The Bible in a Year As I walk through the song of Deborah in Judges 5:17, I am struck not by the noise of battle, but by the silence of absence. The verse reads, “Gilead abode beyond Jordan… and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore…” This is not theContinue reading “When Good Things Become Greater Distractions”
Tag Archives: spiritual discipline
Windows Open Toward Jerusalem
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”
When the Word Outlives the Nation
On Second Thought “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” — Isaiah 40:8 There is something stabilizing about Psalm 119. When I read verses 33–40, I hear the steady heartbeat of a soul that knows where life is found. “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes…Continue reading “When the Word Outlives the Nation”
Step Away from the Tents
The Bible in a Year “He spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.” — Numbers 16:26 As we move through our year-long journey in Scripture, we come today to a sobering scene inContinue reading “Step Away from the Tents”
Always Looking for Him
A Day in the Life “And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.” — Mark 1:36 There is something quietly revealing about Mark’s brief statement that Simon Peter and the others “searched for” Jesus. The moment comes after a full and exhausting day of ministry in Capernaum—healings, teaching, crowds pressing in fromContinue reading “Always Looking for Him”
Standing Before the Water
Faithfulness When Obedience Is Costly The Bible in a Year “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he comes forth to the water; and say to him, Thus says the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.’” Exodus 8:20 As we continue ourContinue reading “Standing Before the Water”
Learning to Say No Without Losing the Heart
On Second Thought There is a quiet but persistent work that takes place in the life of anyone who walks with the Lord for more than a momentary season. Over time, desire itself begins to change. What once felt natural becomes uneasy; what once felt optional begins to feel necessary. Scripture names this inner reshapingContinue reading “Learning to Say No Without Losing the Heart”
When Obedience Costs Tonight but Blesses Tomorrow
As the Day Ends As the light fades and the pace of the day finally loosens its grip, obedience has a way of resurfacing in our thoughts—not as an abstract ideal, but as a lived tension. We often discover, only in the quiet of evening, how costly faithfulness can feel in real time. The statementContinue reading “When Obedience Costs Tonight but Blesses Tomorrow”
Following Without Looking Sideways
A Day in the Life of Jesus There is something deeply human—and quietly unsettling—about the moment recorded near the end of John’s Gospel when Peter turns his head. Jesus has just finished restoring Peter after the resurrection, speaking words of grace that reaffirm his calling and hint at the costly faithfulness that will one dayContinue reading “Following Without Looking Sideways”
Living the Gospel in the Gray Areas
Thru the Bible in a Year On this Lord’s Day, as we continue our journey through Scripture, Paul invites us into some of the most practical and challenging teachings in 1 Corinthians 8–11. These chapters speak directly to the questions Christians still wrestle with: How do I honor Christ in my personal decisions? How doContinue reading “Living the Gospel in the Gray Areas”