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Biblical Stories of Godly Sorrow
In an earlier post, I asked you to think about biblical stories of godly sorrow. You'll remember that godly sorrow can be defined as grieving over another's sin and desiring their repentance. It most often includes giving grace and mercy to the person who doesn't...
Review of “When You Can’t Find God”
If you want to trust God more, especially in the dark places of life, the new book by Linda Evans Shepherd is for you. And don't we all want to trust God more? When You Can't Find God: How to Ignite the Power of His Presence (Revell, 2011) is her newest release and it...
The Practicality of Godly Sorrow
I'm sure that godly sorrow doesn't feel very practical. If godly sorrow is grieving over another's sin and desiring his repentance, how do we apply it? Actually, it is a very grace-filled response.For instance, you're giving some instruction to someone and without you...
The Motives of Godly Sorrow
Choosing godly sorrow is a challenge because when we are attacked, misunderstood, or hurt, everything within us wants to fight to stay in control of the situation or defend ourselves. But 2 Corinthians 7:1-16 gives us some insights into living in the Holy Spirit's...
Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!
We're talking about godly sorrow which can be defined as we grieving over another's sin and desiring their repentance. The opposite is getting offended, making it all about me, defending myself, attacking, withdrawing, taking revenge, telling others about that...
Are Your Feelings Hurt?
When someone hurts us or even irritates us, it's easy to react in an ungodly way because we want to defend ourselves and protect ourselves. We point the finger at him or her, thinking that takes the focus off of us--just in case we might be deserving of what they did...
What Do You Know about Homosexuality?
This is a high risk post because I want to review the book, Homosexuality and the Christian by Mark A. Yarhouse, PsyD. (Bethany House, 2010). I think it's a high risk post because I know there are many who have varying beliefs about homosexuality. I plan to read more...
Sitting in the Jury Box
(NOTE: My friend, Jim, who I mentioned several posts ago as fighting cancer, entered the presence of God on Tuesday morning. We are missing his big blue eyes, his teasing, his incredible skills as a handyman, and his relaxed and welcoming friendship. Please pray for...
Fighting the Defeated Foe
In my last post, I talked about resisting Satan and "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). The next day I was reading Daniel 7 and came across this verse:"''He [Satan] will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of...
Incoming! Accusations!
In my last post I talked about knowing the heart of another person. And wouldn't you know it...I was challenged to put this truth into practice. When Larry and I visited our friend who has cancer, I said something really stupid to him when we left. I mean, it seemed...
The Heart of Others
I promised you a second application to knowing God's ways but it's not really about God. It's about the heart of those you know. To review, I received a message from a friend on Facebook encouraging me to click on a link to find out who was visiting to my main page....
Do You Know God’s Ways or Just His Acts?
I received a message from a friend on Facebook encouraging me to click on a link to find out who was visiting to my main page. It seemed a little unusual for my friend to send such a thing so I ignored it. It "smelled" like a scam. Within a few moments, I noticed that...
God Sees and Hears and Knows YOU!
(Please note that if you would like to receive an email with my blog posts, you can put in your email address on the left side column where it says, "Subscribe via email." That way you'll make sure you don't miss a single post.)Larry and I have two friends, both named...
Would You Have Given Up On Jonah?
The biblical book of Jonah is a story of grace. God shows His graciousness in so many ways:1. calling Jonah to be His prophet even though He knew Jonah would run from His assignment2. saving the sailors in the boat where Jonah slept even though the sailors worshiped...
Flexibility Prevents Crashes
My sister, her grandson, and I are standing in front of the moat at the Imperial Castle in Tokyo, taken a few days before the earthquake. Our tourist guide pointed to the wall of rocks and said that it was 400 years old. She explained that the builders fashioned it to...
Review of “Words: A Novel” by Ginny Yttrup
I didn't mind the long flight to Japan because I read Words by Ginny L. Yttrup. I was as happy as a clam and didn't even sleep because I was so eager to read this book. And once I started, I didn't want to stop! It's an incredible book and you'll never want to stop...
Keep Grinning about Your Humility
While in Japan, I got the biggest kick out of the times I complimented a Japanese on their English speaking abilities. They just loved hearing that they spoke English well. I was really surprised at their joy in the compliment.At one point, my sister, niece, and baby...
Who in Your Life Needs Grace?
I'd gone to Japan to visit my niece, Kelly, whose husband is in the Navy and stationed at Yokosuka. Since the Japanese drive on the left side of the street, the base is also oriented that way, which of course is a challenge for all the Americans when they arrive...