GRACE – Household Words:

HOW TO BE OUTSTANDING. Galatians 1:15; Acts 9:20-22.

You know who is outstanding? The Apostle Paul. He wrote more books of the Bible than anyone. His understanding of law and grace is unmatched. He is the intellectual of intellectuals, a genius who used his gifts with total dedication. His secret? Two things. First, his passion was unrivaled. “I advanced in Judaism beyond myContinue reading “HOW TO BE OUTSTANDING. Galatians 1:15; Acts 9:20-22.”

WHEN GOD REDEEMS YOU AND MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL, DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU COME FROM. Ezekiel 16:4-14.

For some of us, humility is as simple as remembering how your life began. I remember being the hyperactive misfit who could not behave and in some classrooms was ostracized by both teachers and students. No matter what I might achieve in life, I will never forget where I came from—and I will not forgetContinue reading “WHEN GOD REDEEMS YOU AND MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL, DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU COME FROM. Ezekiel 16:4-14.”

HE IS MINDFUL. HE KNOWS. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.

When Hezekiah became king, he began reforms to bring God’s people back to the Lord. He got rid of idol worship and brought back the Passover. When it came time to celebrate it, however, many of the people were ritually unclean, but ate the Passover anyway, breaking God’s law. “But Hezekiah interceded, saying, ‘May theContinue reading “HE IS MINDFUL. HE KNOWS. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.”

THERE IS NOTHING MAGIC ABOUT GOD’S LAW. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.

The Harry Potter stories are the latest in a long line of fictional tales in which the power of a magic spell is determined by the speaker’s ability to say the right words in the right order—and even with the right accent. If you say the words incorrectly, either nothing happens, or something completely differentContinue reading “THERE IS NOTHING MAGIC ABOUT GOD’S LAW. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.”

Let Jesus Wash You Clean—Again and Again, Forever. Micah 7:19.

Hogs like to wallow in the mud. The muddy places they frequent are called “hog wallows.” But we are not hogs. People like to be clean. We shower every day, sometimes two or even three times. We wash our hands so often we stop counting. We have one type of soap for hands, another forContinue reading “Let Jesus Wash You Clean—Again and Again, Forever. Micah 7:19.”

Fresh Start.

I was a pouter. As a child, I could get mad about something at night and hold on to it till bedtime. But no matter how determined I was to stay mad, I knew that when I woke up it would be gone. Some nights I got mad at myself that I couldn’t STAY mad! Continue reading “Fresh Start.”

Fresh Start.

The Apple and the Tree.

You know the expression: Teachers say it about difficult parents, to explain the behavior of the children. People say it when the children of criminals become criminals themselves. Or when children raised by alcoholics become alcoholics: “THE APPLE DOES NOT FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.” Children follow the model placed before them. But there areContinue reading “The Apple and the Tree.”

Nation Shopping. Deut. 4:6,8-9.

A retired couple recently moved from the United States to Thailand. Why Thailand? Because their retirement income, meager by US standards, made them wealthy in Thailand. They bought a mansion in the country and hired both a maid and a cook. They lived like kings and traveled constantly, convinced they had discovered the secret toContinue reading “Nation Shopping. Deut. 4:6,8-9.”

The Seeds You Plant Determine What You Harvest.

After God promises blessings to the obedient, he promises curses to the disobedient. But one thing remains consistent: PEOPLE REAP WHAT THEY SOW. “If you do not observe My commands and you break My covenant, I will bring terror on you—wasting disease and fever that will cause your eyes to fail …. I will turnContinue reading “The Seeds You Plant Determine What You Harvest.”