Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. (Luke 22:31-32) We can make terrible decisions that damage us and those around us. A pastor friend went down such…

You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:2-3) Faithful prayer hinges on how well we understand the meaning of believing prayer. We can get confused when well-meaning people bombard us with examples of praying for something…

I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord. (Hosea 2:19-20) From the outside their life seems ideal. The house is beautiful, the kids are sweet,…

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Rom. 6:1-2) Here, the Apostle Paul strongly cautions against using the grace of God to continue to sin by figuring, “all will be forgiven.” This is…

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27) What is the peace that the world gives? It is a slice of time without pressure, problem, or threat. We can…

We have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (Heb. 12:9-10)…

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. (Isa. 61:1)  Imagine a man in jail,…

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (Phil. 2:5-7) Hearts open to the message…

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Rom. 5:10) Many of us have heard a well-meaning Sunday school teacher or parent saying to children, “If you’re a good little boy or…

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 15:16) Why do we finish our prayers with the refrain “In Jesus’ name?”  Is this just a religious way of…