“I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have preserved my life.”– Psalm 119:93 We are Phi Beta Kappa in rationalization, in being defensive, and in blaming others. We put things in our closet of forgetfulness rather than deal with truth, even when it is piercing and accurate. I remember a cartoon years ago. It showed the pastor, and his arm was about 30 feet long. It extended all the way to the back row of the church. … Read More

“Thus says the Lord, ‘In a favorable time I have answered You, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’”– Isaiah 49:8 The more you hear the truth and refuse to respond to it, the tougher it gets to respond and to live by it. Think of your conscience as a square. Every time you sin, that little square turns and the corners of that square get knocked off, and there is pain. As you continue to sin, … Read More

“…for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”– 2 Corinthians 10:4 In every life there is a Jericho. You know what that is? It is that thing that would block you from becoming all that God wants you to be. Whether it is a besetting sin, a habit, or an attitude, our Jericho will block our way to the full blessing of God. As long as we try to … Read More

“’Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be as wool.’”– Isaiah 1:18 You are about to make an all-important presentation at work when you notice it: an ink stain the size of a baseball on your crisp white shirt. There is nothing you can do to hide or remove the mark. You are hopelessly stained! Every … Read More

“However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it was shaved off.”– Judges 16:22 Samson’s hair began to grow again! That’s great news, becauseit tells us that forgiveness is God’s business. But it also tells us that restoration is a process that takes time. Even after forgiveness has taken place, it will take time to rebuild those spiritual disciplines in our lives. It also takes time to rebuild broken relationships. But don’t become impatient about this. Recall … Read More

“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.”– Lamentations 3:22-23a Lou Gehrig was one of the greatest baseball players in history. He was a gentleman in the game, and never argued balls and strikes with an umpire. On one occasion, however, after taking a pitch that was called “strike three,” he had a word with the umpire before heading back to the dugout. After the game, reporters asked … Read More