Promises for the Battle
Doug Knighton
Encouragements to Love #2—Recognizable Love
I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. If you have love for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples. John 13:34–35 We didn’t need to be able to read the name on the back of Fernando Valenzuela’s … Continue reading
Encouragements to Love #1—Cohesive Virtue
God insists that love characterize our lives as it does his. He wants love to be an affection that fills our hearts so that our hands engage in loving acts. The heart affection is what makes our hands’ actions authentic. Love is firstly the affection of the heart that arises as we view someone or … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About Learning from the Mistakes of Others, Part 2
Last week we considered the conversation between Jesus and Moses during the transfiguration experience. We saw that Moses warned Jesus to control his temper so that he would continue to demonstrate his love for the Father by being obedient to the point of death at the hands of those who opposed his ministry. This week … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About Learning from the Mistakes of Others
An old saying goes like this, “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from poor judgment.” But sometimes our poor judgment results in consequences that keep us from the learning what is necessary to developing good judgment. So, we would be wiser to “learn from the mistakes of others, because we will never live … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About Capturing Our Thoughts
Obeying the Lord involves not only our actions but our thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5 commands us to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” We can dwell on many ideas that contradict the knowledge of God set forth in Scripture. “Cast down imaginations and every high concept that exalts itself against the … Continue reading
Goodness #8—Praising Goodness
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of your majesty and on your wonderful works. Everyone shall speak of the power of your awesome acts; and I will tell of your greatness. They shall bubble over with the memory of your abundant goodness and shall sing joyfully of your righteousness. Psalm 145:5–7 Eternal Father, I … Continue reading
Goodness #7—Long-lasting Good
The Eternal is good. His extravagant kindness is everlasting, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:5 Our patience runs out. Our loyalty decays. Our generosity withers. Our mercy delays. Our devotion dies down. Our compassion goes flat. Our graciousness dwindles. Our lives are like that. … God’s is not! From eternity to eternity, God … Continue reading
Goodness #6—Good Discipline
It is for discipline that we endure; God deals with us as with children; what child is there whom a father does not discipline? … They disciplined us for the day, as seemed best to them, but God does so for our good, that we may receive a share of his holiness. Hebrews 12:7–10 Surgical … Continue reading
Goodness #5—Giver of Good
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? Luke 11:13 While it’s possible for us to give good gifts in spite of the evil in us, God gives good gifts because of the … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About Christmas Time!
Way back in 1965 I sang with four of my friends in the Oak Park and River Forest High School’s “Senior Follies.” One of the songs we performed was Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” But, as it turns out, Alphonse Karr was correct, “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” (the more … Continue reading
Promises for the Battle 