The Life that God Blesses
I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! -Psalm 119:32 The imagery here is striking. We would expect the Psalmist to say, “I walk in the path of your commands,” for that’s the usual Hebrew expression for going in God’s way. But to run along a path is to have that way so straight and so removed of obstacles, ambiguities, and sudden turns that it’s safe to move at a rapid pace. So it is in the
Knowing God’s Creation
By Will Powell Introduction I am not sure how you have been spending your “extra time” during this pandemic. Perhaps you have tried to use the time profitably, by starting some new project. I know some of you have—writing a book or starting a photography project. Or it may be a more practical DIY project around the house. Or maybe kitchen creations are your thing. I also have some projects—and there are more planned! But why do we turn to these projects?
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 84 – The Number of Our Days
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. –Psalm 139:16 Oh, my goodness! This is bad news for those misguided souls searching for ways to prolong their lives. No doubt they don't believe God exists and that He's in control of their longevity on earth. "What this means in practical term is that not only is the number of our days divinely determined, but what occurs within each one of those days (even
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 83 – The Journey
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. -Jude 1:24-25 Doesn't this verse make your heart soar with hope? "It is the entire gospel in a nutshell." "A great part of keeping up prayer in the face of great odds or discouragement is the
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 82 – Money, Money, Money
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." -Hebrews 13:5 How often have you heard people say that money is evil? I like what the book says about money: "The real problem with money is not the possession of it but the love of it, the place it occupies in our heart… "Nothing touches us so deeply as a crisis of finances.
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 81 – The Good, the Bad, and the World
by TJ Bates via TheologyMix.com He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends ruin on the righteous and the unrighteous. -Matthew 5:45 Does this verse make you sit up and take notice?
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 80 – Dust in the Wind
The world and its desires pass away; but the man who does the will of God lives forever. –1 John 2:1 Think about it! Everything, every person, every pain and sorrow and evil will vanish from the earth—just like dust in the wind. Sounds depressing except for the last half of this verse: "but the man who does the will of God lives forever." Dr. Snyder explains: "This is about as clear as it can possibly be. One of the main messages of
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 79 – Long and Winding Roads
by TJ Bates Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. –Proverbs 3:5-6 These are two of my favorite verses and I quote them often, but I'll have to admit there are times I feel the road is crooked and don't trust God to straighten it out. Have there been times when you felt you wanted to "lean on your own understanding"? Here
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 78 – Foundation
by TJ Bates For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. –1 Corinthians 3:11 Have you experienced the aftermath of a tornado? Not much is left standing, right? However, did you notice what was still there? The foundation! "So here's the good news: We don't have to create our own foundation. It's not up to us to support ourselves or sustain our own faith; it's not even totally up to us to remain faithful to
Finish the Race
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. -Acts 20:24 One of the marks of the apostle Paul’s life was that he knew exactly what his purpose was. The Good News of the Gospel utterly controlled him. He believed it, loved it, preached it, and defended it often at the risk of his
