I’ll never forget a trip I took with my older son to shoot the rapids at the Rogue River in Oregon. While we were receiving instructions from the guide . . . , I began to study the canoes with my eyes.
Read MoreTag Archives: Matthew
Forgotten Words
“Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). Forgotten words. Truth be told, even in our churches we tend to get so caught up in a success-and-size race that we lose sight of our primary calling as followers of Christ.
Read MorePull in the Anchor
Have you done someone wrong? Have you been offensive? Have your actions caused hurt? To do nothing is not only in direct disobedience to Jesus’ teaching, it also complicates your life.
Read MoreBring Him Incense, Gold, and Myrrh
What do you give a young king? The magi, after traveling more than five hundred miles away to see the child Jesus, brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh with them. Why those gifts?
Read MoreHail the Incarnate Deity
On that still winter’s night, something was up . . . something extraordinary . . . something supernatural. The shepherds raced to the City of David and found their Savior, just as the angel had said . . . swaddled and lying in a feeding trough.
Read MoreMake Leisure Part of Your Day
How do you get good at getting the rest God said was good for you? How do you get good at leisure? We can, of course, nod in agreement to all we’ve discussed in the past couple days about how important it is to rest.
Read MoreEnough Is Enough
Today’s devotional has one primary objective: to help you enjoy yourself, your life, and your Lord more . . . without feeling guilty or unspiritual. Yes, enjoy! In our work-worshiping society, that is no small task. Many have cultivated such an unrealistic standard of high-level achievement that a neurotic compulsion to perform, to produce, to accomplish the maximum is now the rule rather than the exception. Enough is no longer enough.
Read More“Won’t Someone Please Stop Me?” Part Two
Strange, isn’t it, how we tend toward extremes? What begins as self-improvement becomes self-enslavement . . . what starts as merely a mellow change of pace leads to a marathon of fanaticism. We’re nuts! Left to ourselves, we’ll opt for extremes most every time. Which explains why God’s Book so often stresses moderation, self-control, softening our sharp-cornered lives with more curves that necessitate a slower speed.
Read MoreHealing, Part One
“Have you heard of the Four Spiritual Laws?” That question, found in a small booklet, has been asked and answered thousands—perhaps millions—of times in our generation. These “laws” have been used by God to introduce His plan of love and forgiveness to countless numbers of people who had no idea how to have a meaningful relationship with Him. I have a similar question.
Read MoreThe Shores of Lake Contentment, Part One
A number of years ago I read that, believe it or not, the average American is exposed to about three hundred advertisements a day. Today that number has very likely increased! The magazine in which I read that fact had more pages dedicated to advertisements than articles of interest to the reader. Shiny, slick, appealing print and pictures designed to hijack your concentration and kidnap your attention.
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