A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low, the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.”- Isaiah 40:3-4 Approximately 10 days before recording “Desert […]
Pastor John Ortberg posits in Chapter 4 of God is Closer Than You Think that the single most dangerous word in the English language is found in Exodus 8:10. When Moses asks Pharaoh when he should pray to remove the plague of frogs, Pharaoh answers “tomorrow”. The author adds that Pharaoh had learned that he […]
“This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”- Psalm 118:24 “For his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”- Lamentations 3:22-23 In Chapter 4 of God is Closer Than You Think, John Ortberg emphatically asserts that now is the greatest moment of […]
As John Ortberg concludes Chapter 3 of God is Closer Than You Think, he returns to the story of Jesus’ visit with Mary and Martha, reflecting that much of our life will be spent “in the kitchen with Martha”- the busyness of life. To be covered with the dust of the rabbi, we must learn […]
In Chapter 3 of God is Closer Than You Think, author John Ortberg states that worry is the prime indicator that we, like Martha, are not living in the presence of God. Pastor Ortberg continues by describing the subtle and insidious nature of worry: “Sometimes in our Martha moments we live under the illusion that […]
At the beginning of Chapter 3 (“Life with God”) of God is Closer Than You Think, author John Ortberg discusses Luke’s account of Jesus’ visit to the home of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Pastor Ortberg notes that the story isn’t about personality types, but rather a contrast between a fundamental Decision and a fundamental […]
As John Ortberg concludes Chapter 2 of God is Closer Than You Think, he suggests that when we sense God’s hiddenness, He is up to something. that sense of God’s hiddenness often is amplified during transitional periods following a ministry downsizing or job loss. If only God would relieve our anxiety by acting quickly! It […]
In Chapter 2 of God is Closer Than You Think, author John Ortberg contrasts rainbow days with ordinary days. Rainbow days are days when God’s presence is unmistakable. Wise people learn to treasure rainbow days as gifts and store them up to recall during those times when God seems more elusive- those ordinary days. The major […]
John Ortberg begins Chapter 2 (“Where’s Waldo?”) of God is Closer Than You Think with the following quote from Armand Nicholi on experiencing God’s presence: “We may ignore, but we cannot evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always easy to penetrate. […]
To conclude Chapter 1 of God is Closer Than You Think, Pastor John Ortberg presents 12 guiding principles for practicing God’s presence, which he titles “Foundational Truths of My Life with God”. He encourages people to read through the principles every morning for 2 weeks. I have selected/highlighted 5 significant principles for discussion. The author’s […]
In Chapter 1 of God is Closer Than You Think, author John Ortberg recalls the story of Elisha and his servant, as told in 2 Kings 6:8-23. The servant was terrified because they were in the city of Dothan surrounded by Israel’s enemies. After Elisha calmed his servant, he prayed: “O Lord, open his eyes so […]
We’re all familiar with the song “Jacob’s Ladder”. In Chapter 1 of God is Closer Than You Think, author John Ortberg states that the song gets the story wrong. The ladder isn’t for human beings to climb up, it’s for God to come down. God still is in the business of coming down to earth. […]