TAKE IT TO THEM

In his final days, Joshua called the people together at Shechem to remind them of their history. He told them again how God had called Abraham to the land of Canaan and “gave him many descendants.” (Joshua 24:3) He recalled how God used Moses and Aaron to led the people out of Egypt, and how God himself delivered their enemies into their hands, “So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive g

So, what do you do when the unexpected happens? A chapter suddenly closes or a diagnosis comes, and once again you realize that control is only an illusion. It’s six in the morning, and I’m lying on the cot in my mom’s hospital room; a place I did not expect to be a week ago, but life can change that quickly. My mom was well when suddenly she wasn’t, and now we are waiting on the results of a biopsy. Life is that fragile, and I am reminded yet again that our days are numbered

Have you ever noticed the word selah when reading through the Psalms? It seems there is debate among scholars as to the exact meaning of the word; however, numerous theologians contend that the word was used to indicate a pause in public worship or chanting. After praising the Creator or calling upon His mighty acts, the priests would call for selah, which allowed the congregation to stop and reflect on the meaning. For instance, Psalm 46:10-11 states: Be still and know that

The Promised Land. A land flowing with milk and honey. A place of abundance. A place of rest, and after forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the children of Israel were ready to claim their inheritance and enjoy the blessings of the land that God had prepared for them. We know, though, that Moses would not enter into the land with them because of his disobedience to God at the waters of Meribah Kadesh (Deuteronomy 32:48-52). He would only see it from a distance, and fo

I left church last Sunday very convicted. In the sermon, the pastor said that right thinking will lead us to right living, and as I sat there trying to decide if my thinking was right, he went on to say: “Because God has shown us mercy in Christ, our whole lives become worship, and our renewed minds learn how to live out God’s will.” Another God-stop moment for me. How many nights have I laid wake worrying about what God’s will is for my life; secretly wishing it could be lik

I came across this in a recent alumni publication from Hardin-Simmons, my alma mater: As Christians, let us light the path, blaze the trail, and be living examples of people who are joyful in all circumstances, steadfast in Christlike character – even in trials and suffering – and willing to live sacrificially and serve others so they can experience Christ and come to know the Father’s love. Let us be willing to let go of the pleasures of this world, to be inconvenienced, int

I’ve always liked the prophet Elisha even though his mentor, Elijah, gets a lot more press. Everyone knows the story of Elijah taking on the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18), and it was Elijah, along with Moses, who appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus (Matthew 17:1-3). I’m not saying that Elijah wasn’t an important figure in the history of Israel, because he was. However, personally I’ve always been drawn to Elisha for one simple reason – his call

What a week I have had! I think Satan brought out his big guns to purposely keep me off-center. To keep me from focusing on what is important. To keep my mind from Easter. Yes, Easter is upon us, and we refer to the days leading up to Resurrection Sunday as Holy Week. Last Sunday we celebrated Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey fulfilling Zachariah’s prophecy: “See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a col

A few Sundays ago, Kenny and I attended church with my family in Abilene. As the service began, I looked down the pew at four generations of my family gathered to worship God together. I’m not ashamed to admit that tears came to my eyes as I thanked God for this amazing blessing, and the words of David came to mind, “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” (2 Samuel 7:18) My family is, indeed, blessed beyond measure, but I also rec

We are now just a few weeks before Easter – Resurrection Sunday! The tomb was, indeed, empty that morning when the woman went to anoint Jesus’ body. Their last sight of him had been his lifeless body hanging on a cross, but now Jesus was alive and everything, and I repeat everything, changed. These followers of Jesus went from hiding behind locked doors to standing boldly in the streets of Jerusalem proclaiming, “Let all of Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus,

Is it me, or are things just hard right now? My prayer list keeps getting longer and longer, and I’m not just praying for someone’s kid to make the baseball team. Not that things like that are not important, because they are; however, I’m talking about serious, life-threatening illnesses and heartbreaking situations. Everywhere you turn, there is someone in need. I think that these are the times when Satan does his best work. He pushes and prods us whispering lies that God mu

I had the joy and privilege of attending a women’s retreat with my sister and niece recently. What a joy it is to gather with a group of women who are seeking to go deeper with God. I was reminded of the proverb “iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17), because I was, indeed, sharpened by the wonderful ladies of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. Our focal text was from John 15, the Vine and the Branches. Inspired by the Spirit, John allows us to listen in on their last conversation

If you are in the mood for a good action-adventure, just flip open your Bible to the book of Acts. It begins with Jesus’ final words to his disciples: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8) Jesus was then taken up into the clouds, and as they stood there with their mouths hanging open, two angels appeared and said: “Men of Galilee, why do

Scribbled on a scrap of paper is this quote by Francis Chan, “Isn’t it a comfort to worship a God who we cannot exaggerate.” I can’t even tell you what I was reading when I jotted it down, but I keep it on my desk as a reminder of how big God really is. As the psalmist wrote: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:5) I grew up in church, and I never remember a time not knowing about God. However, I admit that I have gone through se

You may recall me mentioning that I am reading the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. I’ve just finished the fifth book, The Horse and His Boy , and it is a rollicking adventure with talking horses and young heroes who are all seeking to find freedom in Narnia. As in any adventure, their journey was not easy. It was fraught with perils and challenges, which forced the main character, Shasta, to do hard and difficult tasks. At a pivotal point in the story, Shasta foun

I’m working on a puzzle that I received as a Christmas gift from my sister. It’s a great diversion from binge watching shows on Hulu, which I have tendency of doing during these long winter evenings. For me, it’s the thrill of the hunt when working a puzzle. I will pick up a piece and hold it in my hand as I scan the table looking for a likely spot where it will fit. I may have several failed attempts until “Eureka,” and a rush of pleasure washes over me as the piece locks

I was talking to a friend recently and she made one of the most profound statements that I have heard in quite some time. She said that God is not afraid of chaos, and I said “What?” You see, I am a creature of habit. I like order and predictably, and you can rightly assume then that I am not a fan of chaos. I don’t like confusion or unpredictably. It makes me uneasy and tense, and since I am afraid of chaos, I had unknowingly projected those feelings on to God. Now I’m not s

Have you ever wondered what God thinks when he looks at you? I’m looking out the window at our neighbor’s tree that has split in its trunk. It looks like a good gust of wind could take down half the tree, and I wonder if somedays that is what I look like to God? Especially those days when my tongue has wreaked havoc on those around me. I wonder how I can be saved and yet so broken all at the same time? I wonder how God puts up with me. Ugly stuff, right? But it’s the stuff th

Oh, how the mighty do fall. Last week I had my arms raised in victory as I shouted for all to hear that God’s word will never fail. He spoke and it shall be! I was ready to take on the world, and then Monday came. Monday, the day we buried my friend and as I threw rose petals on her coffin, I couldn’t help but be a little jealous because her race was done. Never again will my sweet friend have to face “death, or mourning or crying or pain.” (Revelation 21:4) I have to admit t

I know that Christmas is already becoming a distant memory as we forge ahead into the new year, but please indulge me as I look back one last time. You see, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I always enjoy reading the account of Jesus’ birth. Every year I seem to focus on a different aspect of the story, and this year was no exception. As I was reading again the familiar verses, Luke 1:37 seemed to leap off the page: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” To give you