“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1)
It’s so easy (and natural) to let this physical world and the circumstances around us dictate our level of confidence and peace. The COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example of this, as for many this novel coronavirus is planting seeds of fear, anxiety, and despair in our hearts.
(more…)“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:16-17)
Not too long ago, my children started following our church’s daily Bible reading plan along with my wife and I. It’s been such a blessing spending family time with them each day, praying, discussing what we’ve read, and sharing what the Lord has put on our hearts.
One of the things I taught my children to do each day before they start reading the Word, is to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide them and give them wisdom, insight, and understanding that can only come from Him. (more…)
“If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.” (Prov. 28:9)
Obedience to the Lord is a direct conduit to our effectiveness in communicating with Him. God has a voice, and in the Bible you’ll see that there are a variety of ways in which He chooses to speak to us. Are we willing to listen? (more…)
“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” (Prov. 27:19)
In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus describes to us how we are to recognize a tree and its fruit, or in other words, a person and their heart. While he opens the passage pointing to false prophets, the same principle applies to all, especially to those claiming to be of God. (more…)
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Prov. 4:23-27)
This is great instruction, and as Proverbs 4:13 says, “Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.” But I’ll be honest, a lot of this is really hard to do. Actually, it’s impossible to consistently follow this and the other instruction given throughout Proverbs (let alone in the rest of the Bible), on our own. (more…)
SING THE WORD 