Amazing Love

Amazing loveRecently a friend commented, “I wish someone would look at me, like some people look at menus.”

It was such an unusual and thought provoking statement that it stuck with me for days. I think at the core of this expression there is a longing that resonates in each of us to be known completely, desired, and loved unconditionally. Most of us long for this kind of unconditional love and search for it through human relationships. Hollywood often portrays the message that if you could just meet the right person, your soulmate, you would find this kind of a relationship. As I was pondering the almost universal longing in this statement, (more…)

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A Proper Perspective

mountain perspective“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Numbers 24:5-6 NIV

What a beautiful picture this passage of scripture depicts. To hear the writer describe it, one would think it was a vacation destination in the tropics. Let’s go!

The truth is a little less exciting to our short sighted natures. This was the picture of Israel wandering in the wilderness for 40 years after they had sinned against God by refusing to believe and obey His commands. They were in a hot, barren wilderness waiting for all of those 20 years and over to die before God would give them another opportunity to enter into His promise. It sounds pretty bleak, but that’s not how God viewed it. Let’s consider three points of interest.  (more…)

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How to Have a Better Day

lightstock_214470_medium_phil_smallerI’ve had the privilege of growing up going to church and I can say it is simply the greatest place to be.

There are many places and things to busy ourselves with. We find ourselves doing one thing or another, going to one place or another or perhaps your week has just bogged you down. It’s worth the effort and sacrifice to make ones way to church where you will find new strength.

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Confidence to Endure the Storm

storm Everyone, no matter how perfect their lives may seem, has gone through a hard time, a storm. The intensity of the storm should not be judged, because each individual has a different threshold to endure their storm. Some storms will blow things around, and maybe stir up the dirt. Others will blow so hard that we feel like we can’t stand it. Then there are those storms that leave us seemingly without any power and perhaps some damage to our surroundings. Often in a storm, we bear down, close our eyes and try to “ride it out.” What if during these times instead of burying our head and hoping we get through it, we instead trust that we have done the preparation to come out safely and better than before. Those storms that leave us feeling powerless and torn apart, are instead opportunities to rebuild, to become stronger and better than we were before the storm.

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Answering the Call for Our Lives

 

Call of God

Answering the call

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Ring ring!

Hello?

Hi, it’s me.

I’m sorry, who is this?

It’s me.

But who are you? Why do you have my number?

Because child, you’re mine.

I’m your child? But who ARE YOU?

That’s for you to discover.

We’ve all heard our phone ring, and we look to see if we recognize the caller. If we know them, their name and number will be in our contact list. There are times when our phone will ring, and it shows up as ‘unknown caller.’ When we do not know the caller, we’re hesitant to answer.

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Why I Don’t Want to Hear God’s Voice

Hearing or listening?

Hearing or listening?

In 1 Samuel chapter three we find an interesting account of a young man who is hearing the voice of God for the very first time in his life. The passage records Samuel lying down in the temple. No doubt, he was trying to get some sleep in preparation for the early morning duties that he was responsible for in the temple. So often, our plans and God’s tend to run contrary to each other and in the midst of Samuel’s peaceful slumber he was jolted as someone called out his name. Almost instinctively, Samuel runs to Eli, the priest of the temple, and the man of God in his life.

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