But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 This brings us to a bottom-line question I seldom hear addressed these […]
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In God’s Service
Then the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” Isaiah 6:6–7 This is a major part of the […]
Read MoreGod’s Calm Control
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” Isaiah 6:8 Isaiah says, “I saw the Lord!” His earthly situation turned his eyes upward. That’s what happened to me back in the late 1950s. My disappointment, […]
Read MoreBe Still
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Ephesians 5:1 Since most humans suffer from a lack of balance in their lives, our best counsel on this subject comes from God’s Word, the Bible. In that Book, there appears a most unusual command: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly […]
Read MoreLife without Frenzy
The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to […]
Read MoreReal Prayer
“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 Prayer was never intended to make us feel guilty. It was never intended to be a verbal marathon for only the initiated—no secret-code talk […]
Read MorePrayer Is the Answer
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7 In the fourth chapter of Philippians, […]
Read MoreAttitudes to Counteract
Teach us to realise the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12 The older I get, and the more I talk with and listen to older people, the more I sense a growing discontentment rather than acceptance. I witnessed it in my own father during the last decade of his […]
Read MoreA Great Outlook on Life
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 Let’s consider a couple of alternative responses to aging. First, view life as a challenge not a threat. You’ve been around long enough to know that nobody can predict our tomorrows. So, obviously […]
Read MoreCommitted Disciples
“So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” Luke 14:33 I must confess that I misunderstood the teaching of Jesus in Luke 14 for many years. Within the context of declaring the extreme terms of discipleship, He slips in two stories that explain why the terms are so costly. The first […]
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