“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 ESV I’ll be honest: something was stirred up when I read the word “steadfastness” in the above scripture. It was not righteous indignation, nor was it steadfastness itself. My flesh revolted against God asking me to be joyful in trials. In case you haven’t picked up on it, finding joy in life’s lowest moments is not something that I excel in. To…
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 ESV I’ve always had big feelings and emotions. I have also been blessed with a very active imagination to accompany my feelings and emotions. You can only begin to imagine the wild stories I have conjured up in my mind over the years. I also grew up in a generation that loves inspirational quotes, one being “Follow your heart.” As a young woman, I was fed this lie repeatedly in the form of literature, media, music, and pop culture. A perfect storm was brewing. At the peak of my teenage years, I found myself terribly unhappy and possessed no self-control in handling life’s difficulties. We are given instructions in the final chapter of Philippians. We are told to stand firm (verse 1), rejoice always (verse 4), let our reasonableness be known (verse 5), anxious about nothing (verse 6), and pray about everything (verse 6). After we have done this, the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds.” This lets me know that my heart cannot be my guide. I have learned that my…
“And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.” 2 Kings 4:7 The woman in the above story was a widow who fell into financial trouble after her husband’s passing. When Elisha passes by she calls out to him that her husband is dead, and that he was a good man but he was in debt. Furthermore, the men he was in debt to were currently on their way to collect by taking her children as slaves. I can only imagine the fear and panic she felt knowing she had nothing to offer them, and the possibility she would never see her children again. Elisha gives her clear instructions. The woman has a little oil in her house so he tells her to borrow jugs and bowls from her neighbors, and not only a few, but as many as she can get. When she…
“No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand.” Isaiah 40:15 My family loves going to the beach, it’s one of our favorite summer activities. We don’t go to swim necessarily, we enjoy just sitting in the sand. My oldest daughter loves to build sandcastles and dig trenches, while my youngest collects seashells and eats snacks. Even now, in the dead of a Canadian winter, I can almost feel the warmth…
“It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” Luke 1:3-4 Luke was not one of the twelve apostles who accompanied Jesus during the years of His ministry on earth. He had not witnessed the miracles that Jesus had performed but had carefully researched them. No doubt he had spent time with Jesus’ close followers, listening to their accounts. As a physician, he would have been very attentive to details. Perhaps he sought out the ones who had received miracles and learned their side of the story as well. He wanted Theophilus and whoever he would share the letter with to know the teaching he had received was true. During the last few days, we have looked at instances in the Book of Luke, where Jesus encountered someone with a need and met it. There are others that we did not look at. I trust that you will take the time to read the whole Gospel and let it speak to your heart. Jesus still performs miracles. He told His…
“And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.” Luke 7:11-12 Broken-hearted, discouraged, and forlorn, the young widow walked beside the bier of her only son. Although she was surrounded by others from the city, she felt all alone. Why had God allowed her son to die? How could she go on alone? Tears flowed freely as a dark lonely future loomed before her. As the procession passed through the city gates, they met a crowd of people. Suddenly the leader of the group stopped, looked at the widow, and spoke two words to her: “Weep not.” Then He did something strange, He came close and touched the bier, saying: “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” Who was this stranger who would be brave enough to touch a dead person, and command them to arise? Can you imagine the joy she felt when…