“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (I John 2:17, ESV) A man I knew often used the phrase “in the light of eternity.” He was a wise and godly man who chose to view the things of this present world as just temporary. He understood that the things many consider as success—social status, wealth, popularity, accomplishments—will not carry over beyond the grave. This life and its successes are fleeting. However, the things we do for God hold eternal value. Colossians 3:1-2 tells us, “If then you have been…
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-3, NKJV) One of the greatest stories of faith in the Bible is found in Genesis 22. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son—his long-awaited son of promise—as a burnt offering. How could God ask such a painful and shocking thing of a man who had faithfully followed Him for years? How could He ask a loving father to kill his own son? the…
“Let brotherly love continue.” (Hebrews 13:1) When I’ve been out with friends from church, we are sometimes asked the question, “Are you sisters?” We usually just smile and answer, “No, just friends.” It’s amusing because often there is no physical resemblance between any of us, but the onlooker senses some connection they can’t quite define. When asked the “sisters” question, a more accurate answer might be no . . . but also yes. We are not biological sisters; we are sisters in the Lord. That similarity they sense but can’t pinpoint is the spirit of the God we share. His blood connects…
For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ (Isaiah 41:13, NKJV) Life can be lonely. When we go through times of trouble, it’s easy to slip into the mindset that we are facing this battle alone. We become convinced that everyone has forgotten us or turned against us. When our world is in disarray, it’s so easy to become despondent and isolate ourselves even more. Here are the stories of three people who struggled with loneliness and distress. KING DAVID We don’t know what was happening in David’s life…
When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4, NKJV) Not long ago, a friend asked me a difficult question. It may be a question you have been asked or one that you have asked. My friend, who has served God all her life, is experiencing long-term difficulties because of an accident. In her frustration, she asked, “If God saw this was going to happen, why didn’t He stop it?” Have you ever thought something similar? I think most of us have…
Abigail’s story in I Samuel 25:2-42 is brief yet profoundly demonstrates the power we can wield, regardless of our circumstances. The story begins with David and his men hiding from Saul in the wilderness. Abigail is introduced in verse 3 as the wife of Nabal, a wealthy but harsh and foolish man. Her parents likely arranged the marriage, hoping Nabal’s wealth would provide for her and their future children. Abigail is described as intelligent and beautiful. At that time, it was customary for men living off the land to protect local shepherds and their flocks from harm. In return, they…