DID YOU KNOW Did You Know? Partiality often begins with perception before it becomes behavior. James speaks directly to a weakness that can slip into the heart almost unnoticed. We may not think of ourselves as people who show favoritism, but we often measure people before we love them. We notice who seems useful, attractive,Continue reading “The Grace That Refuses Favorites”
Category Archives: Experiencing God
Peace That Does Not Need Calm Weather
On Second Thought “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 There is a kind of peace the world understands, but it is usually peace by subtraction. Remove theContinue reading “Peace That Does Not Need Calm Weather”
When God Is Working Where We Cannot See Him
DID YOU KNOW Did You Know? God does not need favorable circumstances to accomplish His will. The story of the ark in 1 Samuel 5 reminds us that God’s authority is never limited by human control. The Philistines thought they had captured Israel’s sacred object, but they misunderstood what stood before them. The ark ofContinue reading “When God Is Working Where We Cannot See Him”
Peace Was Made While We Were Still Enemies
On Second Thought “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10 Romans 5:1–11 brings us to one of the most needed truths in the Christian faith: peace with God is not something weContinue reading “Peace Was Made While We Were Still Enemies”
Finding Stability When Life Refuses to Stand Still
DID YOU KNOW Did You Know? God often grows your faith through the very conflicts you would rather avoid. When we read the opening chapter of James, we immediately encounter one of the most challenging commands in the New Testament: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations [trials]; knowing this,Continue reading “Finding Stability When Life Refuses to Stand Still”
When Strong Becomes Small
On Second Thought One of the most repeated sayings in popular culture is, “God helps those who help themselves.” It sounds practical, responsible, and even biblical. Yet those words never appear in Scripture. In fact, the gospel teaches almost the opposite. God delights in helping those who realize they cannot save themselves. The doorway intoContinue reading “When Strong Becomes Small”
God Can Make Grace Grow in Hard Ground
DID YOU KNOW Did You Know? God can redeem the trouble created by human weakness. Elkanah’s household in 1 Samuel 1 was not a picture of peaceful spiritual order. His marriage to two wives brought tension into the home, and the rivalry between Peninnah and Hannah became a source of deep grief. Scripture says ofContinue reading “God Can Make Grace Grow in Hard Ground”
Small Faith, Mountain Roads
On Second Thought Jesus said in Matthew 17:20, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” That verse has encouraged generations of believers, but it has also been misunderstood. Mustard seedContinue reading “Small Faith, Mountain Roads”
The Example Others Are Already Following
DID YOU KNOW Did You Know? Someone is learning how to follow Christ by watching you. Whether we realize it or not, God has woven imitation into human nature. Children absorb the attitudes of their parents long before they understand their words. New believers often learn the rhythms of Christian living by observing mature believers.Continue reading “The Example Others Are Already Following”
The Battle You Cannot Win Alone
On Second Thought One of the most frustrating discoveries in the Christian life is realizing that our greatest enemy often lives much closer than we imagined. We may expect temptation to come from an ungodly culture, difficult people, or spiritual opposition, yet Paul points us inward. In Romans 8 he describes the conflict between theContinue reading “The Battle You Cannot Win Alone”