Try as we may, even Christians have a hard time tuning out our culture’s attitudes and values. We know we aren’t supposed to “let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould” (Romans 12:1, Phillips translation), but … over and over again … we find ourselves being drawn in. Instead of measuring ourselves against [...]
Tag: Devotionals
A New Beginning
Starting in 2013, I’ll be writing Adventuring with God in a new way. It’ll be shorter and more personal; less doctrinal and more relational in focus. While I’ve enjoyed the more formal approach (reminiscent of late 19th and early 20th century Christian writing), I recognize it’s not very appealing to most Christians today. And so [...]
Becoming Christlike
Everyone who’s been a Christian for any length of time knows that the most important goal in following Jesus is to become more like Him, to take on His nature. We call that quest becoming more Christlike. We wouldn’t dream of pursuing such a quest if He hadn’t been the one to suggest it. It [...]
A Thousand Hearts to Give
Loyalty is a trait seldom mentioned today. Can you remember the last time you heard it discussed? It’s sometimes mentioned in passing, when someone’s committed to a particular political party, brand name, or sports team, but even then it’s often not perceived as a positive thing. Like similar concepts rooted in a distant past, loyalty [...]
The Unlimited Broadcasting Station
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” George Washington Carver I’m fortunate to live in a place where I get to see some astonishingly beautiful things every time I leave my house. No, I’m not talking about [...]
Counter Intuitive
Following God can be baffling at times. What seems so reasonable, so intuitive to us is often the very thing God does not want us to do. Or He asks us to do things we’d never consider doing under normal circumstances. Our confusion stems from the time we spent in the world before we knew [...]
Approaching Holy Ground
As Christians, we’re now approaching the most monumental time in our calendar – the Easter season. Most of us know that “Easter” is not the biblical term for our celebration. Jesus died on the same day as lambs were being slain for the Jewish Passover meal. He was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies about [...]
Do or Done?
A rap video has recently surfaced on the Internet that has drawn a lot of attention. It’s entitled “Why I hate religion but love Jesus.” The intent of the piece, written and delivered by Jefferson Bethke, is (I believe) to show why the lost world may be confused about Christianity, believing it to be just [...]
Birth Pangs
It was over thirty-five years ago that I had my last child, but the life-changing event is something you don’t forget easily. Certain details fade with time, of course, but most women can recall the final stages of giving birth with clarity because of the strong emotions that seem to burn the memory into their [...]
The Great Christmas Let-Down
During the months of November and December we hear a lot about Jesus’ birth. We seldom mention it during the other ten months of the year, but during the Advent and Christmas season we are treated to a seemingly non-stop retelling of the awesome event. I don’t imagine I can bring any new insights to [...]
Adventuring with God 