Want more joy in your day? Cultivate it! Joy springs from viewing the day’s events from eternity’s perspective. With this intentional focus, you’re sure to see today differently—with more joy and conviction that God is at work in your life. 1. Rehearse with God the reasons you trust Him. Tell Him which of His attributes […]
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The Freedom of Forgiving
Have you been hurt so deeply that you feel trapped by the pain? Living with the memories of the offense feels like you’re locked in a stone fortress. Roaming the dark hallways, you search for an escape from the looming images of betrayal that line the walls. No way out appears, save one—the way of […]
Read MoreAn Anniversary America Will Never Forget
The date September 11, 2001, is forever etched in the national memory of the United States. That morning stands as the never-to-be-forgotten morning when time stood still. Wherever we were, we stared in horror and confusion. With calculated and unconscionable malice, beastly terrorists stabbed our nation repeatedly in the heart—at the World Trade Center in […]
Read MoreGetting Past Guilt: Overcoming Barriers to Feeling Forgiven
Puritan minister Richard Baxter warned about the emotional toll of carrying unnecessary guilt: “That sorrow, even for sin, may be overmuch. That overmuch sorrow swalloweth one up.”1 In his wonderful old English, Reverend Baxter captured the feelings of people who have not experienced forgiveness. Grief over past sins plunges them into a depth of sorrow. […]
Read MoreA Good Man or the God-Man? The Case for the Deity of Jesus
“Who do people say that I am?” (Mark 8:27) Jesus asked this question two thousand years ago, and the answers are still coming in: a rabbi who preached compassion, a brilliant leader who touched the hearts of thousands, a misunderstood innovator who died as a martyr. His enemies said He was a devil, a rabble-rouser […]
Read MoreWhat Do I Do When I Feel Lonely?
Question: I don’t like coming home to my apartment. It’s cold and dark. The first thing I do is turn on the television just to hear some human voices. I eat alone, flip channels, maybe do a little reading, and then go to bed. I’ve been in and out of relationships, and none of them […]
Read MoreDependence
For most of us, asking for help is difficult. I really don’t prefer it; some of you may not as well. Yet, God lets us know time and time again that we need help. After all, He refers to us most often as sheep—the most difficult and demanding of any livestock on earth. Admitting need […]
Read MoreFirm Footing for Life’s Landslides
Few things are more beautiful than Southern California after a heavy winter rainstorm. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, the crisp, clean Los Angeles basin is embraced by snow-coated mountains. However, when the mountains and hills are saturated with water, dangers are not far behind. Years ago, one specific winter was exceptionally stormy. […]
Read MoreCommence Prayer
This actually happened years ago. It was in 1968 on an airplane headed for New York—a routine and normally very boring flight. But this time it proved to be otherwise. As they were on their descent pattern, the pilot realized that the landing gear was not engaging. He messed around with the controls, trying again […]
Read MoreHow Do I Survive Losing a Loved One?
Question: My wife died in a car accident about two months ago, and I am really struggling. The church has been helpful, but in recent weeks the phone has stopped ringing and the meals have stopped coming. I try to keep busy with the kids, but when it’s quiet, all I can think about is […]
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