Tag Archives: Parenting

Trust for the Future

The idea of “the future” invokes many emotions, hopes, worries, dreams, and personal questions. Some try not to think about it at all, while others are captivated by its promise. To be clear, there’s a certain end result as revealed … Continue reading

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What’s True in the Light is True in the Dark

It’s been said, “What’s true in the light is true in the dark.” and it’s a timely reminder. Not only is there a push now to accept immorality, but an increasing demand to celebrate it. Even some prominent church leaders … Continue reading

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Is it Worth It?

Do you ever wonder if it’s worth it to do what’s right? To act right? To parent right? To do business right? To coach right? Daily routines and disappointments can undermine our resolve, but there’s a powerful verse to be … Continue reading

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The Most Abused Word in the English Language

One of the striking traits of letters written in the 19th century is the level of thought put into them. For example, notes sent home during the American Civil War contain sentences filled with deliberate, carefully crafted terms of endearment. … Continue reading

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Considering Shamgar

Thought about Shamgar lately? Probably not. He was one of the Judges of Israel like Samson and Gideon. However, he rarely makes the cut for children’s Sunday School lessons because the entire biblical narrative of his life consist of only … Continue reading

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Truth and Opinion

Opinions are cheap and endless. They’re printed, posted, tweeted, spoken, and advertised; but at the end of it all, these words will still be true: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands … Continue reading

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The Elements of Trust

“Confidence” and “expectation” are elements of “trust”. When it comes to people, to place trust in someone is to have confidence or expectations regarding their character. The interesting question is, “What produces the confidence or expectation?” Does it come from … Continue reading

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Day-by-Day Renewal

How does renewal come from the Lord? Is it something received at a Sunday worship service or Bible study? It can be. However, even though gatherings can have a powerful impact, the biblical picture of God’s sustaining often looks more … Continue reading

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Unchained and Free

What does freedom and liberty in Christ look like? Is it throwing off the shackles of religious legalism? Yes. Is it hope of being without condemnation at the judgement? Yes, by God’s grace that’s absolutely true! But what about day-to-day … Continue reading

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Pleasing Aromas

Do you like the smell of cookies baking? Steaks grilling? Fresh coffee brewing? How about your wife’s perfume or husband’s aftershave? In life, there are emotions, memories, and mental images tied to aromas and fragrances. In 2 Corinthians 2:12-17 Paul … Continue reading

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One Foot in Front of the Other

When the trail of life gets long, it often comes down to simply putting-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other. It’s the point where the scenery is no longer inspiring, the small talk isn’t interesting, the pack has gotten heavy and rest seems far away. In … Continue reading

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Love is…

The word “love” is often used carelessly. In the Bible, however, the word love carries much more weight than just feelings that come and go, it involves an act of the will. It describes a “decided” love between people, love … Continue reading

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Stronger Together

In the ancient world, Hittite craftsmen made bows by layering materials that were held together by a simple, but surprisingly strong glue. The “composite” design shot arrows faster and made the bow more durable. Modern technology has made many improvements, but the composite principle discovered long … Continue reading

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Whatever Actually Means Whatever

Details can be important. For example, one wrong calculation can cause a spaceship to miss its target by thousands of miles, and a decimal point can turn a good business deal into a disaster. As a former Pharisee, Paul was … Continue reading

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The Best Kind of Leadership

It’s often said that leadership equals influence. As an apostle, Paul was commissioned to influence people. He explained his approach and process this way: “When I came to you…I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. For I … Continue reading

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Overcoming

Evil is restless. It’s never content with marginal status, and the Bible teaches that a proper defense is actually a posture of offense. In Romans chapter 12, there’s a series of directives given for the active, grace-filled life. There are things like … Continue reading

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Fair

Is God fair? Before you answer, consider the next question, “What’s “fair”?” Is it an agreement between differing sides, a declaration from a judge, or an evenly dispersed resource? The difficulty with “fair” is that most people have opinions and they … Continue reading

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Winning

Do you ever feel like the “bad” is winning all around you while the “good” struggles? Perhaps some days you wonder if it’s even worth the effort to seek out and do what’s right, but the Bible reminds us God … Continue reading

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Wisdom 3.5

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV Is your confidence built exclusively on the Lord, or … Continue reading

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Measures

Why do experienced builders still bother with measuring equipment? With all that practice, shouldn’t a seasoned carpenter be able to simply take a good look, mark, cut, place and nail without a measuring tape or level? Not exactly. The experienced builder knows … Continue reading

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