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Is God a “One Size Fits All” Kind of God?
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.netOur wonderful God is not a "one size fits all" kind of God. Sometimes I forget that and think things like:Well, God responded to my friend that way, so He'll respond the same way to me.Well, God is "the same yesterday, today and forever,"...
Worry Is Not Benign
We were created to walk in fellowship with God, trusting Him for everything in our lives. We were not created with the capability of carrying the heavy load of worry. Many people think of worry as just an innocuous way to spend time but it is actually destructive....
Are You Thinking or Worrying?
Sometimes when I’m worried, I feel like a fog of fear and anxiety is swirling all around me, blocking out the ability to think clearly and trust God. It quickly fuels responses like complaining, grumbling, being self absorbed and selfish, or making a quick decision...
I Should Have Gotten a Ticket
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.netI just finished reading Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian. I highly recommend his book. His main emphasis is on how to live in "grace" throughout your Christian life, not just at the point of salvation.He closes with a...
Job’s Repentance, Version Two
Congratulations to Janie who won a copy of Mary Englund Murphy's Bible study book on Joseph. Thank you to everyone who put your name into the raffle. We started our study of Job with a focus on a resistant or hardened heart. Job has shown us the solution for such...
Is God Ever Satisfied?
In our last post about a resistant or hardened heart, we read of Job's repentance (Job 40:3-5). If we hadn't already read through the end of this biblical book, we would expect that now God would say, "Good job, Job! Your repentance is complete. Now I have blessings...
Book Give-Away! Bible Study About Joseph
I'm so pleased to make available a copy of a new Bible study by Mary Englund Murphy entitled Joseph: Beyond the Coat of Many Colors. This book won the 2012 SELAH award for best Bible study. To put your name into the raffle for an autographed copy of Mary's book,...
Is Human Trafficking Occuring Around You?
AND the winner is Stephanie! She will receive a free copy of Gettin' Old Ain't for Wimps by Karen O'Connor. Thank you to everyone who put their name in for the raffle. Congratulations, Stephanie! Last weekend, Larry and I hosted a couple who are experts in...
It’s Shocking to Fall!
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.netMy five-year-old grandson Raphael was standing on a beach boogie board on the wet sand as tiny wavelets circled around him. The tide was slowly rising and before he knew it, there was enough of a wave that went under the board and raised...
Book Give-Away! Gettin’ Old Ain’t for Wimps!
Let's take a break from studying Job for a book give-away! I'm so pleased to be able to recommend my friend, Karen O'Connor's book, Gettin' Old Ain't for Wimps! This is a delightful book. In the past, it was offered as a softcover book. Now Harvest House Publishers...
Listen! Job Speaks!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.netFinally! We hear Job speak! Job 40:3-5 says, Then comes Job's reply, Then Job answered the Lord and said, “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?I lay my hand on my...
God’s Creative Questions
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.netAs we continue to move through the book of Job to help us resist a resistant or hardened heart, we find God's next comments to Job centered on His formation of animals. He started with His creation of earth and the heavens. Now...
Being Dumb-Struck is Good Medicine
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.netIn my last post, I began talking about a resistant or hardened heart which is based upon questioning God's transcendence, power, and knowledge. And overall, is a questioning of His sovereignty as we saw in God's response to Job....
Surrendering a Resistant Heart
Do you sometimes recognize in yourself a resistant heart to the Lord? Or maybe it's even as strong as a hard heart? I know that I've been convicted of that and I'm grieved by it. At the time, it's seems impossible to change my heart. At times, I don't even want my...
Basket Give-Away! “Parables & Word Pictures”
(Find out at the end of this post how you can put your name in to possibly win a basket full of products.) I'm so pleased to recommend to you Cheri Cowell's new Bible study book, Parables and Word Pictures from the New Testament. It is a 13-week workbook-style study...
Am I Writing Heresy? Your Opinion, Please!
Can something so good like your Quiet Time with the Lord become an idol? I was wondering that myself the other day and began to imagine a conversation like this.I'm talking to a friend and I say, "Golly, I'm feeling disgruntled today. I didn't have time for my Quiet...
The Final Two Strategies! Whew!
Free images from FreeDigitalPhotos.netToday, we're coming to the final two self-protective sinful strategies of the Edomites and possibly us! They are wisdom and strength. Here's Obadiah 8-9: “Will I not on that day,” declares the Lord,“ Destroy wise men from EdomAnd...
When Friends Fail You
(Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanz. Located in Milan, Italy) Well, are you hanging in here with me? Facing our self-protective sinful strategies can be hard work because it seems so threatening. And maybe it even feels like I'm being picky. Or hard-hearted....