In Ephesians 3:17, Paul says, “May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.” The supreme surprise of God’s love is that it has nothing to do with you. “God is love” the scripture says. God loves you because he is he. You don’t influence God’s love. Your actions don’t alter his devotion. Success signals God’s love no more than struggles indicate the lack of it. When you feel unloved, take a trip to the cross and look at Jesus, cross-nailed and thorn-crowned. Choose God’s love. For the sake of your heart. The prayer is powerful … Listen Now
According to Psalm 91:14, “The LORD says, ‘I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.’” God is your guardian, separating you from evil. So, why do bad things happen to us? You and God may have different definitions for the word bad. God not only read your story…he wrote it. His perspective is different and his purpose is clear. He uses struggles to toughen our spiritual skin. James urges us to “consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides…Let it do its work so you … Listen Now
Two adjectives capture the biblical image of angels: many and mighty. They are mentioned in over three hundred scriptural references. Revelations 5:11 describes angels around the heavenly throne, “and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.” God’s angels are marked with incredible strength. It took only one angel to slay the firstborn of Egypt. Only one sound matters to angels and that is God’s voice. Only one sight enthralls angels and that is God’s face. And as a result, they worship him. They also protect us. “All the angels are spirits who serve God and … Listen Now
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” (Philippians 4:6). God offers you and me the possibility of a worry-free life. Jesus said, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life! Of course not” (Matthew 6:27). Worry is irrelevant. You don’t add one day to your life or one bit of life to your day by worrying. Worry is also irreverent; it’s distrusting God…an “unconscious blasphemy.” The Apostle Paul urges us to “be anxious for nothing.” How? Our part includes prayer and gratitude. Instead of looking forward in fear, look upward in faith and backward in appreciation … Listen Now
Drink deeply from God’s Lordship. He authors all itineraries. He knows what is best. No struggle will come your way apart from His purpose, presence, and permission. What encouragement this brings. You are never the victim of nature or the prey of fate. Chance is eliminated. You are more than a weathervane whipped about by the winds of fortune. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, he promises. And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; nor will the flame burn you. “For I … Listen Now
Sovereignty. This important biblical word defines itself. Zero in on the middle portion of the term. See the word within the word? Sove-reign-ty. To confess the sovereignty of God is to acknowledge the reign of God, his regal authority and veto power over everything that happens. To embrace God’s sovereignty is to drink from the well of his lordship. Scripture, from Old Testament to New, from prophets to poets to preachers, renders one unanimous chorus: God directs the affairs of humanity. As Paul wrote, “God…is the blessed controller of all things, the king over all kings and the master over … Listen Now
God never promises an absence of distress. But he does promise the assuring presence of his Holy Spirit. The Spirit seals you. Ephesians 1:13 says, “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” God paid too high a price to leave you unguarded. And, according to Romans 5:5, “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit…” Romans 8:26 says, “The Holy Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.” Whether we are feeble of soul or in body, it’s good to know it’s not up to us. … Listen Now
God has work to do. And he uses our hands to do it. What the hand is to the glove, the Spirit is to the Christian. God gets his fingers into our lives, inch by inch reclaiming his territory. As a glove responds to the strength of the hand, so you will respond to the leading of Christ, saying, “I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). The question is not, how can I have more of the Spirit? But, rather, can the Spirit have more of me? Accept his power. Be the glove and let him … Listen Now
Jesus told the disciples, “Stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49). Jesus’ word to the doubting disciples? Wait. So, as many as 120 souls huddle in the same house. They stay together, and most of all, they pray together. And God opened the floodgates on the greatest movement in history. Desire power for your life? Then wait in the right place—in a place of prayer. Power will come as you pray. Think of prayer less as an activity for God and more as an awareness of God. Acknowledge his … Listen Now
Paul once asked the Galatian church a question. “You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That is foolish” (Galatians 3:3). I used to think there were two kinds of people: the saved and unsaved. Paul describes a third: the saved, but unspiritual. They blend in with nonbelievers. They let God save them, but not change them. Their lives are marked by joyless days, contentious relationships, and thirsty hearts. No wonder they’re tired. Paul gives the solution in five rich words. “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians … Listen Now
