“What you think about in your unguarded moments reflects what your mind dwells upon. To keep your thoughts pure, you must guard what goes into your mind. The things you allow your mind to dwell on will be revealed by the way you live. If you focus on negative things, you will inevitably be a …
Some days, life is just hard. The days look dark. Uncertain times and stress mount high. An unexpected diagnosis or devastating loss can feel too difficult to face. Though we may realize our faith is most strengthened, not in the easy times of life, but in the most trying, it’s often hard to walk that out once we’re swirling in …
Most of us don’t like to humble ourselves. At least I don’t like to. And prayer is an act of humility. Prayer is an act of weakness. When we pray we admit to God that we desperately need help. That we’re weak and needy and not in control of all things. That we are not self-sufficient. But God …
“The life of a Christian is all about passion… Nothing is more powerful than when the Holy Spirit reveals the Son of God through the words of Scripture. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, every heart began to burn when God revealed Himself. When He unveils Himself and we have understanding of what He is …
Pray continually. What we think about prayer has a lot to say about what we think about God. For some, prayer is mainly an exercise in bringing our “list” before God, cluing Him into our needs (as if He somehow was not in tune with them in the first place). For others, prayer is our divine …
Prayerlessness is not fundamentally a discipline problem. At root it’s a faith problem. Prayer is the native language of faith. John Calvin called prayer the “chief exercise of faith” (quoted in “Enjoying Your Prayer Life,” 12). That’s why when faith is awake and surging in us, prayer doesn’t feel like a burden or an obligation. …
It’s often when we’re worried, anxious or overwhelmed that we cry out to God to speak to us. We look for His voice for guidance when we need something. The good news is that God is always wanting to hear from us and speak to us. God is constantly speaking to people. But too often, …
A breakthrough is a military concept. When one army is able to weaken its enemy’s forces to the point of collapse, a breakthrough occurs, allowing that army to invade and take its enemy’s territory. But in war a breakthrough only really matters if it occurs at a strategic location. And the evidence that a location …
Listen to the prayers of others. Listen to how they pray and what they say. The language they use reflects their understanding of God. Some refer to God as “Father” in their communication with Him reflecting a profound sense of intimacy. Others approach Him as “Sovereign God” or “Lord,” titles which suggest a healthy dose …
So many bad circumstances take place in this fallen world – such as illness, crime, accidents, and conflicts – that it’s easy to get so discouraged that you simply let it all happen without fighting it. But you actually have more control over bad situations than you may realize. Evil is behind much of the …
