What is your view of Father God? We often see God through our father filters. Was your natural father distant, abusive, critical, a disciplinarian? My father was 49 when I was born. He was raised in rural Mississippi and his mother passed away when he was very young. He grew up without the softening touch of a mom. He was a great provider for our family but I have no...
The Challenge Week 4 Day 5
Today is today, all day today. Tomorrow eventually becomes today. The only moment that will never become today is yesterday. Paul quoting Isaiah declared, “Today (now) is the Day of God’s favor. Today (now) is the day of Salvation. Paul was encouraging us not to minimize the power of God’s grace in our lives. We are co-workers with God All-Mighty. Therefore we can experience God’s grace in every situation in...
The Challenge Week 4 Day 3
“Go into the promised land.” God instructed. But due to fear and unbelief, the people murmured, they complained, they accused God of sending them into defeat and ultimately death. They did not trust the Lord. In response to their unbelief, Moses wrote a prayer. We call it Psalm 90. It is believed that the people were to recite this daily or the priest were to recite at the tabernacle service....
The Challenge Week 4 Day 2
Are you crying out to God for help? For a job? On behalf of your child? For your marriage? David began Psalm 5 with a lament, petitioning God to answer his cry. He ends with a declaration of faith: “Surely Lord you bless the righteous. You surround them with your favor as with a shield.” Favor is shown delight, acceptance, good pleasure. So we can declare: Because of Jesus’ atoning...
The Challenge – Week 3 Day 5
What do you tell a church plaqued with immorality, dissension, and carnality? What is God speaking to all of His children today? 1. May the Lord be kind to you and bless you with peace. 2. God has given you undeserved grace in Christ Jesus and has enriched you in every way. He helps you speak and has given you understanding. 3. You have every spiritual blessing needed as you...
The Challenge – Week 3 Day 4
You have everything you need to live a godly life. It was given to you when you said yes to Jesus. God gave us the power to share in His wonderful goodness. His nature has become part of us so that we can escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of the world. So do not believe the enemy’s lies that you cannot overcome that addiction, a life of...
The Challenge – Week 3 Day 3
David was a wanted man. Saul, his mentor and king, sought his life. He was exiled from his homeland. He tried to find refuge with his enemies, the Philistine, but had to fake insanity to escape. So David, this once prominent warrior of Israel, the man women sang songs about, now finds himself in a cave with 400 other societal rejects. What do you do when you are at your...
The Challenge – Week 3 Day 2
What is concerning you today? Your marriage? Your children? A financial problem? Your job? What is causing you worry or anxiety? About a year and a half ago, I was researching the cost of getting a book edited. It was overwhelming to me. At the same time I was toying with the idea of going on a missions trip. Together, but of these seemed like financial impossibilities. I had spent...
The Challenge – Week 3 Day 1
Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing On the other end of the phone was my dear friend. I could tell from the first hello, that she was in a difficult place. “Can I come over?” she somehow managed to inquire between the sobs. When she arrived we sat and talked. Well, she talked; I listened. I felt so inept. I had no words of wisdom to offer. No words to comfort....
The Challenge – Week 2 Day 5
You would be hard pressed to find a Christian who has not heard, “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” It is truth. It is biblical. But it’s not the WHOLE TRUTH. Yes, we have all sinned but we have all been justified through the shedding of His blood. Yes, we have all fallen short but we have all been made right with God when...