Writing to Help You Find and Share the Hope of Jesus
“O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.”Psalm 130:7 Hope is often discussed, yet just as often underappreciated. We preach it and sing about it. But we don’t usually realize it’s power and our need for it when times are good. Comfort tends … Continue reading The Thrill of Hope: What Produces Hope? And What Does Hope Produce?
“Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”Psalm 119:133 In Psalm 119, the Psalmist prays, “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.” (Psalm 119:133) Dictionary.com defines “dominion” as: the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority.rule; … Continue reading The Grip of Sin or The Grace of the Savior: Who Has Dominion?
"What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."2 Timothy 2:2 A guy I’ve been mentoring for awhile told me recently that he was able to share hope and encouragement in Christ to someone who had reached out to him … Continue reading What Snacks Teach Us About Making Disciples
"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble."Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 I was in a meeting earlier this week where the speaker, Rob Loane with Vantagepoint3, shared a great visual for … Continue reading In Search of More Mountain Guides: Making Disciples by “Traveling With” Instead of “Talking At”
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”Psalm 127:1 Mentoring is the focus of my work these days. ATLAS, the ministry I work with, disciples hurting people through their struggles by connecting them with volunteer mentors. For many mentors, myself included, there are times when helping someone follow Jesus seems … Continue reading The Rooting Power Of Prayer In Making Disciples
My family and I are heading up to northern Minnesota on Saturday for a week-long vacation. The past few weeks I’ve tried to think through what it means to rest well on vacation. Here are five thoughts to help me (and maybe you) honor God by resting well on vacation. Actually Rest From Your Work … Continue reading Believe and Rest: Five Thoughts On Resting Well On Vacation
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.Colossians 1:17 Tim Keller says, "We can, and should, live our lives and order our memories not only historically but theologically - not simply recollecting what happened, or what we did, but searching out what God was doing. This keeps us from over-honoring … Continue reading Don’t Sleep on God’s Sovereignty
The Bible amazes me with its perfect timing and the infinite ways it brings comfort, conviction, and truth right when it’s needed – even with the seemingly minutest of details. One of my favorite examples of this happened a couple school years ago when I was helping my daughter Kayla practice her spelling words. She … Continue reading Comfort Even for Left Handers
God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.Numbers 23:22 “Why do you always take her side!” As a dad with more than one kid, I hear this from both my daughters from time to time. When fights start, they want dad on their side. When they … Continue reading Like the Horns of the Wild Ox
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”Proverbs 27:17 “You need to make sure you have a mentor.” Those were the wise words Pastor Ben Green, a former ATLAS Board member, told me three and a half years ago when I first became director of ATLAS. He rightly understood that if I wanted others … Continue reading Why You Need a Mentor: 4 Good Things Mentors Give Us
