When God’s Plans are Not Our Plans
Night after night I cried out my heart to God. Hadn’t this been what Hannah did and her prayers were answered? Wasn’t God listening?
Night after night I cried out my heart to God. Hadn’t this been what Hannah did and her prayers were answered? Wasn’t God listening?
We live in a world full of jargon. Chuck studied the Scriptures and found Psalm 23 has 73 per cent single-syllable words. The Lord’s Prayer has 76 per cent single-syllable words. First Corinthians 13 is 80 per cent single-syllable words. What does that teach us about communication?
We don’t like to think about death, but the Bible says believers have nothing to fear—we have a Shepherd, Jesus, who will walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death when the time comes.
Indeed we have not only accommodated our lifestyles to mirror the world's attitudes, some have even developed a prosperity theology that promotes materialism and consumerism as a divine right.
True of false? Experience is the best teacher. Experience is a good teacher, but guided experience is the best teacher. We need people to come alongside us; people who care enough to confront us when we’re off base. And when we’re confronted, we need the humility to learn from it.
Out of the rich book of Psalms, we find an ancient hymn—a prayer, a passionate petition—in which David makes a series of requests and statements that reveal a level of maturity admired by all. For a few moments, read over and meditate on Psalm 26. Observe the composer's major theme as well as his unguarded admissions. See if you can discover for yourself the relevance of this melodic revelation.
Fear. Ever met this beast? Sure you have. It comes in all shapes and every size. Fear of failure. Fear of heights. Fear of crowds. Fear of disease and death. Fear of rejection. Fear of unemployment.
Parents, you’re only human. Everyone makes mistakes. But stay at it. Your family needs you!
Tears have a language all their own. In some mysterious way, our bodies know their verbal limitations and then the tears come.
One of the most significant contributions the legacy of a woman leaves upon the world is an unguarded tenderness. This softens our spirits and our souls. Don’t stop. The world is hard—don’t pick up on that. Stay tender.
“A tap on the shoulder” is the almighty power of God acting without help or hindrance so as to produce a new creature, and to lead him into the particular work which God has for him.