Blog
Remember when we were blind? When we could not fight the powers of darkness? When we were unable to understand the Redeemer’s message? The god of this age had blinded our minds, leaving us in unbelief. But God pierced our darkness. Still, we catch ourselves responding...
True rest does not come while we demand that an outcome match our expectations. We take authority over the chaos created by our murmuring of unbelief. We take hold of gratitude and receive God’s peace, tranquility, and well-being. That is where a heart of rest is...
In a time of Communion with Jan, I saw an image of two doors opening in the Pacific Northwest. From Oregon, one door opened to the north, leading into Washington. The other opened to the south, leading into California. Through these doors, truth and what is right and...
Why does God allow evil? And doesn’t that make Him complicit to some degree? The better question: Why did God allow His beloved family free will, and why do we allow evil? Why have atrocities been committed down through history by every tribe and nation? Even the...
To remember God’s goodness is an act of worship. We start to actually experience His goodness and are being changed in the process. Remembering moves Him to do again in us, in our time, what He did in the past. As a reminder to myself, I turned the words of the...
The Psalmist writes to those who are living under the weight of deferred hope that speaks louder than God’s promise. The delay has been years. Doubts fill your mind, and you are pressed to give up the good fight of faith: “Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon...
Of late, I have been watching videos describing the life of coal miners in Appalachia. It's a secluded and isolated way of life. Some families lived in a “holler,” meaning “at the end of a road.” It is a simple, rugged life with its drawbacks. But the people...
We can settle it in our hearts once and for all that God can be trusted—all the time. Each time we read about a promise fulfilled in Scripture, it was written to instruct us on how to live in hope and how to endure all things. The fulfillment of promises proves God’s...
Lord of the Fountain of Life, display your power, and we will be strong. Your miracles have made us who we are. Do It Again! Parade from your temple your mighty power (see Psalm 68:26-29). Like King David, we can ask God to do again in us, in our time, what He did in...
Wealth is a relative term. The zeros behind wealth do not determine its value; it’s the value we place on any amount. The Psalmist wrote: “If your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life” (Psalm 62:10). Scripture tells us: Listen, everyone—both rich...
When the Egyptian Pharaoh and his forces chased Israel, they determined to undo the work of salvation by bringing the Lord’s people back into slavery. It was a showdown over who had the right to be their master: a genocidal, enslaving king or their divine Lord who...
It is God’s mercy that we would be able to see the true condition of our hearts, no matter how hard. Even before we see clearly, we can invite Him to uproot any ungodly beliefs that inform our thoughts and result in ungodly actions. We can receive and actually begin...
In a heavenly courtroom setting, the Mighty Lord summons all peoples. He himself is the Judge, and He will judge with righteousness. In both the Old and New Testaments, the definitions of justice and righteousness are interchangeable. His judgment is the application...
Under the open heavens, on nights when the sky is clear, I look for the stars. With a sense of wonder and worship, I consider the Lord who created them. The beauty of creation gives us insight. It can reorder and right our thinking. The Psalmist wrote: For the word...
One of the most memorable sections of Scripture is Psalm 23 – The Shepherd’s Psalm. This one line impacts me in new ways. “He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name” (Psalm 23:3). Being guided along right paths has been a longtime prayer of...