Tag Archives: Bible

Spiritual growth is something to strive for as we grow in our relationship with the Lord. But what about betrayal? Betrayal is the ultimate act of mistrust and breach of faith in someone or something. Is it necessary for spiritual growth? The most obvious betrayal in Scripture was when Judas handed Jesus over to the authorities. He was one of …

Recently, I said something I thought was innocuous to a good friend. I didn’t know how bothered she was about it until two days later, when she texted, then called me to talk about it. She was upset, but remained appropriate as she shared her side. I listened intently to hear her heart, then asked her to forgive me. Later …

We face roadblocks in our single journeys that can keep us from getting what God has for us in life. One of those roadblocks can very well be tied to what goes on in our minds. Sure, we can blame other people, or we can blame our circumstances, but what about our mindsets? For as he thinks in his heart, …

    The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. –Psalm 34:18 (NIV) When you feel insignificant, abandoned or rejected, remember God sees where you are. And He throws no one away. I was recently betrayed and abruptly discarded by some friends over a silly misunderstanding. But God interrupted my rejection pity party by reminding …

When I was in second grade, I was stricken with a sickness that required one week in the hospital followed by another week spent at home recovering. I don’t remember much about that time. I played board games with the nurses. Yahtzee, I think. There was a nasty red liquid they made me drink. When I whined, my dad made …

    … lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. (1 Timothy 3:6) If you believe pride and arrogance are just small character flaws or unique idiosyncrasies of your personality, you may wish to rethink that. I’m not referring to pride in a job well done. I’m talking about an inflated opinion of …

    So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. –Mark 15:1b Jesus — the Creator of everything — being bound. When I read the story of Jesus’ arrest before His crucifixion, the words “they bound Jesus” jump off the page. Think about this: According to the first few verses in John chapter 1, nothing exists …

We experience so much chaos in our lives on a daily basis that we get used to it — and think it’s normal. Each of us deals with inner struggles, confusion, overwhelming responsibilities, unmet expectations, unclear communication. And we all have to navigate outward struggles too — from difficult relationships and poor leadership down to clutter and general lack of …

Humility has been on my mind since Christmas. It’s not usually a topic I think about, but I felt like it was highlighted during the holiday. Usually during Christmas I think about the joy around Jesus’ birth or the thankfulness we have for the gift of His birth, but this year Jesus wanted to show me something about humility. Jesus …

It is the man of God who defied the word of the Lord. The Lord has given him over to the lion, which has mauled him and killed him, as the word of the Lord had warned him. (1 Kings 13:26 NIV) Starting strong sets the pace; finishing strong wins awards. In 1 Kings 13, we find a “man of …