Category: Uncategorized

“Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.  Luke 6:47-48 (NIV) Jesus didn’t say we could avoid floods. We will all have “floods” in our lives, some worse than others. But you can withstand the trial. Maybe you are in the middle of a flood right now. That is the time to hold Jesus’ words even more closely to your heart. His words really are the foundation for your soul. So it will be helpful to read through the Gospels, find the words of Jesus and practice them. Reflect on John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, Continue Reading →

From the Imitation of Christ, Chapter Ten. Avoid the tumultuous talk of the world. A lot of talk about worldly things becomes a hindrance. Even when such talk is innocent it puts our focus on trivial matters. Learn to create meaningful conversations. Consider how often we regret worldly things we said. And consider how often we regret not talking about something more meaningful with a friend. Afterward, you realize that they might have a need you could have discussed, and you could have helped them. Sometimes we talk about pointless things just because we want to have some friendly interaction. But a friendship is more rewarding if we talk about good or useful things. Learn to push through the initial discomfort of bringing up something meaningful. Otherwise, the conversation leaves us feeling empty afterward. Remember that our happiness is found in relationships, with God and others. Conversations are the primary way Continue Reading →

One question I ask myself fairly regularly is whether I am using my will too much in order to grow spiritually or whether I am not trying hard enough. In other words, am I doing my part according to scripture? Am I crowding out the Spirit by trying to do too much on my own, or on the other hand, am I not activating my will and thus expecting God to change me without my cooperation? Am I erring on one side or the other: too willful or not willful enough? I have erred on both sides in my life, and I still have to adjust regularly. This is an important question because it can have a dramatic effect on our growth. If I just read a little scripture each day and go to church on Sundays, then I shouldn’t expect to grow much. This is the most common side Continue Reading →

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Mt. 5:5 ESV). God blesses your meekness. A meek person is someone who is gentle and not argumentative or aggressive. They do not respond to aggressive people with aggression. Jesus is our model of meekness. When Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey he described his coming by saying “Your king is coming to you, humble [meek] and mounted on a donkey” (Mt. 21:5 ESV). Paul also ascribed to Jesus “meekness and gentleness” (2 Cor. 10:1, ESV). The irony is that the one is not warlike is the one who will inherit leadership over the earth. In other words, ultimate political victory will not come by the strategies that humans usually use. By nature, human political leaders prefer to use force to accomplish their goals. But God will usher in a new age when his followers, the ones who do not Continue Reading →