Passion Week: Saturday
Jesus died yesterday. They placed his body in the borrowed tomb. The sadness experienced by those who knew Jesus best turned to despair as His death penetrated their hearts. Peter continued to ponder his denial of Christ in his [...]
One of Those Days
When you look back on your life, you will undoubtedly remember that some days were more difficult than others. Maybe the day you heard about a terminal illness, a miscarriage, the death of someone close to you, the loss [...]
Passion Week: Wednesday
To the ordinary person, another day is just another day to do ordinary things until it’s another day. To Jesus, Wednesday meant transition. Things were changing, and the palm branches that once waved to greet a Savior were now [...]
Passion Week: Tuesday
Ever had more to do than your day allowed? No time for lunch, additional appointments, phone calls, or outside activities. The clock moves extra quickly and the tasks move especially slowly. There is a battle between time and task. Inevitably, [...]
Passion Week: Monday
I’m sitting here today reflecting on exactly what this week means and has meant for the past 2000 or so years. Many years ago, Jesus spent His last week before His death purposefully engaging in important activities. Interestingly, Jesus [...]
Forgiveness: Cover or Confront?
Life is full of disappointment and hurt. This person hurts you, that person hurts you, your boss hurts you, your spouse hurts you, your cousin hurts you, your best friend hurts you, and people you don’t even know hurt you. [...]
Obedience is Hard!
Let’s be honest. Obedience is hard. We require it of our children and our employees, but drive faster than the speed limit because rules and laws don’t apply to us. It’s not a speed limit, just a speed suggestion. Obedience [...]
Is It Really All About Me?
Humility is easier to define than to display. Some would say that humility is the opposite of pride. Some would say that humility is the absence of pride. The problem is as believers we all struggle with pride. [...]
31 Days of Promise and Hope…..Day 31: Promise and Hope
That is what we seek. That is what we need. Today, I want to end our 31-day journey by sharing that promise and hope. We know our problem is sin, and sin causes us separation with God. We also know [...]
The Election is a Distraction
This year’s election cycle has many people in a real predicament. The presidential election, like none other, seems to have created a real division among those who claim to love Jesus. I’ve heard that you cannot possibly love Jesus [...]
The Risk of Accepting
Patience is certainly a virtue and fruit of the Spirit given to each believer at the time of their salvation. This patience is definitely not a perfect patience, but is like a seed that continues to grow. As patience [...]
Tolerance can be Treacherous
Patience is a virtue. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. Patience is an amazing gift given to believers at salvation so that we can demonstrate God’s ability to lead us and guide us through the raging waters of [...]
Patience is a Virtue…Live it with Persistence
Patience always seems to get a bad reputation. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard people talk about patience as if it were some kind of ugly word only to be uttered in the middle of [...]
Three Ways to Maintain Significant Friendships
Friendships are often very difficult to manage. There are three important ways to maintain friendships. These strategies will help you to maintain and grow your friendships into something special.
The Worst Year of My Life!
New hopes, new dreams, new promises, renewed goals, renewed activities, and a new sense of “I can do it” all accompany the anticipation of a new calendar year. I have always been amazed at how moving from one month [...]
5 Myths to Overcoming Hurt
Why do we hurt? We hurt because God created us in His image and we experience emotions. Emotional hurt deeply interferes with normalcy in our lives and comes in several different forms. People either intentionally do things that hurt [...]
Devastating Peace
It seemed appropriate for our children to study about Noah’s ark and the flood in our Sunday School this past Sunday. Our parking lot had become a flowing river and people all over the city began to [...]
Resting in God’s Purpose…..
I'm not sure if any of you do this, but I woke up this morning with a verse on my mind. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad [...]
It seemed appropriate for our children to study about Noah’s ark and the flood in our Sunday School this past Sunday. Our parking lot had become a flowing river and people all over the city began to experience the results of 10-17 inches of rain over the past couple of days. For the safety of those who might have braved the weather, I cancelled all of our services for the day. I waited at the church for an hour or so in the event someone showed up unexpectedly. This never happened. So, I used the time to pray for our city and state.
I can’t even begin to understand the devastating loss. Our state, like many others, is connected through so many different relationships. This web of relationships extends not only through the state, but also through other states as well. We hurt for those who became victims of the uncertain flooding. Thousands and thousands of people are struggling to figure out their next steps as they spend time in shelters and hotels around the state. Many are cut off from surrounding communities because the rising water washed away access from all roads. Many of the hardest hit cities are without running water, and those who do have water in those areas have been encouraged to boil their water before drinking. I’m sure that you’ve seen pictures of the widespread destruction. It is bad. I ask that you pray for South Carolina.
Officials in Columbia, S.C. stated that all deaths were from an identical cause: people stranded in cars that filled with water. He was sure the death toll would increase as the waters begin to recede.
You may ask, “What is the purpose of such tragedy,” or “What now?” I want to explore a couple of thoughts with you.
God’s Ways are Higher than Ours
For some, this may be an excuse without support. However, as I reflect on the difficult times we face in life, I am always reminded that God’s purpose prevails (Proverbs 19:21). God takes the tragedy and destruction in this world and uses it for His good. We may never know how many people God will change as a result of what has happened in South Carolina this week. I am not minimizing the heartbreak, but I am highlighting the one who mends the broken hearted.
God’s Economy Helps us to Understand the Brevity of Stuff
We live in a self-sufficient world that seemingly does not need God. We have everything we need. We have cars, fancy houses, granite top counters, stainless steel appliances, computers, antique furniture, family pictures, and things that mean so much to us. However, God’s economy says that those things are just things that will eventually be gone (Matthew 6:19). While our stuff may not last, our relationship with God will.
God’s Desire is to Have a Relationship with us
Above all, God desires to have a relationship with us. He created us to worship Him and Him alone. This relationship begins with our salvation (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 10:9; 8:9-10) and continues as we walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). This relationship is more important than anything else in your life. It is more important than your spouse, children, job, or career path.
So now what?
If you are in the middle of the flood crisis, seek God for His favor and grace in your life. God will provide so much love and care for you in the middle of what seems like total devastation. Pray and seek God’s strength. Pray and seek God’s peace (Philippians 4:6-7). Understanding Philippians 4:6-7 is easy when things are going well in our lives. But, lose your house, car, family pet, years of photographs, and other significant items and it becomes more difficult.
If you are reading this from the outside, please pray for the people of South Carolina. I really believe God is going to do things with the hearts of people throughout this state and country. Your generous donations have helped to provide water, shelter, and clothing to so many.
Pray that God would allow you to develop a heart of compassion towards those who are less fortunate. As we develop a right understanding of our place in the universe, we quickly acknowledge that we are really just a small part of something incredibly large. Pray that God would allow you to significantly touch someone today and make a difference. You never know the difficulty someone may be facing.