The Consequences of Jealousy

Jealousy is a dangerous emotion. It is closely related to discontent. Both can lead us to sin against others if they are not kept in check. In Daniel 6:1-24, we see how jealousy led the commissioners and satraps to pursue killing Daniel. As Daniel distinguished himself from the others in the king’s court “because he […]

Forgetting the Past

Our past experiences can have a profound effect on who we are today and our future. It can shape our interactions with people and what we pursue. It can make us vulnerable to the false teachings of others. In Philippians 3 Paul advocates the value of pursuing faith in Christ Jesus and setting aside the […]

Responding to Frustration

In 1 Samuel 12, Samuel the prophet recounts the sins of the Israelites and their desire for a King to rule over them, even though “the LORD your God was your king (12:12, NASB).” He must have been frustrated with them as he recounted their evil ways in this chapter and how they are acting […]

What is Good?

God wants us to have good things. Right? But how we interpret what is good can impact our view of God. If we ask God for only what we want, what we think is good, then we set ourselves up for frustration when we don’t get it. We can become angry at God for not […]

Prayer Journal—Renewal

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. – Ephesians 4:31 Help me dear Jesus to set aside the past with all its hurt, pain, bruises and brokenness. Help me to embrace the new person you are creating within me. You are the […]

Running the Triathlon of Faith

Last fall I had the chance to watch athletes cross the finish line for an Ironman Triathlon. This is a grueling race that requires those who enter to swim 1.2-miles, bike 56-miles, and run 13.1 miles. Some of the people who finished looked like they could do another marathon, while others barely made it across […]

Reminders of Reminders

Our days are filled with reminders. Texts reminding us of appointments. To do lists reminding us of tasks that need to be completed. Mail that reminds us of bills to pay. But what do we put in place to remind us to follow God each day? In Numbers 15:37-41, God instructs the Israelites to place […]

Wellness for the Soul

During the heat of summer, when you’re thirsty, you seek a drink of water. When life heats up and makes you emotionally thirsty, do you seek God through prayer, worship and His Word? Trials in life have a way of shaking things up and pointing us toward God. In times of trouble He wants us […]

The Problem With DIY Pruning

When we grow impatient and get ahead of God, we may trim the wrong things from our life.

The Calming Spirit of Agape Love

Agape love is not just a selfless love, but a love that no longer keeps score. It removes the transactional relationship of doing something and expecting something in return. It gets rid of the mentaility of doing something to secure someone’s favor. It removes expectations placed on other people. Agape love has the potential to […]