Fear does not advance the kingdom of God, but faith does. Numbers 13-14 has been on my mind a lot over the past few days. If you’re not familiar with the story (or if you need a quick refresher), let me sum it up for you: The Israelites are standing on the edge of Canaan, the land that God had promised to give them years before. These people had experienced firsthand the delivering power of God when He set them free from slavery in Egypt, the sustaining power of God as He provided for them during their journey through the … [Read more...]
The Easy Way Out
Last week as I was on my way to pick up my son, traffic was even worse than normal. As I sat through a stoplight that changed three times before I got to go through the intersection, I had the brilliant idea of taking a shortcut. Bad idea!! I drove down a small street through a neighborhood only to find it was closed for utility work. I turned around and took another route just as another school in the neighborhood dismissed. I was suddenly in the middle of that school’s afternoon traffic. My shortcut idea was not a wise … [Read more...]
Testing
Jesus persevered even when His faith was questioned. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Luke 4:10-12 Satan went for the jugular at the end. He asked Jesus if He really believed that God was God and that God would actually take care of Him. When have you questioned whether God was really going to take care of you? … [Read more...]
What To Do When You Hit a Bad Light Cycle
I love it when I hit every green light on my way to my destination. Smooth sailing all the way. The truth is, it feels so right that many times I don't really pay attention to the ease of the trip. Everything is as it should be. But I also know how it feels to hit every red light along the way, especially when I'm in a hurry. Can't seem to catch a break and the timing is off – at every intersection. Nothing is as it should be. Sometimes life is like that, too. Some seasons seem like everything is running as smoothly as a … [Read more...]