Max Lucado bases his book A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through the Storm on the gospel of John. In Chapter 4, “Miracle at Midnight”, Max comments on John 16: 16-21, when the disciples were in a boat rowing toward Capernaum and Jesus hadn’t yet joined them. Even though a storm was brewing, Jesus didn’t arrive […]
In Chapter 7 (“Have Barbed-Wire Discipline”) of When Life’s Not Working, Pastor Bob Merritt compares enormous and seemingly insurmountable problems that most of us face to a big ball of barbed-wire that sat in his back yard for 15 years. He asks: “What is it in your life that seems so over whelming that every […]
Number 13 of the Evergreen Park Boys Club Pirates positioned himself in deep center field. As the Oriole batter stepped into the batter’s box, #13 knew what was coming. Earlier in the day that batter, a neighbor across the street, had walked up and announced: “I’m going to hit the ball over your head tonight!” […]
Dr. J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) founded a radio ministry entitled Thru the Bible in 1967. The program continues to be aired on over 400 radio stations in North America. In the program that aired Friday, April 13, 2012, Dr. McGee commented in part on John 16:33- “I (Jesus) have told you these things, so that […]
The newest book I’m reading is When Life’s Not Working by Bob Merritt, senior pastor of Eagle Brook Church in the Twin Cities area. In the introduction he states that all of us face two options in life- the hard life or the harder life. The author asserts that discipline is essential if you hope […]
In If You Want to Walk on Water . . . , John Ortberg says that the distinctive difference between Type T (thrill-seeking) and Type W (water-walking) personalities is that Type W’s have learned to wait before acting. When we step out in faith to accept God’s calling, we might immediately get confirmation of our […]
In his book Putting Your Past in Its Place, Stephen Viars applies that old adage, “Eat it today, wear it tomorrow” to issues of the heart. The inner feelings or emotions we demonstrate today will have lasting consequences unless we diligently apply God’s Word in our adversity. Dr. Viars cautions that: -Today’s reactions become tomorrow’s […]
John Ortberg ( If You Want to Walk on Water . . . ) relates this response by Abba Anthony, one of the Desert Fathers, when he was asked how a person would be able to please God. The first two pieces of advice Abba Anthony gave would not surprise practicing Christians- always keep your focus […]
It takes a concerted effort to be thankful or have a spirit of gratitude when going through a time of adversity. In such moments Paul’s words of encouragement to the Thessalonians to “give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18) remind us of God’s call for us to proclaim our trust in Him in good […]
When adversity comes, we can’t afford to indulge ourselves in negative thinking patterns. As Ann Spangler warns in The Peace God Promises: “. . . if we develop a pattern of negative thinking, we risk becoming ‘practical atheists’, people who call themselves Christians even though they think and act like atheists.” When you feel your […]
We often associate the New Year with a fresh start, carrying the hope that things will be prosperous or improved in the coming year. What are you hoping for this year- winning the lottery, finding that special someone, better health, a return to church work? In 1 Samuel 4 and 5, Israel goes into battle […]