The Fruit of the Wilderness
Learning to trust God in the wilderness bore lasting fruit.
I read the Bible more attentively than ever before and learned to love God for who he is and not for what he could do for me. I knew that the Lord would never leave me and would always provide for my needs. People sometimes wander from faith, wondering if God even exists, but those... Continue Reading
Little Greek Gems: Confidence in Prayer – Ephesians 1:18
The work of the Spirit is not a “one and done”, it has lasting, ongoing impact.
If a person professes faith in Christ and there is evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, you can pray for them with confidence, because you know that the Holy Spirit has already been at work, bringing them to faith, giving them a heart of flesh in place of stone, giving them... Continue Reading
What It Means to Pray ‘Your Kingdom Come’
The Gospels clearly identify two kingdoms, but the division is not between sacred and secular.
The miracles of Jesus are presented as evidence of a battle between two kingdoms: one of God and the other of Satan. Jesus continued, “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own... Continue Reading
Tried with Fire: I’ve Got This!
The Lord will put us in situations where we simply do not know what to do.
It is not that we need to depend upon God. We actually do depend upon God moment by moment, for absolutely everything, whether we realize it or not. To remind us of this truth, God may choose to deprive us (either temporarily or permanently) of some gift that we have previously enjoyed. Alternatively, He may... Continue Reading
Abundant Life, Abundant Suffering
By faith, we look forward to the day sorrow and sighing flee away.
The Christian life abounds with suffering. That’s what we sign up for when commit ourselves to Jesus, because he has promised it. We should not be surprised when suffering comes because it is part of abundant life in Christ here on earth. The good news? Our suffering is nothing compared to what Jesus has suffered. ... Continue Reading
Wisdom Versus Law—What’s the Difference?
Unlike direct commands (law), wisdom admonitions tend to emphasize reasons and motives for acting wisely.
The wisdom of God given to us in Scripture may be found mainly in the Wisdom books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, although wisdom sayings and admonitions are sprinkled throughout the Bible (for some examples see Matt. 7:24; Luke 16:10, Eph. 5:15-17). Yet, unlike the law given at Sinai to Israel as the chosen people... Continue Reading
Feeling the Ache of Anxiety
The path of the Christian life is one of faithful trust and obedience in the here and now.
Pushing his hearers to reflect on God’s persistent provision for plants and animals, there’s an important question Jesus asks that we must not overlook: Are you not of more value than they? Jesus touches on a doubt that can sneak into our thinking. It’s the lie that God has forgotten about us because he doesn’t... Continue Reading
Helps for Doubting Christians
Doubts need not equal defeat.
God already knows that we are doubters. Our calling is not to pretend we have no doubts, but to trust Jesus even with our doubts. Do you doubt that God can improve your marriage? Have you become content with your anger or rudeness, suspecting that God cannot help? Do you trust Jesus, but puzzle over... Continue Reading
Which Way Around the Mulberry Trees?
We may at times wish for the kind of personal and personalized guidance that David received when navigating the mulberry trees on the battlefield.
God was involved in the details of David’s life in a way that seems almost prosaic, and far different from our experience. It is one thing for God to thunder from the heights of Sinai, but quite another for Him to tell David which way to circle around the mulberry trees. Does a passage like... Continue Reading
Hope for the Dying
The Work of Harvest USA’s Hope Ministry
Did we help? Did we have an impact? We are never the best judges of the effectiveness or ultimate meaning of our service. We must simply follow where God leads, through good report and bad, trusting him to use what He chooses for His glory. In 1987 I was serving as minister of a... Continue Reading