Shields up!
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and the One who rescues me;My God, my rock and strength in whom I trust and take refuge;My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower—my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2 AMP) When I was in grad school, a group of us would eat supper together while watching oldContinue Reading
Trust, Relationships, and Suffering in a Messy World
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12 AMP) It takes a long time to build trust and a good reputation. In our day and age, when lies, smear campaigns, and personal vendettas can spread instantly through digital media, very little fact-checking occurs.Continue Reading
Prayer for military
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 AMP) The Lord is my light and my salvation—Whom shall I fear?The Lord is the refuge and fortress of my life—Whom shall I dread? (Psalm 27:1 AMP) Heavenly Father,Continue Reading
Trained for Battle
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(Proverbs 22:6 NIV) In churches and Christian education programs around the world today, more mature believers are pouring into young lives. Let us pray for these next generations of believers,Continue Reading
Psalm 136: Refrain of Love
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV) Do you read one Bible translation or several? My primary translation for much of the last 20 years has been the New International Version (NIV) or New Living Translation (NLT), but,Continue Reading
Courage of convictions in decisions
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,Continue Reading
Prayer accumulation
Pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV) Last weekend I was staying with out-of-state family, so I went with them to their church. The sermon was titled, “What Do You Do When Your Prayers Aren’t Answered Yet?” — a question many of us wrestle with. I went through a deep season of wrestlingContinue Reading
Capitalization?
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14 AMP) As you know, English is a language that is constantly evolving. Depending on the era, a single word may have had multiple meanings. For example, “gay” used toContinue Reading
Another Cora update
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15 NIV) [This update was posted on the social media page of the mother of “Cora,” the young girl who had extensive brain surgery in August to remove a slow-growing tumor. She has made a great recovery, overall, butContinue Reading
Architecture, lifts, and resources
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 NIV) One of the things that drew me to the church we started attending in 2020 was the beautiful, classic architecture of the building. From the towering steeple, to theContinue Reading