“Abide in Me, and I in you” (John 15:4). As Christians, we spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about whether or not we are “abiding.” Well, I have some good news for you: You are. Just look at the Greek verb for our English word “abide”. For one thing, it’s in the imperative mood, …
The Cultivation of Willingness
An orchid named Iris. She was a very special plant given to me by a very special friend. I’d never had an orchid before, but I did a little research and decided to give her a go. I discovered that this variety liked heat and humidity, so I put her on my Taiwan balcony beside the washer and dryer. …
Timing
Spirit-Wind living doesn’t only have an element of unpredictable direction, this life also includes unpredictable timing. Yet as humans, we are very concerned with time, aren’t we? The specific minute of our birth is recorded and, from that moment on, our lives revolve around hours, days and years. Granted, some of us are less regimented than others, but …
Ready for the Day
“They chose someone with no experience!” Alyssa wailed to her mother. The shock of the statement hit Scarlet as hard as it had her daughter. As a rising high school senior, Alyssa should have been a shoo-in for captain of the flag team. The only girl in her school with three years experience on flags, she had worked …
Exposure to the Son
My son-in-law was born with a slight case of jaundice. Of course, I didn’t know him at the time, but you find out these things as you spend time with the “in-laws”. Annette tells me that the hospital allowed them to come home, but that Matt was on a strict regimen of daily sunshine. Evidently, they were to put …
Piloting Your Soul
Have you ever taken a cruise? They are built with busyness in mind. Whether it’s the game rooms or the library; the water park or the banquet hall; every location is buzzing with activity. Even the passengers are resting, the staff of a luxury liner is making preparation. Your soul is like a large ship with a …
Reaching Deep
“And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me” Matthew 18:5 Let’s spend one more day looking at this verse. We’ve talked about how lifting up your child, lifts up Christ as well. Then yesterday, we saw that He accredits our futile attempts with our children as current successes with Him. Today, let’s …
Spinning Emotions?
Is your life crazy? Do you need to calm down, let go and relax? Psalm 62 is a great place for refuge. “My soul waits in silence for God only’ From Him is my salvation.” (Psalm 62:1) Let’s start with a truth meditation. I’ll give you the English words, along with the Hebrew meanings. You put it together …
Difficulties in Seeing Him
Sometimes, despite seeing Him clearly one day, I awaken the following day with resistance in my soul. My emotions feel kinda like a 2-year-old who, once told to do something, stares and stiffens his legs against the action. You know the child understands the request made of him. He has just decided not to do it. …
Drop Your Bucket
Picture a local lake. It’s a nice sized lake; big enough for boating, but small enough to drive around in about an hour. Now imagine a group of local fishermen. They work off this lake, providing fresh fish to the restaurants and seafood shops along its banks. These guys grew up fishing with their dads and have …