Take Joy in the God of Your Salvation
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the
Continue readingHelping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the
Continue readingThe Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Ex. 34:6 “Thank you for your patience.” The reply from my out-of-office coworker landed
Continue readingOne of the most commonly quoted promises in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11, which was given to Israel regarding their captivity in Babylon. But does this promise apply to us? Watch this encouraging and helpful video. Print this entry
Continue readingOver twenty years ago, I was introduced to Sons of Korah, a musical group from Australia. Since then I’ve listened to their musical renditions of selected Psalms hundreds of times. Their music has helped me to learn the discipline of
Continue readingYesterday morning, I picked up my copy of Jerry Bridges’ Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts and read the tenth chapter, “Experiencing God’s Love.” As Bridges develops the biblical teaching that discipline (character training toward Christlikeness) is a mark of
Continue readingIn Psalm 46, God gives us specific counsel so that we may know how to respond to unwelcome change. See if you can spot any of the encouragement the Holy Spirit placed in this psalm for you. Grab a pencil
Continue readingEvery Wednesday morning our church staff gathers for a weekly meeting and prayer time. We typically begin by discussing a chapter in the book we are reading together. This morning, however, we didn’t do that because of sickness and weariness
Continue readingPoetry that comforts the heart and stirs the soul by beautifully communicating biblical truth is a blessing to God’s people. Yesterday, the following poem ministered to my heart, and I hope it is a blessing and encouragement to you as
Continue readingSo she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Gen. 16:13 God hears and sees you amid your
Continue readingWhen I was a kid the real joy of of going to the pizza parlor was getting to play pinball. That steel ball would be shot out of the plunger, then bounce all over, banging against the bumpers only to
Continue readingTrust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Prov. 3:5) Trusting God is something that Christians talk about a lot, and yet we tend to view it as optional. There are times
Continue readingWhen Christmas Isn’t Merry and Bright – Christmas is not joyous for everyone. For some, the Christmas season brings grief or stress or numbness, which no amount of eggnog or carol singing can overcome. Family tensions, tragic memories, personal sin
Continue readingIt’s common for some Christians to say to others who suffer, “Rest assured, God will not give you more than you can handle.” But I often wonder what they really mean and whether it’s true. If what they mean is
Continue readingI’m thankful for my father and mother who set an example of faithful citizenship. From my earliest days, I remember Mom and Dad going to the local town hall to vote. Back then I didn’t understand what voting was and
Continue reading“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2 Comfort
Continue readingWhat do Jesus, the prophet Isaiah, and David the king have in common? They all taught this simple truth: God is working while we are waiting; God is active when we’re sleeping. What a wonderful truth in times of uncertainty,
Continue readingSometimes we wonder if God can bring good out of the bad things happening all around us, so it’s comforting to know we are not alone in our thinking. The prophet Habakkuk had the same heart struggles and questions. But
Continue readingThe world is shaken, taken off guard and turned upside down by a microscopic virus that doubles the number of its victims every six days. It began only three months ago, but has now infected over 152,000, with the number
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