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Do you ever wonder why David cut the corner off Saul’s robe rather than killing him in that cave? (1 Samuel 24). Then David’s heart was troubled after he did that. That word troubled is a very strong word in Hebrew that means to strike (as the KJV translates it) but also means to kill, slaughter, murder, stripes, wound.

David felt that for just cutting off the corner of Saul’s robe. Yet, he took the life of Uriah (1 Samuel 11-12). One would think that David would remember how his heart wounded his soul for taking the robe’s corner, but…  ( Click for more )

No one understands God's perfect ways or even why God acts in such a way for some and in another way for others. How do we even know for sure we are walking in His will?

We can't see the future. Our feelings are fickle. We can't control other people's decisions. So how do we walk down that specific path God has lighted for us?

We live in a very imperfect world and since we don't control other people, we can't be responsible for their choices. The only alternative we have, then, is to walk the closest we can to the Lord God Almighty and expect Him to turn us from the…  ( Click for more )

(I'm cheating... this is from my blog post yesterday.)

I get depressed thinking about making New Year Resolutions. Do you? Do you look at your list six months down the road and think... ACK! I've failed!

How often do we recognize what others need to change in their lives before we recognize what changes we need to make? So many of us make New Year’s resolutions with truly less resolution and more "feel better about myself". After the first month it seems all the resolution to change and be a better person dissolves. Sometimes we keep those resolutions…  ( Click for more )

Lord, help me to relax about insignificant details beginning tomorrow at 7:41:23 a.m. p.s.t.

Lord, help me to consider people's feelings, even if most of them are hypersensitive.

Lord, help me to take responsibility for my own actions, even though they're usually not my fault.

Lord, help me to not try to run everything. But, if You need some help, please feel free to ask me!

Lord, help me to be more laid back and help me to do it exactly right.

Lord, help me to take things more seriously, especially laughter, parties, and dancing.

Lord, give me patience, and…  ( Click for more )

Many times in my life the splendor and glory of God bursts upon me in sudden and astonishing ways. When I was much younger, it felled me to my knees. Now that I am older, this majesty that explodes before me spiritually puts me on my face before God. I cannot fathom even from the depth and breadth of my soul just how wonderful and marvelous God is to astound me, pointedly and specifically.

After 20 years of marriage, God gave me permission to leave my husband. I had been providing for him for almost three years—providing his liquor and his women while he lounged…  ( Click for more )

Over on Studylight.org, my dear sister in Christ, Julianne, of Family Blueprint, had posted an article that sheds some light on something that is truly shocking. The article is no longer there, but I have a copy of some of it here.

I have suffered through co-dependency. I have seen friends of mine suffer this. Women have emailed me after reading about my co-dependency on my blog, so from my perspective, it may seem more prevalent than it really is. On the other hand, abuse toward women in the church is more prevalent than people would like to think. It doesn't just happen…  ( Click for more )

My very first inkling there was something magnificent in Scripture when God used the word rock was in a youth retreat study comparing the Israelites trek through the wilderness and the Christian lifestyle. There I came face to face with the notion of strict obedience to God’s word because He has special meanings for that obedience. At the time, I had no real idea of the kind of spiritual truth God was portraying with the physical illustration. When He told Moses to strike the rock for water at the first place of contention, Moses did and sweet, fresh water came pouring…  ( Click for more )

There was a story told long ago about a certain wealthy man. He had so much wealth he struggled to remain alive because he did not want to leave behind his wealth when he died. When that fatal day finally came, the angels came for him, and he begged and pleaded to bring at least some of his gold with him to Heaven. The angel tried to explain to him that naked he came into the world and naked he would leave. But, his gold had never let him down. He had always been able to open locked doors with it and to build bridges to foreign lands with it. So after vigorous pleading, the angels…  ( Click for more )

This Sunday morning we are studying John 11. I never get tired of studying this passage because there are so many volumes spoken in these few words. Jesus illustrates His perfect purposes in this chapter. One of His famous I AM statements is here. He weeps. He is troubled. His glory is illustrated in such magnificent ways I am constantly astounded. He is so amazing!

“A person can cry for multiple reasons.” I have grown up a little since I wrote that last year in a column titled Jesus Wept.

I said that I believed Jesus wept because of a deep compassion…  ( Click for more )

Let me ask you this...

Matthew 11:11 "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than He.

Why did Jesus say this if there was no difference between OT saints and NT saints? I am not trying to prove a hierarchy just that Jesus pointed out a difference between OT and NT. Was it so important to have this distinction?

John the Baptist was the awaited Elijah, Jesus said so.

John died before Jesus did. John died under the Law. Those "least…  ( Click for more )

Sage advice from Michael Hyatt, former CEO of Thomas Nelson. Who would want to wrestle with pigs?

Isn't that just what we do when we fire back at someone who has hurt our feelings, which is what Michael Hyatt is saying. It isn't worth the fight for Believers to jab and stab at every opportunity, is it. I have heard some folks wax on proudly that they have some great debating skills like being cutting with words is something to be proud of. Well, in my book it isn't. How could that edify the body?

Solomon has a great deal to say about self-control when anger threatens…  ( Click for more )

I am in the midst of refining my article that will be published in the December issue of the Journal of Religion, Digital, and Media Culture. I will post a link here to the article when it is published so you may take a look at it if you so desire. Thank you for your prayers about this milestone for me…  ( Click for more )

Were the OT saints that came out of their graves after Jesus died on the cross and after He rose from the dead in glorified bodies or were they visible spirit bodies ... ghosts? Look at Matthew 27:51-53

Matthew 27:51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. If they were spirits, or “ghosts”…  ( Click for more )

There are certain characteristics that must be present in order for a great relationship to develop. One of the most famous, truly great relationships occurred between David and Jonathan, and we find that in 1 Samuel 18. To understand this relationship there are some characteristics of each man that contribute to the relationship. However, the most telling is how God says in 1 Samuel 18:1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

That is so telling because this relationship…  ( Click for more )

I started a series a while back about the promises of God in His word. There are numerous promises where God does not require anything from us such as His promise to never again destroy the world by water. He caused the rainbow to appear as a reminder of that promise. However, there are more than 300 if/then statement promises that mean there is something required of us for God’s promise to happen.

These take many forms. In Genesis for example God says to Abraham, If I find more than 50 righteous in Sodom, then I will spare the city for their sakes. Powerful promise.…  ( Click for more )