Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil… You must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night… It must be observed from generation to generation… From Exodus 27 God’s presence has moved from an ornate building or tent to deep inside our hearts. That light shines through our spirits, affecting and energizing us and …
Uplifting Others
The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive. Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs 16: 21 & 24 Recently in one of our team Bible studies we discussed these two verses and I thought about just how a few words of kindness can change the course …
Three Regrets Looking Back
One of my greatest regrets is that, at age 70, I’m only now discovering some of the simple basics of life. I’ll share three of those basics here: Basic One: Gina and I started our structured schedule for starting and ending the day on February 22, 2020. Today marks day 92. It looks like this: We start the day …
Only God
From Leviticus 19 Do not put your trust in idols Idols aren’t statues. Idols begin in the imagination. They’re those spirits that want our attention. Then we build something that started in the imagination: Acquiring wealth. Outdoing someone else. The beauty of women other than my wife. Wanting to be significant, but not waiting for God to lead. Forcing …
The Price of Leadership
But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000. Acts 4:4 In 1970, I left my parents’ home, telling them I want to find out if there’s something better than the life they were living and giving me. They told me I’m passing through a stage …
Are You Following Jesus?
They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Mark 1:18 If you spend daily, almost constant time getting to know Jesus, and listening to what he says. If you take time to understand what he’s saying, and once you know what he’s telling you to do, you immediately step out and do it, you’re following Jesus. If you’re doing …
Too Tired
He restores my soul… I believe everything I do for God will reap a reward someday, certainly for me and possibly for the people I serve. But right now, today, I have nothing left in me. I don’t have any love for people who are difficult to love. I don’t have any push for people who dig their heels …
God Delights
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Psalm 149:4 I think God smiles real big when someone who is normally negative chooses a cheerful heart. Many of us remember angry adults looking into our helpless little faces. What if God isn’t like that? Phillip
Rules Versus Spirit
Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. Galatians 3:2 To begin our relationship with God, first believe. Regardless of who we are or what we have accomplished on earth we all …
Spilled Over Blessings
God said to Abraham, “And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Genesis …
Lessons from the Sea
Gina and I are currently on our annual sabbatical in the Dominican Republic. Every morning we rise early, walk the beach as the sun rises, and pray, “God, what do you want to show me?” Then we come in for coffee and journaling, go to the gym, and return to breakfast, more journaling, and a time of worship. Since …
What the Ocean Taught Me
The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. Ecclesiastes 1:5-7 Day and …
Fit for the King
As a result of the king’s decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king’s harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Hegai’s care. Hegai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven …
Put on all of God’s Armor
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece …
Cheer
Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. It’s not just about receiving a kind word. It’s the giving of a kind word, too. It can really change a spirit when it’s down to seek out ways to give out a kind word. It’s hard to stay down when you go say something …
Awareness and Prevention
A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Proverbs 27:12 There are a lot of areas of life I see this being applied in. In finance, one of the most critical things we can do is good forecasting. In my regular day-to-day life, fast-forward the behaviors of today, where are …
In God’s Sight
Josiah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right. 2 Kings 22:2 Josiah was one of the few kings in the Bible who did everything right in God’s sight—both in his secret heart and his outer life. Everything starts in your imagination. …
The Muckraker
Between the city walls, you build a reservoir for water from the old pool. But you never ask for help from the One who did all this. You never considered the One who planned this long ago. Isaiah 22: 11 Here’s a man going through life, looking down at his ambitions and problems, wearing himself ragged day and night. …
Since Jesus Grew, So Can I
Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. Luke 2:52 New thought: Jesus, the creator of wisdom, grew in wisdom. I can follow his example. Once I have wisdom, I can continue growing in it. Like a tree. An evil person grows into an evil tree. A fool grows into a …
Hey you! Yes, you…
And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his …
God’s Grip
That’s right. Because I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go. I’m telling you, ‘Don’t panic. I’m right here to help you.’ Isaiah 41:13 This is one of my go-to versus when I am in the trenches battling through adversity. It gives me strength and settles me down. My instincts are to panic, …
Energy Management
From Ephesians 4 So, stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. We’re moving through life inside our bodies and spirits. I can’t be you and you can’t be me. Our spirits connect through words, what we tell each other. When we tell each other truth, we have …
Even From Prison
I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only …
Be for Jesus, Who’s for the World
This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. Colossians 1:6 When we truly encounter Jesus, we change. We don’t need lengthy training. That’s what …
The Real Enemy
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:11,12 I’ve been thinking about the Armor of God. The armor protects …
The Wise Invite Rebuke
Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. Proverbs 29:1 It takes humility to let a rebuke sink in and alter your perspective. The temptation is to lock down and start counting the other person’s faults after a reprimand or a piece of harsh feedback. When we do that, the negativity digs a pit in our …
Loving as Jesus Loved
Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. John 13:1 Jesus is the best example to follow in anything in life. Jesus taught us that love is the most important thing. Love is the healthy …
When I’m Down
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me. Micah 7:8 I know Satan wants to take me out. Perhaps that’s why I struggle so much with fear, feeling weak, and inner darkness. Micah 7:8 is my sometimes go-to verse when I’m …
Don’t Complain
Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:14-15 Complaining about circumstances actually makes things worse, Benefits of not complaining: Better attitude, happier and attract positive people Sleep better Better health More …
Mother Wisdom
“To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,” Proverbs 8:4, 10 NIV How true, that wisdom surrounds us every day, it’s not hiding and it’s not available to just a select few. To stay sharp our ears and heart must always be …
