Prayer: Our Greatest and Least Valued Weapon

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.—James 5:17

So many times I have found myself and my Christian friends saying, “All we can do is pray” when we feel powerless—when a loved one is dying, when a (more…)

The God of All Grace

Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen and support you after you have suffered a little while. – 1 Peter 5:10

This verse jumped out at me as I read through my Sunday school lesson a few weeks ago, so I immediately wrote it on an index card (more…)

The Probable vs. the Spiritual

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”—John 20:29

One day as I was returning from a prayer walk, I ran into an erudite neighbor—a longtime missionary—and we began to talk about a particularly vexing issue that was on my heart. I put on my Mr. Spock (more…)

When You Look for the Worst, You’ll Find It

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. – Philippians 4:8

Yes, I know I’ve quoted this verse before. Many times. But I need to be reminded of it. Maybe you do too.

Many years (more…)

Filtering Your Thoughts

I sat on a bench next to our lake as I prayed this morning and admired the beautiful day, the kind that helps me endure our brutal summers. Water lilies flapped lightly against the water in the cool breeze; ospreys glided overhead. And then I found myself fixing on one ominous pinkish-gray cloud that alternately coalesced and fragmented against the otherwise serene (more…)