How to Heal from Betrayal
A while back, I received this desperate text from a hurting friend. She had discovered that some ministry leaders she greatly admired and who had played a significant role in…
A while back, I received this desperate text from a hurting friend. She had discovered that some ministry leaders she greatly admired and who had played a significant role in…
He is aliiiiive! He is aliiiiive!” It was Easter Sunday morning. My five-year-old nephew was to be baptized that day. “Nana” had flown into town to share in the occasion. As…
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the…
People can be perturbing. Marriage and family life would be a lot less stressful if husbands and children didn’t sometimes act irresponsibly or disregard our feelings or instructions. Ministry would…
A while back, I received this desperate text from a hurting friend. She had discovered that some ministry leaders she greatly admired and who had played a significant role in…
“He is aliiiiive! He is aliiiiive!” It was Easter Sunday morning. My five-year-old nephew was to be baptized that day. “Nana” had flown into town to share in the occasion. As…
People can be perturbing. Marriage and family life would be a lot less stressful if husbands and children didn’t sometimes act irresponsibly or disregard our feelings or instructions. Ministry would…
As a child of God, you have a very special relationship with other Christians. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians pictures this relationship in two different ways. First, every believer is…
Seasons of adversity—economic or otherwise—do not catch God off guard. He knows everything that is going on in our world. He also knows what lies ahead. He is orchestrating all…
Revive Our Hearts Day 1: What You’ll Find Between the Covers We’re so glad you have taken the challenge to read the Bible daily for the next thirty days. It’s…
Pop spirituality re-defines certain Christian terms. New Age and Eastern mysticism often use words that seem or sound Biblical, but are not. God, Christ and redemption mean something quite different.…
Lies About God God is not really good. God doesn’t love me. God is just like my father. God is cruel and overbearing. God is not really enough. God’s word…
Mary embodies the faith in God we all need. How did she cope with her challenges? How did she face the future?
Why should a Christian seek wisdom? Why is it so critical to our daily lives? 1. Wisdom provides a sense of personal security, stability, and well-being. “My son . .…
Years ago I addressed a large conference for Christian workers on the topic of brokenness, I experienced a dramatic increase in invitations to speak at other gatherings. I was truly…
Encouragement is a powerful way to deepen your intimacy with your spouse and to reflect the loving character of Christ.
Brokenness is a surprising road to happiness and fulfillment! Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3)—i.e., the “broken ones,” those who recognize that they are spiritually bankrupt…
The small band of church leaders had been praying earnestly for revival in their community—a village on the Isle of Lewis, the largest isle of the Outer Hebrides, just off…
I remember talking years ago with a young mother who had a two-year-old child and one-year-old twins. She said with a sigh, “I was never an impatient person—until I had…
How do you know if your “first love” for Jesus is fading? Here are a few significant indicators that your love for Jesus may be waning, and an encouragement to…
Almost everyone tries to develop new habits and make improvements at the beginning of a new year. But by the time March rolls around, most of the diets have crashed…
One of my favorite biblical role models is Mary of Nazareth. In her life I have found a wealth of wisdom for my own walk with God. Her story illustrates…
MONDAY GRUMPY? Gratitude is learning to recognize and express appreciation for the benefits we have received from God and from others. Be on the lookout for blessings, making each day…
The curse of words includes words spoken by others (or even by yourself) that are intended to inflict harm or damage, to belittle you, or to wish you evil. Consider…
As I approached my 45th spiritual birthday, and considered the many precious gifts I have received in Christ, I was filled with joy and gratitude as I once again spent…
Do you look down on those who are less educated, less affluent, less refined, or less successful than yourself? Do you think of yourself as more spiritual than your mate,…
First of all, remember that if you plant purity today, you will reap a rich harvest, free from shame and guilt. And, by the grace of God, you’ll look back on…
How would you feel if distant relatives showed up unannounced on your doorstep with plans to stay for a week and were eager to take a tour of your house?…
As I have studied the Scripture, observed others’ lives, and seen deeper glimpses of my own heart over the years, I have come to realize that no one—no matter how…
What should you pray for your children? Pray a virtue a day: 1. Salvation—”Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in…
Gratitude is a choice. This 30-day guide will transform your thinking, your relationships and your walk with God.
I’d like to encourage you to keep track of what God does in your marriage over this next month. I hope you’ll take time to share what God does in…
HOW TO BE GOOD AND ANGRY “We are flawed people in relationships with flawed people, living in a fallen world, but with a faithful God. Christ in us will empower…
This message is one our culture preaches in earnest to girls and women, beginning in earliest childhood. It comes at us from virtually every angle: television, movies, music, magazines, books,…
“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Proverbs 14:1 Is there anything about my speech, actions, dress, or attitudes that could defraud…
Most of us are suffering the consequences of believing lies. Those consequences include broken relationships, fear, depression, self-loathing, and guilt, to name a few. The results of believing a lie…
Money Matters Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. (13:11)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.…
God has promised so many gifts for His children. Here are just a few. Gifts from Romans 5: 1. Justified by faith (v. 1) We have a right standing with…
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. The process of making an abortion choice, experiencing the procedure and living with the grief, pain and regret is certainly,…
Why should we seek God’s wisdom in our lives? 1. Wisdom provides a sense of personal security, stability, andwell-being.“My son . . . keep sound wisdom and discretion . .…
Prayer ideas for pastors include their spiritual lives, their ministry, their family and their influence on the community.
The words of Jesus to the seven churches reveal much about His will for the church universal. Using the guidelines in this passage, a prayer guide is developed to effectively…
Prayer ideas for pastors include their spiritual lives, their ministry, their family and their influence on the community.
We’ve got to be willing to be salmon swimming upstream. What do salmon do? They get bloodied and beat up on the rocks in order to give birth and produce…
Have you ever found yourself making (or thinking) any of the following statements? As you work through this exercise, consider how God may want to adjust your thinking as it…
Here are just a few indicators of pride and humility to help you discern where you are on your spiritual journey. Be patient. Surrender to the Holy Spirit and He…
Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended, and four in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion. At…
There are essentially two ways of responding to life’s hurts and unfair experiences. Every time we get hurt, we choose to respond in one of these two ways. The first,…
God’s Word gives us wonderful guidance on what attitudes and actions we are to display toward our spiritual leaders. Use the following questions to help evaluate how you can better…
One of the key words in the culture that confuses people today is the word tolerance. We must remember that tolerance is how we treat people, but rationality is how…
Now is the time for a movement of reformation and revival in the hearts and homes of Christian women all around this world. Now is the time to go against…
Some time ago, a woman came to the microphone at a conference and told of how, 14 years earlier, her adult daughter had been stalked and then viciously murdered by…
As I have studied the Scripture, observed others’ lives, and seen deeper glimpses of my own heart over the years, I have come to realize that no one—no matter how…
Seasons of adversity—economic or otherwise—do not catch God off guard. He knows everything that is going on in our world. He also knows what lies ahead. He is orchestrating all…
How can my words deceive others? We can often speak untruths in the name of “etiquette” or “fearing what others think. Here are just a few ways we can compromise…
Deception doesn’t usually come through this big, huge, ugly monster. then we wouldn’t buy into it. The Devil appears as an angel of light and offers lies in a subtle…
You don’t learn deception by going and scouting for deception. You learn about it by becoming immersed and saturated with the Word of God, knowing the Truth so that when…