Promises for the Battle
Just Thinking
I Was Just Thinking … About Jesus’ Perseverance
Jesus taught that the those who wanted to follow him would need to persevere to the end (Matthew 24:3). So we began our series about persevering in faith by acknowledging that sometimes we feel like giving up. When the pressure seems so unbearable that we’re ready to cave in, we need to fine tune our … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About the Springs of Life
A literal rendering of Proverbs 4:23 would be, “Above all that you guard, watch over your heart, for the springs of life issue from it.” It came as a shock, a surprise, when I realized that here God commands me to guard my heart with more concern than other valuable things: physical health, financial solvency, … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About Fearless Happiness
Just for Fathers Day We bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable [secure], undefiled [satisfying], and unfading [stable], kept in … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About “Keeping Myself in the Love of God”
In Jude, verse 21, I read the simple command: “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” This implies that God’s love for me remains constant and unchanging. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He loves me with an “everlasting love.” This command also implies that I can either remain in the sunshine of … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About the Trials of Palm Sunday
Shortly before the day that we now call Palm Sunday, Jesus walked into the village of Bethany and raised his friend, Lazarus, from the dead. This event did not go unnoticed. Word spread. This sign, as John’s gospel labels Jesus’ miracles, was the capstone of a series of signs that began when he turned water … 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
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
I Was Just Thinking … About Goodness and Holiness
In the midst of this series on goodness I thought it might be helpful to indicate the connections between God’s goodness and other qualities we associate with him. The following paragraphs, from some correspondence with a friend, provide some insights into these relationships that have been helpful to me: You asked if I would clarify the concept … Continue reading
Promises for the Battle 