On Second Thought There are many things that can interrupt a prayer life. A ringing phone. A restless mind. A sudden responsibility that seems urgent and unavoidable. We intend to pray, but life crowds in. What begins as a sacred moment can quickly become a postponed intention. Daniel 6 quietly confronts us with a differentContinue reading “Windows Open Toward Jerusalem”
Tag Archives: Christian perseverance
Anchored or Adrift?
On Second Thought There is something unsettling about the word drift. It does not sound rebellious. It does not sound dramatic. It sounds almost harmless. A boat does not announce that it is leaving the dock; it simply moves with the current. A heart rarely declares that it will abandon Christ; it simply loosens itsContinue reading “Anchored or Adrift?”
Faithful to the Vision When the Cost Is Clear
A Day in the Life There is a quiet gravity in Paul’s words before King Agrippa: “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19). This is not the language of triumphalism or self-congratulation. It is the measured testimony of a man looking back over decades of obedience that were costly,Continue reading “Faithful to the Vision When the Cost Is Clear”
When Faith Walks Ahead of Answers
On Second Thought Life has a way of confronting us with unanswered questions that linger far longer than we expect. A promotion delayed without explanation, a relationship fractured despite sincere effort, a calling that feels affirmed yet strangely postponed—these moments unsettle us not because they are painful alone, but because they are unclear. We canContinue reading “When Faith Walks Ahead of Answers”
When the Past Refuses to Let Go
The Bible in a Year “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” (Genesis 19:26) As we continue our journey through Scripture, the brief and unsettling account of Lot’s wife arrests our attention precisely because of its simplicity. There is no long dialogue, no recorded defense, no explanationContinue reading “When the Past Refuses to Let Go”
Abiding Assurance When the World Presses In
As the Day Begins “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 The assurance John offers in this brief, but weighty sentence is not a denial of the pressures we face, nor is it a sentimental attempt to soften the sharp edges of life. It isContinue reading “Abiding Assurance When the World Presses In”
When Faith Is Surrounded but Not Defeated
DID YOU KNOW “O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no deliverance for him in God.’ Selah. But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.” (Psalm 3:1–3, NASB) Psalm 3 isContinue reading “When Faith Is Surrounded but Not Defeated”
Holding Faith and Truth Together at Day’s End
As the Day Ends “In every situation take the shield of faith … and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.” Ephesians 6:16–17 As evening settles in and the noise of the day begins to fade, the words of Paul invite us to reflect not on what we accomplished, but on how weContinue reading “Holding Faith and Truth Together at Day’s End”
Standing Firm at the Edge of Eternity
Thru the Bible in a Year As we come to 2 Peter, we are reading words written at the edge of a faithful life. This second letter is not theoretical theology offered from a distance; it is pastoral urgency shaped by the knowledge that Peter’s own martyrdom is near. There is a gravity here, butContinue reading “Standing Firm at the Edge of Eternity”
Standing Secure When the World Shakes
On Second Thought Advent is a season that teaches us how to wait faithfully in a world that does not feel stable. We light candles while headlines grow darker, we sing of hope while grief remains close at hand, and we confess that Christ will come again even as chaos seems to multiply around us.Continue reading “Standing Secure When the World Shakes”