By: Kandy Persall You are not alone. The anxiety, discouragement, and hopelessness you feel aren’t because of your doing. The evil one has unleashed an all-out war against anyone with peace, contentment, and hope. Consistently evil has been called good, and good is called evil (Isaiah 5:20). You pushed through in the beginning months of your discomfort and disorientation, but as the months dragged …
O Father, Why are the nations in an uproar and the people devising a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1) As predicted, the rulers and influencers are counseling together against Your truth and light (Psalm 2:2). None of this surprises You for this is the same battle that has raged since before time began. The world forces of darkness and the spiritual …
The two coats of armor stood behind the museum glass in stark contrast to one another. Although made for the same man, one was a medieval plate armor for a tall, twenty-something Henry VIII with a 32-inch waist and a 39-inch chest. The second piece of mail, fashioned years later, sported a 48-inch waistline. Fascinated, I read more about the …
“He has been looking forward to this party all week. We told him he could stay up late and eat with the adults. That’s a big deal when you are four.” Issac’s dad was right, and as the night progressed, we discovered that this particular preschooler had a definite bent toward the theatrical. At first, he mingled with each guest, …
“In preparation for landing, the pilot has illuminated the seat belt sign.” Although these words bring no surprise, spiritual spaces can be quite unanticipated. Although not a flesh and blood existence, we became aware of spiritual “rulers, powers, and world forces” particular to some world areas (Ephesians 6:12). In time, I began to use the flight to prepare for whatever …
The malevolent edifice loomed large and expansive before me. As I craned my neck to see the top of the skyline, I felt the same awareness of height as when I visited the giant sequoia forest for the first time. This was nothing like I expected. I stepped back to inspect the width and noticed that the exterior wall encircled …
By Mary Agnes Truex Minnich Deceit. Never before in my experience has the lure of sin proved more prevalent. Despite knowing Christ for some time now, I can still be duped by the lies that Satan whispers into my mind. The Biblical command to take every thought captive has become an urgent need in my life (2 Corinthians 10:5b). I …
In her book Start Small, author Karen Dilbeck points out that every organization or family has its own culture. “Each of us functions in many kingdoms (cultures and sub-cultures) and move freely between them every single day.” What a great insight. My child’s classroom has its own culture, and your workplace has another. Everywhere has a particular way of doing things; …
In the dream, I was a little girl again scrubbing a stain on the linoleum. On hands and knees, I scoured the inky blot as an unseen figure stood over me. Forced at the task until the sickening discoloration disappeared, I kept my head down as my tears mingled with the blackness of the blot. Each time I awoke, I …
“Deliver us from evil”. If you are a entertainment buff, you know this to be the name of at least two movies and three books. But if you have ever prayed the model prayer, you will recognize this to be our very last request: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). …
