Beyond Physical Pain
What is the most stressed you’ve ever been? Did your whole body get tense? Did you scream? Did you eventually get sick? All human reactions to stress. Here’s one more: Did you sweat blood? As we are in the Easter season and the joy of the resurrection, we first think of Jesus’ pain on Good Friday. But it’s worth knowing that his greatest pain was not physical. And there were only two points when he lost his composure. The first was in the Garden of Gethsemane immediately prior to his arrest and crucifixion, where Jesus prayed intensely. So what…
Usher for the Kingdom
I started out living in Africa, then Minnesota, then Japan, then California, now Louisiana. And I have often asked myself, “Why am I here?” The answer that has consistently come is, “The same reason you’re anywhere on earth.” Jesus says in what we call the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven….” This is about praying down the reign and activity of God on earth. And God invites us to participate. More than anything else in life, I want to be part of God’s reign and activity that blesses people’s…
The Kingdom of God–the Best Deal in Town
One cold day by the ocean, I was seeking God’s direction, and I felt distinctly prompted to relinquish all the goals I had at the time. Ahhh!!! In their place—and I am convinced the Holy Spirit was doing this because it was so clear and against my will—I was to “do the Matthew 6:33 thing.” That reads: “Seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” So above everything else, I am—and we are—are to seek God’s heavenly reign as it comes to earth here and now. And we are…
The Power of Prayer + Habit
I predict that to a surprising degree, this new year will bring you a response to what you bring to it. You may or may not have made a New Year’s resolution, but they typically rely on willpower. And willpower is like a battery with a limited energy cycle—it needs to be frequently recharged. That’s what makes resolutions so vulnerable to failure. But if we use our willpower to form simple habits that we do every day, the habits pave the way to accomplish what might otherwise elude us. That’s where I encourage you to consider the annual growth commitment….
A Different Christmas Verse
Those who live well in the face of eternity are keenly and joyfully aware this Christmas season that the eternal One came to earth so that we could spend eternity with him. Here’s a Christmas verse from the One whose birthday we celebrate: “Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Considering that we are celebrating not our birthday but the one of he who identified with the poor and oppressed, how would a person follow what he says? AdventConspiracy.org encourages us…
