We do not naturally choose or enjoy suffering. Sometimes, we cannot avoid it. What we can choose is God’s will while suffering. Oswald Chambers encouraged us to choose God’s will even if it means we will suffer. That is putting Christ before ourselves, before our pleasure, etc. While we suffer, we can try to gain …
Wise servanthood remembers we are not God. We cannot be everywhere, know everything, execute plans flawlessly, and never become exhausted. Wise servants know their limits, know when to say “no,” and know when they need to refresh themselves with rest, good nutrition, recreation, and time with the Lord. Jesus modeled all of this for us. …
We can do service that isn’t sacred—our motives can be selfish while we serve. True servants can forget themselves to fully focus on those being served because they are secure in God’s love for them. Methodist missionary to India, E. Stanley Jones, wrote “Only the Great can afford to stoop.” Jesus knew who He was, …
Charles was raised in a pastor’s home with a saintly mother. He was religious, but in 1738 he trusted his life to Jesus. In the first year, Charles found victory over his bad temper and his drinking problem. To celebrate his one-year anniversary of his conversion, he wrote a hymn with eighteen verses. His brother, …
I John 4:4 says we are overcomers because the One in us is greater than the one in the world. David was even younger and smaller than Israelites soldiers who were quaking in fear of the Philistines and Goliath. But David was a giant on the inside. It wasn’t arrogance; it was just confidence in …
I reviewed notes from our district’s February 2020 Winter Retreat. Mike McCoy of 360 Church compared effective discipleship to an AA group. He said Christians really need a spiritual sponsor to meet with each week. We most often address the real-life issues in our lives in small, personal settings where there is high trust. Without …
I listened to a thought-provoking John Maxwell podcast on “Facing Fear with Nic Wallenda.” 2020 has brought fear into the spotlight. We all have fears (especially in a pandemic). Some fears are more obvious than others, but it is just a matter of what we fear and how we express it. One person fears being …
How do we take down a huge Cottonwood tree that leans dangerously over a garage? We don’t. We didn’t have the manpower, expertise, experience, or the equipment. Even the local professionals didn’t have equipment big enough to fell this tree—and save the garage. A half dozen experienced guys worked with two cherry pickers, chainsaws, ropes …
Hebrews 12:1-3 tells us to run the race with perseverance. It can be done because Hebrews 11 is a listing of people who did it well in difficult circumstances. Marathon running in the Christian life means throwing off sins, possessions, habits, and distractions that slow us down. It means knowing the course that God has …
We are arriving at that time of the year that we use gloves more often. My favorite pair of gloves are a heavy pair labeled Dekalb. My stepdad sold Dekalb corn seed. He gave me those over 40 years ago. While hunting last year I learned that putting on vinyl/latex gloves first really makes a …
Adrian Timmons 