There have been times in my life when I think my best days have already happened. Have you ever felt like that? I felt a little lost when I turned thirty; I still wasn’t married, I didn’t have any children, and I was renting. God opened some pretty remarkable doors of opportunity in my twenties, but now, I felt like my life officially halted. Now, I’m in my forties and I feel more hopeful than ever. I’ve learned that our emotions can have a lot influence on our perception and can create a blurred sense-of-self through the different seasons of…
We’ve all been overwhelmed with the pressure to do it all. Adding more and more tasks to our already busy schedules will weigh us down and will affect every part of our lives; a lot of times in a negative way. North Americans are, on average, over-spent with their time, resources, and commitments. Trying to do everything by yourself is exhausting. Moses found himself in a similar place after the great Exodus of Egypt. He was trying to lead hundreds of thousands of people (if not millions), by himself. His father-in-law, Jethro, watched Moses judge all of the people of Israel from early in the morning, until the late evenings. The next day Jethro took Moses aside and told him that he was being unwise and then gave him step-by-step instruction on how to make immediate changes. Jethro said that the men should bear the burden with Moses. (Exodus 18:22). Moses had a decision to make. Was he going to say, “Excuse me? Do you know who I am? I am God’s chosen vessel and He used me, and me alone, to bring a great deliverance to Israel. Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? I am…
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of out faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2. The question must be asked, What kind of joy would there be hanging on a cross? The scripture says that the joy was set before Him—the joy was you and me. The love of God is undeniable. He chose to leave the glory of the heavens to be misunderstood, judged, and betrayed. He chose to robe Himself in flesh, pay a personal price of His own blood (Acts 20:28), so He could redeem humanity for eternity. He loves you. He endured so much pain to prove His love for you and me. The phrase, “Actions speak louder than words,” rings true with Jesus. His heart beats ardently for the 7.65 billion people on this earth right now as He waits at the door of every person’s heart, knocking, and patiently waiting for us to answer. The Value Of A Soul Jesus taught that the value of a soul was more precious than anything on this earth and explains that there is…
Family traits can be funny things. It may be the color of our hair, a dimple in our cheek, or some of our mannerisms. Junior walks just like Dad. Sissy twirls that lock of hair just like Mom. Buddy’s exploding laugh reminds us of Grandpa. Whether our earlobe is attached or unattached is a matter of genes. So is the ability to roll one’s tongue or have hair on the mid-digits of fingers. Certain traits we may not wish to inherit, such as baldness or having a gap between the front teeth. Actions may also be similar. “He’s just like…
“But test everything; hold fast what is good.” (I Thessalonians 5:21, ESV) What is compromise? It is usually defined as “an accommodation in which both sides make concessions.” Is this a good thing, or is compromise something to avoid? In some instances, we may find compromise is a good thing. It helps two sides to find a middle point when opinions differ, a “give and take” type thing. Your spouse prefers blue paint but you like green. Can you compromise to find something both of you will find acceptable? You plan lunch with a friend. You prefer a sandwich and salad type place while they prefer a fast-food burger. Neither situation involves a moral issue, so choose to compromise. Flip a coin or choose another option. In other situations, however, we must take a firm stand. If something goes against our values or challenges our integrity, compromise is never an option. Anything that goes against the Word of God becomes non-negotiable. Choosing to stand firm without compromise can prove difficult. I’ve heard of job situations where an employee was being pressured to do something unethical and which might also skirt the law. The choice was between keeping their integrity or…
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven . . . a time to keep, and a time to cast away” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 6). It’s so easy to procrastinate when I know I need to clear out old papers, clothing items I never wear, and things I no longer need or use. Tomorrow always sounds like a better day to clear out the clutter than to do it right now. I made some progress a few days ago, but truthfully—it’s just not fun! I still have clutter to clear. Clutter is not to be confused with junk or trash. True, some clutter is junk, but some is just an over-abundance of perfectly good items. I sometimes find myself muttering, “Why? What was I thinking when I bought this? It’s just more to dust and clean.” Some things go into a box to donate to charity while other items are boxed and stored away. I don’t need it and will probably never use it again, but I have a crazy emotional attachment that keeps me from finding it a new home. Or tossing it. My spiritual life also gets cluttered, and I…