Tweet What do you do when life is uncertain? Trust – God has a plan even when you can’t discern it. Faith is being certain when life is uncertain; believing…
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Tweet Recently I posted 10 Lies Men Believe. As expected, whenever I post about men the women ask when I’m doing a companion post. Several women said they often believe…
Tweet I sat with a man recently. He’s lost his job, can’t find another and it’s having an impact on his marriage. I quickly diagnosed his real problem. Not that…
Tweet In light of all we are facing as a nation, and what this weekend represents, here is this week’s memory verse: When I am afraid, I put my trust…
Tweet Suicide sucks! I realize this is a heavy issue for this blog, but seriously, I have had to sit with people several times after a loved one committed suicide….
About once a month, someone shares a story with me that’s big. I get stories all the time, but I’m talking about the kind of story that makes your jaw flop open when you hear it…that kind of big story.
I’ve quit being surprised when it happens, but I’m usually surprised that it’s happening to the person telling me the story. Usually this type of story starts with a phrase such as “I hope you’ll still be my friend after I tell you this...” or “Please don’t give up on me when I tell you this…”
Someone made a huge error…they messed up…they sinned…
What surprises me most, however, is that no matter how much I preach with grace, in spite of the fact that “grace” is in our church’s name, even though I’m not bashful about saying I’ve had tremendous failures in my own life…
People still worry how I will respond to them.
Guilt does that too a person…and struggling with the emotions after a moral failure is often one of the hardest consequences…
Let me make one thing perfectly clear, however…
Tweet Will this be my last post ever? It will be according to a recent prediction. It’s been the buzz all week, so perhaps you heard it. Christian radio host…
But even if my life is to be poured out like a drink offering to complete the sacrifice of your faithful service (that is, if I am to die for you), I will rejoice, and I want to share my joy with all of you. Philippians 2:17 NLT
Would you be willing to die for another person’s spiritual growth? I’m not sure I’m with Paul on this one yet, because as much as I like to see people growing spiritually, I don’t know if sacrificing my life for their growth is yet an option.
Paul, though, was seeing life through an eternal perspective. Remember he said earlier in the same letter, “for me to live is Christ and to die is great gain.” He recognized that the purpose of his life was to encourage others in Christ.
I’m reminded of an old song. Perhaps you’ve heard it. I don’t think it is copyrighted, but here goes:
Do you know that nervous energy you get when you face the uncertainty of life?
You feel it when you assume a overwhelming risk?
It’s that emotion…that adrenaline rush…
You feel it deep in your gut…
Ever felt it?
Well here’s the reality…
Some of us…as awkward, difficult, stressful, and even painful as it can be…
Live for that emotion…
You’ll find it in…
Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that His love has not been perfected in us. 1 John 4:18 NLT
Evidently, according to this verse, if we could have perfect love for God, we could get rid of all fear. The challenge comes in having perfect love.
I’m not sure I understand the concept completely, especially as it relates to a God I cannot see, but the best way I know of is to compare what I don’t understand to something I do understand.