DID YOU KNOW Fear has a way of making earthly power look larger than it really is. A hostile person can appear overwhelming. A threatening circumstance can dominate our imagination. A religious authority, employer, institution, diagnosis, financial crisis, or personal failure can begin to feel as though it has the final word over us. JesusContinue reading “When Fear Loses Its Authority”
Category Archives: Experiencing God
When the Battle Is Won by Surrender
On Second Thought There are battles in the Christian life that cannot be won by simply trying harder. We can discipline ourselves, change routines, avoid certain situations, and surround ourselves with better influences, and all of those things can be helpful. But when Scripture speaks about spiritual strongholds, it points us beyond ordinary self-improvement. PaulContinue reading “When the Battle Is Won by Surrender”
When Sin Stops Looking Dangerous
On Second Thought There is a reason Scripture never treats sin casually. Romans 6 does not describe sin as a harmless mistake, a personality quirk, or an unfortunate lapse in judgment. Paul describes it as something that seeks to reign. That word should make us stop and think. “Therefore do not let sin reign inContinue reading “When Sin Stops Looking Dangerous”
When Our Plans Get Ahead of God
DID YOU KNOW Planning is not the problem. Most of us need calendars, schedules, goals, budgets, appointments, and some reasonable sense of where we are going. The problem begins when planning becomes a substitute for dependence on God. Isaiah 30 exposes that danger with startling clarity. God speaks to His people as those who areContinue reading “When Our Plans Get Ahead of God”
When the Enemy Finds a Place to Stand
On Second Thought “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” — 2 Corinthians 10:3–4 There are battles we recognize immediately and others we barely notice. We know when someone opposesContinue reading “When the Enemy Finds a Place to Stand”
When Busyness Becomes a Substitute for Being with Jesus
DID YOU KNOW There is a strange temptation hidden inside busyness. We complain about being overwhelmed, yet at times we also wear our crowded schedules like badges of honor. Being needed can make us feel important. Having more to do than we can accomplish can convince us that our lives matter. The danger comes whenContinue reading “When Busyness Becomes a Substitute for Being with Jesus”
The Enemy Is Dangerous—But He Is Not God
On Second Thought There is a healthy kind of spiritual awareness, and there is an unhealthy kind. Scripture never invites us to become fascinated with Satan, obsessed with demons, or preoccupied with darkness. At the same time, the Bible does not tell us to pretend the enemy does not exist. Peter gives us a balancedContinue reading “The Enemy Is Dangerous—But He Is Not God”
When the Monsters in Our Minds Meet God
DID YOU KNOW Everyone has something that can make the heart tighten a little. Sometimes the fear is reasonable; sometimes it is difficult even to explain. The study for today uses the familiar image of Indiana Jones, who could face almost anything until a snake appeared. His reaction is humorous because most of us understandContinue reading “When the Monsters in Our Minds Meet God”
The Enemy Who Has Already Lost
On Second Thought There is something about fear that enlarges whatever we are looking at. A shadow becomes a threat. A possibility becomes a certainty. A difficult opponent becomes unbeatable. The same thing can happen spiritually when Christians think about Satan. Scripture does not encourage us to treat him casually, but neither does it permitContinue reading “The Enemy Who Has Already Lost”
Grace Was Free to Us—But It Was Never Cheap
DID YOU KNOW We often speak about the cost of discipleship, but before we ever consider what following Jesus may cost us, Scripture asks us to look carefully at what our salvation cost Him. Luke 9 brings those two truths together. Jesus tells His disciples that He will suffer, be rejected, be killed, and riseContinue reading “Grace Was Free to Us—But It Was Never Cheap”