonnegut to write Cat’s Cradle to explore the technological ability of the human race combined with its stupidity. The main character, John, wants to write … Continue reading “HOPING
IN A SENSELESS WORLD”