Archives

I Will Obey.

Read it! Psalm 119

I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

(vs. 8)

Think it through

So now that we’re reading and loving the law, it’s time to actually do what it says.

I’ve written posts on obeying God’s laws before (this one springs to mind), and I mean what I write! So why, like Paul, do I clutter my own spirit with disobedience?  Why do I do what I don’t want to do?

There are many answers to that question, but the one I want to focus on today is this: sometimes I’m not set up for it. I haven’t made decisions before go-time is upon me, and I’m making a (bad) decision in the moment.

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!

The Inside Scoop!

Read it! John 4 

“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could he be the Messiah?”

(vs29)

Think it through

John tells us that the woman at the well was there at noon. No one else was getting water when the day was at its hottest. John might as well have said, “This woman was a social outcast, shunned by her town.” And we find out in verse 18 that Jesus knew exactly why. He knew everything she ever did.

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!

Should Christians Watch R-Rated Movies?

I love movies almost as much as I love books. When my husband and I were dating, our go-to date was a fast-food dinner and a dollar movie. Now that we’re parents, we plan date nights that involve more conversation—but we do watch a lot of movies at home and see every Disney/Pixar movie at the theater with our kids!

 

For Father’s Day, I made over our finished basement into a little movie theater,

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!

God’s Circle of Protection—Get on in

Read it! James 1:19-27

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

(vs 22-24)

Think it through

How could I make a scripture scrapbook for the kids without including the Ten Commandments?

And how could I write a blog post about it without realizing how hard it can be to keep some of them? It’s hard to tell the truth all the time. Not coveting is a challenge. It’s even hard to rest on the Sabbath.

 

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!

Why “Venting” isn’t Cool

Read it! Philippians 2

Do everything without complaining and arguing,

so that no one can criticize you.

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God,

shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked people.”

(vs14&15)

Think it through

The first step to living the sweet life that I really wanted to share with my kids is living with a thankful heart. So I created a page about complaining.

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!

My Knight in Shining Armor

Read it! Ruth 2:14-23

“The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law.

“He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.”

She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our Kinsman-redeemers.”

(vs 20)

Think it through

I am fascinated by the idea of a Kinsman Redeemer.

In Ruth, the title “Kinsman Redeemer” refers to male relatives of a deceased husband who had the option to come forward and “redeem” the widow: to marry her and care for her. Without a Kinsman Redeemer, a Jewish widow had very few options. Like Ruth, they were reduced to gathering dropped bits of grain in order to eat.

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!

I’m All Shook Up

Read it! Amos 9

For I will give the command and I will shake the house of Israel among all

the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground.

All the sinners among my people will die by the sword,

all those who say, “Disaster will not overtake or meet us.”

(vs 9&10)

 

Think it through

How God hates sin. He really loathes it, despises it. Amos takes the first six verses of Chapter 9 to describe how not one of the Israelites would escape His wrath. Their physical death would reflect their spiritual one.

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!

You Can’t Handle This

Read it!: Amos 2

The swift will not escape, the strong will not muster his strength,

The warrior will not save his life.

The archer will not stand his ground, the fleet-footed soldier will not get away.

And the horsemen will not save his life.

(vs 14&15)

 

Think it through:

I think you’d agree that no one can escape the wrath, rules, or judgment of God. Self-sufficiency is an illusion. We all depend upon God every day, and we’re all accountable to Him at the end of each one.

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!

I Did It Again

Read it!: Amos 1

For three sins of Damascus, even for four,

I will not turn back my wrath…

(vs 3 and repeated)

 

Think it through:

Amos starts out with a bang, doesn’t he?  He lets us know that God does get tired of our repeated sin.

Because of Christ’s sacrifice, God has promised to forgive us over and over, but that doesn’t give us the freedom to ignore his laws and commands. He does get frustrated and angry with us when we do wrong, particularly when we know better.

Read more… →

Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry!