“We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them…” Psalm 78:4–6 (NIV). The Bible is replete with scriptures about legacy, memory, time, and generational blessings. With each shifting season, we need to be intentional to reflect upon what we are passing down to the next generation. The season from childhood to adulthood, moves into…
Confidence has a negative connotation and almost seems like a taboo word to say out loud (or even write). Why is this? Is it because confidence is associated with pride? When we put our confidence in our flesh, it is most definitely pride. However, when we put our confidence in God, it exhibits that we trust Him and have faith. Proverbs 3:26, “The LORD will be your confidence.” This scripture is weighted with promise and evicts insecurities. This verse gives a person the freedom to discard their doubt and accept God’s covering of confidence. God encourages us to lay down our uncertainties and allow Him to prove His strength and power in every area of our lives. The Struggle Is Real There have been times in my life when I have struggled with insecurities and I know as I write this post that I am not alone in my battle. I have questioned my worth and misunderstood my purpose. Not to mention, I have run away from the ministry God was calling me to because it was far beyond me. God called me to my weakness, not my strength. I cried out, “God choose someone else, I cannot do this. I will not do…
“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4–5. Unity is a remarkable model of God’s purpose in His kingdom. These scriptures explain that we are chosen, living stones. However, we are not to operate alone, but to be built into a spiritual house with other believers. We cannot make it alone. The Power Of Six Legos Mark Batterson, in his book A Million Little Miracles, tells a story about attending an entrepreneur conference in Las Vegas. One of the exhibits he visited featured a brand architect from Lego. He writes, “During his presentation, this brand architect handed us six Lego bricks. Then he asked us to estimate the number of unique combinations that could be created with those six bricks, which sounded like a trick question, so I aimed high and guessed several hundred combinations. That left me several hundred million short of the actual answer! It was a mathematician, Soren Eilers, who wrote a computer program that modeled all the potential combinations. Are…
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (III John 1:4) Today is Father’s Day and many families are celebrating that special man in their lives. Dads come in all sizes and shapes. They may be tall and thin, short and round, or anything in between. Some have thick curly hair while others may not have enough hair to justify buying a comb. Some dads are loud and jovial; others are quiet and shy. No two dads are alike. I never doubted that my father loved me. It wasn’t as much the words he said as his actions that proclaimed his love. He worked…
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” (Colossians 3:12, ESV) Can you remember a time when someone showed kindness to you? It happened to me today. While driving down the interstate, traffic slowed as we approached some road construction. Another driver kindly allowed me space to merge into another lane. Yes, it was a small act, but it was helpful. Last week, a friend saw one of my favorite kinds of pie while shopping. She bought one and then delivered it to me. She went out of her way to be thoughtful and kind. These were small things, but brightened my day. The dictionary definition of kindness is “the quality of being generous, helpful, and caring about other people, or an act showing this quality” (Cambridge Dictionary). BIBLICAL KINDNESS When Galatians 5:22-23 names the fruit of the Spirit, we see that kindness is one of the attributes. These nine characteristics are so interwoven that they cannot be separated. They are one fruit all wrapped up in a single package. If we are walking in the Spirit, each attribute should be evident in our lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit…
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8, ESV) Yesterday we talked about a time in Judah when the Word of God became lost and the people turned to false gods like those of the surrounding nations. Today let’s consider how we can make God’s Word an integral part of our life each day. Remember, God’s Word cannot change us and sustain us unless we actually pick it up and read it. And, of course, then we must apply what it says to our lives. James 1:22 reminds us to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (ESV). THE WORD IN YOUR LIFE The Bible is a large book comprised of sixty-six smaller books. Just thinking about reading the entire Bible can be overwhelming, especially for someone new in their walk with the Lord. The good thing is, God doesn’t expect us to conquer it all at once. In fact, learning from the…