As a little boy I was sensitive, artistic, bored, and bullied. I was in trouble ALL the time. But I had amazing parents—and a wild imagination. And there was this one crazy daydream that stuck with me, a theme I came back to constantly: I imagined that I was the center of my own “SECRETContinue reading “Daydreaming About Romans 8:28.”
Tag Archives: Rejoice always
Do You Have Afflictions? Romans 5:2-5.
Are you suffering from afflictions? We all do. This year I have suffered with allergies, a twisted ankle that took months to heal, an apparently arthritic elbow that has bothered me for over a year and only seems to get worse. Things on the job have been unusually difficult due to a recent merger, andContinue reading “Do You Have Afflictions? Romans 5:2-5.”
ROSE-COLORED GLASSES. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
When I was a child, John Conlee sang a song about perspective: “But these rose-colored glasses that I’m looking through, Show only the beauty, ‘cause they hide all the truth.” I remember asking, “What are rose-colored glasses?” Mama told me it means you don’t see the negatives. That is not a bad thing. If youContinue reading “ROSE-COLORED GLASSES. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.”
Do You Have a Strategy for Dealing With Hard Times? James 1:2-3.
I hate to suffer. Don’t you? It’s the worst. But the Bible says “Consider it all JOY my brethren, when you encounter various trials, because the testing of your faith produces endurance” James 1:2-3. Have you ever considered suffering to be joy? When you lose or fail, do you think of it as a positiveContinue reading “Do You Have a Strategy for Dealing With Hard Times? James 1:2-3.”
Parades. Nehemiah 12:31, 38-43.
When you think of Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations, what comes to mind? Alcohol. To honor the only holiday dedicated to a missionary, the world drinks green beer to excess. There are better ways to honor the saint. But people love a parade—and they love an excuse to imbibe. There are as many reasons for paradesContinue reading “Parades. Nehemiah 12:31, 38-43.”
I’ve Got Good News and Bad News. Jeremiah 29:5-14.
The bad news is, you have not received your number-one wish. Most people have not. Some wishes will not be fulfilled. All you can do is accept it and keep trusting the Lord. The Israelites were in trouble. God punished their continued idolatry by sending the nation into bondage. Jeremiah’s message went like this: TheContinue reading “I’ve Got Good News and Bad News. Jeremiah 29:5-14.”
You Worship Better When Things Are Hard. Habakkuk 3:17-19.
I love it when life is good, when I can sit back with family and friends and smile at how wonderful life is. Bills are paid, I have a little money in the bank, everyone is healthy and happy, work is done and we can relax and be thankful. And that’s real thankfulness. It’s genuine.Continue reading “You Worship Better When Things Are Hard. Habakkuk 3:17-19.”
Household Words: 