David only needed 1 stone to defeat his Goliath. But he took 5. Were the extra 4 a “back-up plan” showing a lack of faith? No. David knew the Lord only needed 1; he just didn’t know which 1. So he was prepared to use any and all resources the Lord made available to him. David had a plan. But he wasn’t so presumptuous as to think that what he thought was best, was the only option God might use.
A while back I posted that I had been convicted about one word in my prayer life. I found myself saying, “Lord, I just ask…” And I decided to no longer “just” ask. Because that didn’t sound to me like boldly coming before the throne. One word. Big difference. Today a Scripture reference struck me again. Often people refer to the Bible saying, “It says…” And I was reminded. Scripture is God’s love letter to us. When we refer to…..
I recently heard a conversation about political “red people” and “blue people” in the church. I thought, should the church be purple? Which got me thinking about color. If light has all colors in it, why is it that when you mix all colors of paint, you get black instead of white? Light and color are not the same. Color is reflected light. Something looks blue because the red-yellow spectrum of light is absorbed by the thing, not reflected. Something…..
Job lost it. In just four verses at the end of the very first chapter, Job lost all his kids, all his livestock, and all but three of his servants. But, while he mourned, he did not accuse God of causing it (Job 1:22, NKJV). Why not? He knew God is good. He knew not to take the Lord’s name “in vain” – that is, not to give God credit for things He didn’t say or do. In Hebrews 4:2…..
“…Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” (Philippians 2:12). Wait a minute. What happened to “By grace you are saved, not by works”? And “‘Fear not,’ saith the Lord”? “Work out” can mean to make something happen. However, here I also sense a hint of allowing something to happen. So, while we’re obedient, we allow the Lord to deliver us from the consequences of sin. But be afraid of the rescue? The Greek “phobo” – think phobias –…..
Merry Christmas
Not the 5,000 who were fed. The Fed. The Federal Reserve. Some things are finite. When it’s gone, it’s gone. If I have it, you can’t have it, too. Not so with salvation. God’s righteousness is not a “zero sum game.” God doesn’t have a limited supply of forgiveness. The God of creation made something out of nothing. So, if heaven is filled up, He can make more. If the government runs out of money, the Fed can just increase…..
“‘Be angry and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Psalm 4:4 quoted in Ephesians 4:26). “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, … and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice” (Eph 4:31). Well, which is it? Is it ok to get angry, or not? Numerous times “the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel.” Even Jesus got angry. In Mark 3, a man with a withered hand met Jesus in…..
In December 2021 Pew Research Center reported 60% of Protestants in the US considered themselves “born again” or evangelical Christians.1 Some 40% of non-Catholic Christians either didn’t consider themselves “born again” or didn’t answer the question. And over 30% of people who considered themselves “spiritual” were not sure they believed in God.2 So, what does being “spiritual” mean? If you search the internet, you will find answers anywhere from being “born again” and having the Holy Spirit in you, to…..
In school the only F that I got in English was on an essay about Moby Dick. I itemized some of the generally accepted symbolism. But then I said, at the time Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick, some people were shop keepers. Some were sailors. Some were butchers. Or bakers. Or candlestick makers. Herman Melville was a writer. He didn’t intend any of the symbolism that people read into it. He wrote Moby Dick to make a living. When I…..
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