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You know the verse: “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” And probably you know the verse that comes later in the same Psalm: “Children are a reward from him.” But you may not know the verse that connects these two: “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling…
One day I got up before sunrise to walk and pray in the quiet. I prayed Psalm 119:103 over and over: “How sweet are your words to my taste, [O Lord Jesus,] sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103). The Holy Spirit brought to my mind paraphrases of some of the sweet words of…
If you were asked, “What is love?” How would you answer? Most people define love by expressions of care or generosity, which are essential to love. Or worse, we define love by having desire or emotion. Very few of us would define love as the Apostle Paul did, beginning by saying: “Love is patient…” (1…
Your identity, worth, meaning, and joy are in Christ alone – not in your performance or what people think of you. This is why the Apostle Paul urges us to place ourselves “in Christ” 110 times in his New Testament letters. In Christ. What does it mean to be in Christ? Simply put, it is to enter…
“Turning to the Shepherd of our souls” (1 Peter 2:25) Our family just returned from our first Soul Shepherding mission trip to Mexico. Thank you so much for your prayers and support! We experienced firsthand how God exceeds our hopes when we venture out beyond our comfort zone into a new challenge with our confidence…
I’ve heard it said: “I pray when I’m in trouble… I pray all the time!” I relate! I’m in trouble all the time! Realizing this is the secret to a great prayer life. When our circumstances are pleasant, it’s easy to forget that we’re in trouble: the world is vain, demons are near, temptations abound,…
“All reading not intended for us by God is dangerous,” wrote Jeane-Pierre de Caussade in his classic devotional book of the 18th Century. The French Jesuit Priest continued, “It is by doing the will of God and obeying His holy inspirations that we obtain grace, and this grace works in our hearts through our reading…
Could a prayer change your life? This little one could ignite your heart for Christ as it has mine. The other day on my Sabbath, I sat on a rock by a stream for hours praying the Lord’s Prayer with Martin Luther. His barber asked him how he prayed and he wrote him a letter…
Especially around Father’s Day each year, I am thankful for my dad and my three kids. I also remember “the Father from whom all fatherhood derives it’s name” (Ephesians 3:15). To appreciate God as your Father everyday is something we you can learn to do — even if your relationship with your father was painful…
I know what it’s like to feel lonely. The worst thing is to be in a group of people and feel alone. I used to feel this way at church, especially out on the plaza after the service. I was lost in the middle of a sea of people. I’d see other people enjoying conversation,…