As I was reading through chapter 3 of A.W. Tozer's book, the Pursuit of God, something stuck out to me that has never really hit me before. I've read this book many times and each time the LORD highlights something in my heart from what Tozer wrote.

There are so many cliches and presuppositions out there concerning worship and to even tackle them would be a never-ending task. However, there is a mindset that I want to point out that could have us missing out on so much. What I think we're missing out on is His Presence.

Click to continue reading »

Consider: Titus 3

If you haven't gotten it already, you're not good enough. You're just not. I'm not either. None of us are. If we were than Jesus' death would have been pointless. It seems so often we try, try and keeping trying to prove something to God that we're good enough to get into heaven, but the fact is, we're not.

Click to continue reading »

Consider: 2 Timothy 2

This entire chapter is one of challenge. Paul doesn't beat around the bush, he gets straight to the point with Timothy and he encourages him in his faith and relationship with God.

First Challenge:

2 Timothy 2: 4 - "And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the One who has enlisted you in His army."

Click to continue reading »

I'll be going "under the radar" for the next two weeks or so... may post stuff... may not... but I've not forgotten about the blog if nothing gets posted.

:)


Click to continue reading »

I was reading through 2 Kings 6&7 this morning... and I must say, what an interesting and amazing time in Israel's history!

Times had gotten pretty rough. The king of Aram had besieged Samaria and as a result there was a great famine. It got so bad that people even began eating their own children (see 2 Kings 6:26-29).

Click to continue reading »

Consider: 1 Timothy 1

Paul is laying out an interesting challenge here to Timothy, his son in the faith. Listen to what he says in verse 19:

"Cling tightly to your faith in Christ, and always keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked."

Click to continue reading »

Consider: Colossians 3

A few days ago I posted a few thoughts on how Paul was encouraging the believers and their thought life.

Our thought life is important... it really impacts our entire lives.

Now here in Colossians 3, Paul lays out that we should: "set our sights should be on the realities of heaven... let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth" (see Colossians 3:1-2).

Click to continue reading »

Consider: Colossians 1

We live in "the home of the free". There's a lot that goes into that statement, but one of those things is, for the most part, we don't have to do everything the government tells us to do. We don't have to go to a certain government sanctioned church, we have the choice of which church to go to. We have the choice of which store we want to shop at... where we want to buy gas... we have the choice of who we want to be our next leader.

Click to continue reading »

This is a continuation from yesterday's post. You can find it here.

So Jeroboam was deceiving the people into worshiping idols through the temptation of convenience.

What were they thinking? I'm sure they knew the stories of their people and what happened when they turned to idols, yet that did not seem to affect them at all.

Click to continue reading »

There's a passage in 1 Kings that really stuck out to me a few days back... and I haven't been able to get it out of my head. I think it speaks to a very stark reality in our lives.

Where we pick up in the story is where Jeroboam is trying to take the kingdom of Israel from David's lineage. On the advice of his counselors, he decides to make two golden calves (don't we EVER learn from our mistakes?). The counselors suggested he do this to prevent the people from traveling to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the LORD because in doing so they would also have the opportunity to restate their allegiance to King Rehoboam (the guy Jeroboam didn't want to be king).

Click to continue reading »

Consider: Philippians 4

The whole book of Philippians is a challenge to live the life that we've been called to live as believers. Paul finishes up this challenge by encouraging the believers to check their thoughts.

Philippians 4:8 says: "Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think abou tthings that are excellent and worthy of praise."

Click to continue reading »