Some mountains are climbed. Some are tunneled through. Some are conquered one shovel at a time. And some can only be moved by faith. A Chinese proverb, Yu gong yi shan, carries a meaning similar to the familiar phrase, “Faith can move mountains.” The proverb comes from an ancient fable…
“LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion.” Psalm 20:1-2 All of us go through times in our lives when we do not want to pray. When we are…
Joshua 10:12, Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. Joshua was not satisfied with a partial victory —…
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2, NKJV) We are often only vaguely aware of innate spiritual yearnings and cravings within us. Yet, if…
“Whatsoever things are true… whatsoever things are lovely.” (Philippians 4:8) Some of the most formative and imaginative moments of my childhood took place in the prayer room at our church. Before every service, my parents made it a habit to spend time in prayer before entering the sanctuary. As a…
Today, as my daughter Hayden and I worked together in our flower garden, God gently reminded me of a beautiful truth: our gardens often reflect our spiritual lives. As I worked among the flowers, I noticed that many of the plants that looked identical when first planted had grown quite…
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. (Psalm 16:6, KJV) One weekend, I was helping my daughter-in-law decorate the new home she and my son had recently purchased. She had sewn several beautiful table runners, but she wasn’t satisfied with them because…
“But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). Many families have suffered the heartache of a child turning his back on God. Whether it is a total rebellion against the…
“Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:17, NKJV) Prayer is a beautiful privilege given by God to His creation. The most basic definition of prayer is simply a conversation with God. In my lifetime, I have seen…