You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. (Psalm 119:4) Obedience Better Than Carefulness Aretta Loving served with Wycliffe Bible Translators for fifty-seven years. One day as she was washing her breakfast dishes, she saw Jimmy, the five-year-old neighbor, coming toward her back porch. She had just finished painting the porch handrails and they needed to dry. …
Power for Living
God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. (Ephesians 3:20) Over President’s Day weekend, Winter Storm Uri hit Texas and other parts of the USA with record setting low temperatures. Millions of people lost electricity, water, and heat. It reminded me of a story told …
Soar, Run, and Walk with Christ (Part 1)
The Lord gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who trust, wait, and hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be …
God Leads in Troubling Times
Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:1-3) I was helped on this post by a sermon by Derek Thomas that I heard …
God’s Secret Agents
Angels are only God’s servants, spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1:14) This post, titled God’s Secret Agents,1 builds on previous posts: Jesus our Immanuel, Immanuel Has Come!, and No Fear In Christ. John Paton and God’s Angels John G. Paton (1824-1907) was a Protestant missionary to the Vanuatu Islands near Australia. He ministered to …
No Fear in Christ
Jesus, the rising sun, will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. (Luke 1:78-79) Reflecting Back on 2020 This year has been hard in many ways. But thank God, Bible searches soared online, and a record number of people are …
Immanuel Has Come!
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16) Christ is Still Present with Us Pastor Charles Spurgeon encourages: “Since Christ our King who is risen and reigning was once an infant, I may go to Him …
Jesus our Immanuel
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) Jesus’ Saving Impact Never Ends In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Lucy throws up her hands and shrieks, “For months we looked forward to Christmas. We couldn’t wait til it came; now it’s all over.” I’m glad that the …
Christian Thanksgiving
Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:17) Let’s Not Forget A woman complained to her pastor about repetition in his sermons. The preacher said, “I keep reminding, because people keep forgetting.” Most of us forget things due to the …
The Best Optimism
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope….Put your hope in the Lord, for with Him is unfailing love and full redemption. God Himself will redeem us from all our sins. (Psalm 130:5-8) Christian Optimism Jesus’ followers navigate through God’s world with Christ-centered thinking and living. We must go through many …