Everybody has that sudden, painful longing for yesterday, when they didn’t know how good they had it, just before the world fell in.”- Kyle Idleman Kyle Idleman continues Chapter 2 of The End of Me with an example the Bible offers to help us figure out what Jesus means when He uses the word mourning. […]
Today John Ortberg discusses the first two reasons why some doors remain closed to us (Chapter 9, All the Places to Go). 1. Knocking at the wrong door. Pastor Ortberg states that sometimes doors are closed because we want the wrong thing. Throughout the Bible we see closed doors in response to wrong requests. As […]
As John Ortberg continues Chapter 3 of All the Places to Go, he posits that actually noticing people leads to open doors. He states: “Doors open when I actually notice and care about people I might otherwise overlook.” Pastor Ortberg relates a story he read about a woman who locked her keys in her car. […]
“The divine ‘go’ comes into every life, but we must be willing to leave before we’re willing to go.”- John Ortberg In Chapter 2 of All the Places to Go, John Ortberg notes that there’s an entire field of study in the social sciences based on the psychology of regret. Regret changes over the course […]
“. . . I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all -peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”- Genesis12:2-3 In Chapter 2 of All the Places to Go, John Ortberg […]
Moving on in Chapter 2 of All the Places to Go, John Ortberg observes that open doors aren’t’ always well-marked. In other words, when God does call, the call isn’t always clear. Pastor Ortberg states that, as a general rule, God gives information on a need-to-know basis. And God makes the decision as to who […]
The Grave Robber (Baker Books, 2014) Mark Batterson’s most recent book is titled The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible. The book is based on seven miracles of Jesus reported in the gospel of John. Each miracle represents a different dimension of Jesus’ power. The prerequisite for a miracle is a problem, […]
John Ortberg continues Chapter 1 of All the Places to Go with the observation that often an open door begins with discontentment about the room we’re currently in. Although our strength may be small (Revelation 3:8), Pastor Ortberg states it’s comforting to know that God can open a door for anyone, not just the talented […]
“Lord . . . if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”- John 11:21-22 Mark Batterson states in Chapter 23 of The Grave Robber that many Christians only remember Christ’s resurrection at Easter. The other 364 days they live […]
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.”- Luke 11:34 In Chapter 19 (“Never Say Never”) of The Grave Robber, Mark Batterson begins his discussion of Jesus’ sixth miracle in the gospel […]
As Mark Batterson concludes Chapter 15 of The Grave Robber, he comments on an eighth miracle, the miraculous catch of fish (John 21:1-14) , tucked away at the end of John’s gospel. This miracle followed Jesus’ resurrection. The disciples had been fishing all night without luck. Then Jesus told them to try the other side […]
Today Charles Stanley completes his presentation of five reasons why the Lord allow us to experience enduring dark times. 2. To prepare you. Dr. Stanley notes that throughout Joseph’s thirteen years of enduring dark times in Egypt, God positioned him perfectly and spiritually for what would come next. Dr. Stanley explains that is true for […]