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”
HEEDLESS WORRIES
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”
TRAPPED WORKER SEES JESUS
Topics: Despair; Discouragement; Encouragement; Experiencing God; Faith; Help from God; Hope; Jesus Christ; Miracles; Peace; Presence of God; Protection; Rescue; Supernatural Occurrences; Visions References: Psalm 23:4; 46:1; Isaiah 40:31; Philippians 4:13; Hebrews 13:6; 1 Peter 1:3; 5:7 Port Authority Police Department officers Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin were the last two people rescued from the … Continue reading “TRAPPED
WORKER SEES JESUS”
TURNING ON THE SWITCH
Topics: Belief; Creator; Experiencing God; Fellowship with God; Gratitude; Happiness; Heaven; Joy; Life; Majesty of God; Nature; Optimism; Purpose; Reverence References: Psalm 8:1–4; 19:1; Romans 1:20; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 2 Corinthians 12:1–4 After I had faith, living things became precious to me. I wanted to pet them, hug them—babies and dogs and lizards, whatever. For … Continue reading “TURNING
ON THE SWITCH”
YOUR WORTH
Topics: Depravity; Discouragement; Emptiness; Faithfulness; God; Grace; Guilt; Human Condition; Needs; Security; Self-image; Self-worth; Shame; Victorious Living References: 1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 10:29–31; Luke 12:6–7; John 3:16; Philippians 3:7–9 If someone offered you a twenty-dollar bill, would you take it? What if that person wadded up the bill and threw it on the ground—would you … Continue reading “YOUR
WORTH”
LOVE IN THE RUINS
Topics: Crisis; God’s Love; Goodness of God; Loss; Mysteries; Tragedy References: Ecclesiastes 3:11; John 13:7 Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God’s plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins. Our broken lives are not lost or useless. God’s love is still working. He comes in and takes the calamity and uses … Continue reading “LOVE
IN THE RUINS”
SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL
Topics: Addiction; Control; Deliverance; Dependence; Despair; Emptiness; Helplessness; Limitations; Longing; Powerlessness; Salvation; Self-reliance; Sin; Waiting on God References: John 14:6; Romans 3:23–24; 6:17–18; 7:14–25; 8:1–2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:22; 5:1; 2 Peter 2:19 While vacationing in northern Minnesota, I took my kids to a small county fair near Babbitt. We were about the only … Continue reading “SPINNING
OUT OF CONTROL”
YOU AND SUFFERING
Topics: Adversity; Despair; Hardship; Help from God; Jesus Christ; Overcoming; Pain; Presence of God; Problems; Questions; Security in God; Struggles; Suffering; Trials; Trust References: Matthew 11:28–30; Romans 5:3–5; 2 Corinthians 4:11; Hebrews 4:15; James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 1:6–7; 2:24; 5:10 In an interview with Lee Strobel, Peter Kreeft concludes that the answer to suffering is … Continue reading “YOU
AND SUFFERING”
SEEING JESUS IN THE DARK
Topics: Challenges; Circumstances and Faith; Doubt; Experiencing God; Faith; Fear; Hope; Jesus Christ; Light; Lostness; Mysteries; Overcoming; Presence of God; Promises; Reality; Security in God; Seen and Unseen; Suffering; Trust References: Job 23:10; Psalm 23:4; 27:1; John 16:33; Romans 5:1–5; 8:28; James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 5:10 When I was a student at Harvard Divinity School, … Continue reading “SEEING
JESUS IN THE DARK”
“THIS WOULD BE ONE”
Topics: Cross; Death; Easter; Faith; Fall of Humanity; Hope; Jesus Christ; Life; Miracles; Peace; Resurrection; Trust References: Genesis 3:1–24; John 3:16; Romans 3:1–26; 6; 8 The doctor said, “If you are a believer in miracles, this would be one.” The doctor was talking about Alcides Moreno. By every law of physics and medicine, Moreno should … Continue reading ““THIS
WOULD BE ONE””