Sometimes it helps us to be reminded of things that we have read and that we know but that we sometimes lose sight of in the midst of life’s challenges. Consider just a few and be refreshed. God “is ABLE to strengthen you according to [His] gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 16:25). God “is ABLE to keep what [you] have committed…

So many things have been done to depict the devil almost as a caricature that some people (even Christians) have a hard time accepting that the devil is real or that he has any influence over them today. No doubt, that is one of his “devices” (2 Cor. 2:11) that he uses to “deceive” (Rev. 12:9) folks and keep them “blinded” (2 Cor.…

Have you ever felt overwhelmed in your spirit? Like some folks were just out to get you? Like no one was concerned about you and you had nowhere to go? Have you ever felt in desperate need and that you were, figuratively, in prison? I am not just making up the words in the questions above randomly. They are drawn from the very words that a…

Have you ever been talking to someone about something and then you get on your phone and there is an ad for the very thing you were just talking about? Have you ever looked something up online and then the next time you got on your phone there was an ad for it? Advertisers are very good at writing algorithms to put in front…

Elisha built a close relationship with a couple in Shunem who cared for him, and he interceded to God on their behalf to miraculously have a child (2 Kgs. 4:8-17). Some years later, the child died at a young age, which threw the “soul” of the mother into “deep distress” (4:18-27). But when her husband spoke with her, she said, “It is well” (4:23). When…

Memory loss is a sad and devastating reality that affects many people who we know and love. Unfortunately, while it is easy to identify in others, it is not so easy to identify in ourselves, especially when it comes to things that really matter. When Moses was delivering his final messages to Israel in the book of Deuteronomy, he frequently emphasized their need…

Sometimes Christians allow other people to affect their service TO the Lord and FOR the Lord. Sometimes Christians get frustrated with a preacher or with the elders, so they disconnect from the local congregation and stop serving in the church. Sometimes Christians get hurt by a fellow Christian, so they disconnect from the local congregation and stop being involved.  The nature of human relationships…

Do you ever get emotionally overloaded with the trials and hardships of life? Then, do you ever get emotionally over-overloaded when you look around at the dismal condition of the sin-filled world around us? Then, do you ever get emotionally over-over-overloaded when unexpected challenges face your family? Then do you ever get emotionally over-over-over-overloaded when friends or family unload their troubles and…