He is a Rewarder

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Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (NKJV)   “He who comes to God must believe that he is…” We must believe first, “that he is” – not just that he exists, but that he is who he says he is. We get to know his character by studying his word. And we find the comfort we are seeking in these questions we hold, ultimately, by rehearsing the truth of who he is to ourselves. Sometimes, this part seems simple, but in our … [Read more...]

All of Christ For All of Your Life

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As the Gospel progressively changes us individually, it progressively changes the world. 1 Corinthians 15:22-27 says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For ‘God has put all things in subjection under his … [Read more...]

Dwell On What is True About God

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As Christian women, we are called by God to take every thought captive to obey Christ and to train our minds to think rightly. But if you struggle to come up with your own original thoughts about God’s goodness to you, go to His word and rehearse His truth to your heart. Jeremiah, who was known as the weeping prophet, wrote this assurance of God’s goodness: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The … [Read more...]

Courage to Labor and Love Like Jesus

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Our youngest daughter was born the Thursday before Easter two years ago. Even though our family has never been especially serious about observing all the significant days of the Lenten season, I was mindful that the day she was born is known as Maundy Thursday. Among other things the Church considers on this day, it’s historically recognized as the day Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. We get the word “Maundy” from the word Mandatum, found in the Latin translation of John 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved … [Read more...]

He Gives More Grace Because You Need it from Him

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It’s everywhere. It seems like lately, it’s most commonly found on the mommy blogs and vlogs, but it’s also a message heard from well-meaning Christians. I’m talking about the phrase, “give yourself grace”. It usually is found hanging out with sentiments like, “You’re doing a great job. Don’t feel guilty.” And those sentiments may be okay in the right context. More often than not though, the phrase “give yourself grace” is cushioned in much less than what we are actually offered in Christ. Grace is a word that should mean everything to us as Christians, but … [Read more...]