As you go to work, to vacation from work, to a missions trip, to the grocery store, home… are you a tourist, or an invading force? Are you expecting, hoping, to encounter something that changes someone’s life, even if its yours? Are you staying insulated from having to care too much, or pay too much, or get too tired, or are you diving in the deep end, where the sea […]
Category Archives: Discipleship
The Loss of Jewels
When Amy Carmichael’s fellowship in India became the environment in which several young women got the idea that the Jesus Whom they had encountered was wearing a crown of thorns instead of the expected crown of gold, they stopped wearing their jewels. Since the caste-burdened society believed that poverty was a judgement against individuals and their families, their pride led them to prove their social value by how much jewelry […]
Wilt-Resistant
Sons and daughters of Yahweh don’t wilt under criticism. We don’t become bitter when falsely accused. We respond to insults, threats and attacks with love and with intercession. We build and plant and harvest. We may only get one great thing astonishingly right in our lifetime. It might be the next thing we attempt, without regard for how the last 5 things we attempted ended up. We don’t wait until […]
Commands of Scripture
Ask the Spirit what you are missing regarding this “command of Scripture,” written by Paul to the congregations at Colossae: “…and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.” (Colossians 4:16-17) And, get the concept that some things were written that ended up in the Bible that are not commands to you. Ask the Spirit about everything you read or hear – in the Bible or elsewhere – what […]
Strong Currents
We are all on a journey. Our lives are thrust into a flow of others’ lives and deaths. If we simply surrender to the current, we will end up somewhere. The destination will not be good if we are only under the influence of powers and purposes from the world. Bitterness, unforgiveness, mismatched partnerships – these can snag us and stop us and cause life to flow around us. Stay […]
Being Negative
Here are some things you can’t do: Fool Yahweh. Love someone too much. Forgive someone too many times. Waste anything by giving too much of it to Jesus. Grasp how much Jesus loves you. Memorize too much Scripture. Agree with a demon without losing something for having done it. Get sick in Heaven. Hide from Yahweh. Prosper by cheating. Fail to improve something by cheering up. Imagine yet how valuable […]
Gossip or Love
A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but the trustworthy keeps a confidence. A contrary man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates friends. The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth. Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down. As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. A gossip’s words are like […]
RSVP
Always, our communication with the Lord is a response. It is frequently a delayed response. He is the never-tiring Initiator, the Requestor, the Demander of attention and obedience and love. He works in us both to want righteousness and to walk in it. He stirs us to life and to light and to revelation, or we have no motivation toward them. Unlike the Beloved in the Song of Solomon, who […]
Proximity of Blessing
Delayed hope makes the heart sick, but fulfilled desire is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible ®©) The closer we are to the hour of meeting with a friend, or ending a troublesome project, the more our hearts are able to find joy or peace. The longer we must wait, the greater the pain or trouble. By faith, we can live in the place of satisfaction […]
Get Wisdom
For the waywardness of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will live securely and be free from the fear of danger.” (Proverbs 1:32-33 Holman Christian Standard Bible ®©) Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let him ask […]