Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth
When anxiety overtakes us, we become bound up in the small stuff of life, the passing, transitory things, when we should be focused on the eternal. [In Matthew 6] Jesus is saying, “Look, God has taken care of the birds
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But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, NKJV) Jesus was tragically wounded, but not every injury was
Continue readingIn Jesus’ teaching on worry, Philip De Courcy writes, “Jesus prescribes a reassessment. He asks, ‘Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?’ (Matthew 6:25). And then he directs them to “Look at the birds of
Continue readingDebt Snowball vs. Debt Avalanche: What’s the Best Method to Pay Off My Debt? – “There are two main approaches to paying off debt – the debt snowball and debt avalanche methods. These methods are similar and reliable to help
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For the past few months, I’ve mentioned a couple times (here and here) the profit that our church staff is receiving from reading a book together, Graciousness: Tempering Truth with Love, by John Crotts. In Chapter 7, “Cultivating a Gracious
Continue readingHaving been in local church ministry for close to 30 years, I’m more and more convinced of how much God’s people need comprehensive soul care, which is provided through both public and personal ministry. So, related to that conviction, here
Continue readingYesterday was Disability Sunday at Cornerstone Community Church. We opened our hearts and minds to 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 to see what the Lord has to say about living together in gracious community. The church is not merely like a body,
Continue readingGod’s Purposes for Suffering in Ministry, Part 1 – Pat Quinn draws five purposes of God for ministry suffering from 2 Corinthians. Brokenness – Julie Lowe asks, “Does brokenness threaten to discourage or undo you? Does it cause you to
Continue readingThis is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. (Psalm 119:150) Scripture heals. It ministers grace to your deepest hurts, since it is the voice of the one who created and redeemed you. In the beginning,
Continue reading“Awesome” is one word which has become so commonplace it is at risk of losing its punch. Today, it’s used to describe anything from a chef’s pizza to an artist’s portrait, a baseball team’s double play to a restaurant’s double
Continue readingIn his new mini-book, HELP! My Parents Abused Me When I Was a Kid, Joshua Zeichik writes, “As a Christian with a commitment to honor God, you must look to Scripture to evaluate whether your motives and responses reflect your
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A challenge that complicates the journey towards a godly response to abuse is the mass of popular literature which counsels victims from a feelings-centered position. Much of the literature available focuses on self-protection, rather than holiness, as a primary goal.
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Since our church service was cancelled, due to heavy snow, strong winds, and extreme cold, we gathered in our Family Room to learn from Psalm 1. Here’s the outline that I walked the family through, discussing its truths, and applying
Continue readingThere is an important distinction we need to make between good worry and bad worry. There are matters that ought to concern us, things that deserve our immediate attention and action. Being carefree is not the same as being careless.
Continue readingI Felt the Sun Today – a lovely poem. The Lie of Perfectionism – “Perfectionism makes everyone miserable, even if it works for a while.” Print this entry
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But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
Continue readingThis morning, while meditating on Psalm 1, I read the following inset in the Beyond Suffering Study Bible. The title of the inset is “Suffering and Disability Themes,” but I think these insights are encouraging reasons to spend time in
Continue readingSetting Financial Goals for the New Year (and how to reach them) – ” The ultimate purpose of our financial goals should be that our lifestyles glorify God.” 5 Principles for Reading in 2019 – ” Reading is not just
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By God’s grace, I’m a husband, dad, grandpa, and pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Mayfield Hts, OH. I love Christ because He first loved me.
