How is it that whenever you find yourself in a desperate situation, it seems to be in the middle of the night, on weekends, or other times when no one is available? Whether you need instant wisdom or just a shoulder to cry on, there really is someone who never sleeps, and is waiting for you with open arms at any time of the day or night. David cried out: "Let my cry come near to thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word." (Ps. 119: 169) Even David had doubts whether God was ...
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"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jer. 33: 3) Have you noticed that all over the internet, in bookstores, and on Oprah 'they' have found the secret? So-called hidden secrets are available for the ultimate in health, wealth and everything you need to lead a satisfied, wonderful and purposeful life. These secrets can be bought for big money, along with consultations by 'enlightened' persons. The plain truth is that there is ...
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Every day we have choices. From the car we drive, to the way we spend each minute of our day, we are constantly weighing options and making decisions. Sometimes we think things through, consider all the factors, and make a decision that we believe is the best one. But many times we find ourselves caught in the middle of what we want, what other people may want from us, and what God has planned. The problem that we often face is that we end up torn between what we want and what we think is ...
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A recent headline in the New York Times declared: "Long-Awaited Medical Study Questions the Power of Prayer." The story, originating with Associated Press and reported by major news outlets everywhere, said this work was the largest study of its kind. Involving more than 1,800 heart bypass patients in six medical centers for almost ten years, the Times report called it "the most scientifically rigorous investigation of whether prayer can heal illness." The result? Researchers found not only ...
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Dear Daughter, In my last letter I shared some thoughts about how to give your life direction. I would like to continue those thoughts. There is another important factor that shapes our lives. That factor is our spirituality, or our relationship with God. If you pray and ask God to use you and your life for his purposes, your prayers will be answered, if you are sincere. This is a submission to God and a willingness to walk through opened doors, or opportunities, to serve God and others. If ...
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b>And How We Use It In our modern world of science, we're sometimes tempted to think of prayer, petition, and merit as a mathematic equation. "Pray about X for Y number of hours, fasting for W days, and X will be answered." We've come to expect an immediate answer to our problems...like a simple program that has occasional bug, but generally works well with a few clicks of the mouse. This kind of error is one that puts limits on God. We end up thinking of Him as a reaction to us, as opposed ...
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I rolled from one pillow to the next, twisting about under a sheet, trying to get comfortable. My ankles swollen and small contractions were coming on like a bad case of hiccups. My due date was five days away and I suffered with nagging heartburn all day. While my physical body was aching, the worse pain resonated deep within my heart. Today was the day my doctor informed me the baby inside me, had passed away. The cord wrapped itself around her neck, and the doctor could not find a heartbeat. ...
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I believe strongly that prayer and scripture are two of the most powerful tools for the Christian. Much of my writing centers around these. But there are many times that I can identify with the father who brought his son to Jesus in Mark 9:14-24. "I believe, but help my unbelief." How many of us read the Bible's precious promises and pray over troublesome situations, just to have the fear and worry return as soon as we're done? How much are we actually trusting God? It is difficult to let go of ...
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PRAYER! This is probably one of the two most important aspects of our daily walk as a Christian. The other, of course, is Bible Study. Prayer is the one way that we, as Christians, can commune with God on a daily basis. It is as important to our spiritual health as is water and air to our physical well-being. It is absolutely necessary that the Christian spend time in earnest prayer. Remember, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The ...
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I recently sat with a friend, Jeremy, and his three-year-old son, Jeremiah, at a local restaurant. Jeremy and I had already finished eating and were talking about the Rockets as Jeremiah paid close attention to everything in the restaurant but the meat on his plate. Dad kept reminding the child that he still needed to finish his lunch. Each time Jeremy spoke to him, Jeremiah would briefly return to his food, but after a small bite he'd go back to playing with the salt shaker or giggling with ...
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