“Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” 1 Samuel 16:7. What matters more, your actions or the heart behind those actions? Is it really the thought that counts? Sometimes, the action counts for a great deal, does it not? Can the father who never spends time with his childrenContinue reading “The Lord Looks on Your Heart (and Your Actions!). Zechariah 7:5-10.”
Tag Archives: Fasting
Lord, Teach Us to Fast. Ezra 8:21,23.
Every Sunday morning my father doled out an allowance to me of $3.50. I then put two quarters into an envelope for the offering plate. The envelopes (similar to the one pictured) were pre-printed with boxes to check off. As a child, I could not check all the boxes, but they reminded me of theContinue reading “Lord, Teach Us to Fast. Ezra 8:21,23.”
Fasting and Prayer. Isaiah 58:3-9.
Do you ever wonder why God does not answer your prayers? Do you blame God or assume that he must be ignoring you? God always hears our prayers. God can certainly answer our prayers. “Behold, the Lord’s arm is not shortened, that it cannot save. Neither is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. ButContinue reading “Fasting and Prayer. Isaiah 58:3-9.”
How Do I Get My Children to Follow the Lord? 2 Chronicles 24:24-25.
What do most immigrants to the United States want their children to do? Go to med school, of course! The idea has become such a stereotype, standup comics make millions telling jokes about it. But the stereotype is not untrue. Parents of every stripe, of every American ethnicity and culture have imagined their children asContinue reading “How Do I Get My Children to Follow the Lord? 2 Chronicles 24:24-25.”
Secrets of Prayer: Praying With Power. Mark 9:24.
Everyone wants to get results when they pray. To put it another way: we want God to give us what we want! And of course, that can be a selfish thing. If we need rent money, we might pray selfishly or we might pray selflessly, but either way—we really do need the money. And GodContinue reading “Secrets of Prayer: Praying With Power. Mark 9:24.”
Kick it Into High Gear. Matthew 17:21.
Vehicles move faster as you switch to higher gears. First gear is slow, but strong enough to tow you up a mountain. Second is a little faster, third faster still, and so on. If you need to go faster, you move to a higher gear. But you know what vehicle has a really high gear?Continue reading “Kick it Into High Gear. Matthew 17:21.”
DEDICATION. Luke 6:12.
Jesus was dedicated. But people say, “well, that kind of dedication is fine for Jesus, but not for me”? What if I told you to fast for forty days? I’m pretty sure you would argue His forty-day fast does not apply to you—because He IS Jesus, after all. And I might even agree. Jesus wasContinue reading “DEDICATION. Luke 6:12.”
If You’re Too Busy for God—You’re Too Busy. Nehemiah 9:3.
Are you too busy? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that most Americans work about forty hours a week. That is less than most people have worked, both in other nations and other times in history. But those of us blessed with shorter modern work weeks manage to fill our free time with otherContinue reading “If You’re Too Busy for God—You’re Too Busy. Nehemiah 9:3.”
Pray Like Nehemiah. Nehemiah 1:4-11.
A wise king surrounds himself with capable people. Pharaoh made Joseph second-in-command, Genesis 41:40-42. Nebuchadnezzar elevated the best of the Hebrews, young men “skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge,” bringing them into his service, Daniel 1:3-4. The same is true of Nehemiah. He was the king’s cupbearer, a position of great trust. ThereContinue reading “Pray Like Nehemiah. Nehemiah 1:4-11.”
REND YOUR HEARTS AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS. Joel 2:12-13.
I remember fighting with my brother as a small child. Mama stopped us from squabbling and insisted that we apologize to each other. We grumbled something. “Now say it again, and this time, say it like you mean it.” So we would apologize a second time, much more sweetly. We were learning a valuable lesson—oneContinue reading “REND YOUR HEARTS AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS. Joel 2:12-13.”
Household Words: 