The Power Of Patience
"The fruit of the Spirit is . . . longsuffering." Galatians 5:22 We’ve all heard the prayer: “Lord, make me more patient—and do it now!” Why is it that patience evaporates when we are late for a...
View ArticleManaging the Mess
"Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" Ruth 1:21When we meet Naomi in the Scriptures, her life is a mess. She and her husband had gone...
View ArticleFather and Friend
“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:14A short clip on the evening news recently featured a suburban high school’s attempt to address the spiraling epidemic of teenage drinking. The...
View ArticleUpside Down Toast
“Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near’.” Matthew 4:17Have you ever made a piece of toast, slathered it with butter and strawberry jam, and just as you’re about to take the...
View ArticleChrist the King Part 3
"From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'" Matthew 4:17Discover four traits that single you out as a member of God’s kingdom, as you join Joe Stowell in...
View ArticleWhat to Do Until the Stars Fall
“Accept what I say… I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.” Proverbs 4:10-12My biology...
View ArticleReliable Grace
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody." Romans 12:17Do you ever pay much attention to bumper stickers? I find them fascinating! You can be driving...
View ArticleChin Up!
“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” Ephesians 2:4-5One of my all-time favorite kid’s stories is...
View ArticleBreaking The Spin Cycle
"[Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. . . . He is a liar and the father of it." John 8:44 Politicians are adept at “spinning”...
View ArticleIn Your Head
"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel." Galatians 1:6 I love the prayer that begins, “God be in my head.” When I first heard...
View ArticleLife on Level One
"Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer.” Ruth 4:14In an ancient form of Chinese drama, plays were often performed on a two-level stage. On the first level, the...
View ArticleGrace and Truth
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14It’s a grandfather’s...
View ArticleChrist the King Part 4
"From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'" Matthew 4:17Is Jesus the ruler of every detail of your life? Putting the principles of heaven into practice...
View ArticleCelebrate Winter
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? . . . Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. Psalm 42:5"I love living where there are four seasons. But even though I love settling...
View ArticleOnly Jesus Satisfies
“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water...
View ArticleYour Brilliance Factor
“For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 8:11Adrian Grasselly was used to working with precious material. As an expert diamond cutter, he was...
View ArticleExploratory Procedure
"The Word of God is living and powerful, . . . a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 I have a friend who recently underwent a laryngoscopy. I winced as he explained how...
View ArticleThe Person Makes The Place
"God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Revelation 21:3-4Engaged couples often spend hours poring over travel brochures and vacation Web...
View ArticleDon’t Just Celebrate…Imitate!
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.” Ephesians 5:1I can still remember my dad standing there, coat on and hat in hand on Christmas afternoon asking me, “Joe, do you want to come...
View ArticleThe New Covenant Part 1
"I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, ' declares the LORD." Jeremiah 31:32Why do you...
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