Grace, Calling, and the Word That Reveals Him The Bible in a Year “And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh; for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” — 1 Samuel 3:21 As I walk through this passage, I am struck first by a single word—“again.” It isContinue reading “When God Speaks Again”
Tag Archives: Christian spiritual growth
When Silence Is Not Rejection
On Second Thought “Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” — Matthew 7:8 There is something unsettling about persistent prayer when the answer does not come quickly. In Luke 18:1–8, Jesus tells the story of a widow who refuses to stop asking, knocking, andContinue reading “When Silence Is Not Rejection”
Receiving What God Has Already Given
A Heart Made New As the Day Begins The Apostle Paul writes with clarity and invitation, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Greek phrase kainē ktisis (καινὴ κτίσις) does not describe a repaired life but aContinue reading “Receiving What God Has Already Given”
Knowing Him Personally
A Day in the Life “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” — John 17:3 When I read the prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17, I am always struck by how clearly He defines eternal life. Many people assume eternalContinue reading “Knowing Him Personally”
When Yesterday Becomes a Trap
DID YOU KNOW The Bible frequently reveals that spiritual growth requires more than remembering the past—it requires trusting God in the present. Many believers assume that nostalgia is harmless, a gentle longing for earlier seasons of life. Yet Scripture often presents a different picture. When nostalgia replaces trust, it can quietly undermine faith and leadContinue reading “When Yesterday Becomes a Trap”
The Quiet Danger of Pride
As the Day Ends “We may be afraid to ask God to keep us humble. Why are we not far more frightened of what pride can do?” As this day comes to a close, that question lingers in the quiet of the evening. Pride rarely announces itself loudly. It slips in subtly—through self-sufficiency, defensiveness, orContinue reading “The Quiet Danger of Pride”
Knowing God Beyond Strength
As the Day Begins “Wisdom is better than strength.” — Ecclesiastes 9:16 The ancient preacher of Ecclesiastes lived in a world not unlike our own, where strength was admired, authority was visible, and power was measurable. Armies won battles, wealth commanded attention, and influence secured outcomes. Yet in the midst of this reality, the TeacherContinue reading “Knowing God Beyond Strength”
What’s Really Blocking the Way
Scripture consistently teaches that what stands between us and God is rarely what we first assume. We often imagine external obstacles—rules, failures, religious expectations, or even other people. Yet when we trace the biblical witness from Sinai to the Samaritan well, a deeper pattern emerges. God’s concern is not merely that we have broken commandments,Continue reading “What’s Really Blocking the Way”
When the Soil Shifts Beneath the Soul
On Second Thought There is a quiet danger in the life of faith that Scripture names with unsettling clarity but rarely dramatizes. It is not rebellion in the obvious sense, nor outright rejection of God, but a slow, almost imperceptible drifting—what we might call spiritual slippage. The prophet speaks to this condition with a hopefulContinue reading “When the Soil Shifts Beneath the Soul”
When God Interrupts the Ordinary
On Second Thought There are moments in the life of faith when routine devotion no longer feels sufficient, not because it is wrong, but because the soul longs for renewal rather than repetition. Scripture names this longing without embarrassment. David’s prayer in Psalm 23 is not the cry of a man unfamiliar with God, butContinue reading “When God Interrupts the Ordinary”