“rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” Acts 5:41 Shame – Have you ever been treated shamefully? Abused? Slandered? Insulted? Treated without dignity? Everyone has some story of shameful mistreatment. But not everyone goes away rejoicing. Today most of us hire an attorney. The world’s way is to get…
“Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest” Hebrews 4:11 Rest – On a day like this, I need rest. Life gets overwhelming even when we are trying our best to live every moment in His presence. Then I read this verse and I get even more perplexed. This is an emphatic exhortation to…
“but they do all their deeds to be noticed by men” Matthew 23:5 Noticed – What did you ask your mirror this morning? “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Well, maybe you weren’t quite as bold as the queen in Snow White, but I would be surprised if you didn’t…
“as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility” Colossians 3:12 Humility – John Alexander’s book Your Money or Your Life makes a very powerful point. God is not interested in celebrity status. God doesn’t care about success stories. God doesn’t count our achievements. God…
“as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness” Colossians 3:12 Kindness – What does “kindness” mean to you? Does it describe your actions when you speak a soft word in the midst of an argument? Is it about overlooking an insult or injury? Is it…
“as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion” Colossians 3:12 Heart of compassion – Compassion! Oh how we long to be the ones receiving such blessing! And for good reason. Life is difficult, says Scott Peck. Maybe that isn’t quite strong enough. Life is often difficult…
“it will not be stored up or hoarded” Isaiah 23:18 Hoard – Money. The power of this world. The stuff that measures us. The goal. The driving passion. We are secretly envious of those who have it while we castigate their affluence. We hold up the banner of the poor while we salt away some…
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11 Dominion – Double-ups. Two words for power. Two words for glory. And…
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11 Majesty – Did you think David was done? Not a chance! David…
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11 Victory – Words are like umbrellas at the beach. All umbrellas cast…
