I’ve heard more than one mom bemoan the choices their adult children are making. What do you do when you can’t stop the downward spiral of your health, finances, country, or loved one? Old Testament Daniel models a godly response.Continue Reading
God Cares About You and Your Needs
I missed you while I was away, but I had a fabulous trip with my daughter. I hope to tell you more another time. Today I want to remind you that God sees our needs and knows how to communicate with us.
Larry and I studied under a brilliant seminary professor whose charisma and authority made him dangerous. Several people ended the year with their faith utterly shaken. He, knowingly or unknowingly, set himself up as the final authority and punished those whose views differed from his. Even questions to gain a better understanding seemed to threaten him.
Two of his premises were God has left us to figure things out by ourselves and maturity is shown by confusion. Any expression of faith in a God who is personally involved in the lives of His children was belittled as naive.
Many times I’d received comfort and instruction from the Holy Spirit using a simple Bible study method. (You can get it in the free e-book How to Get a Personal Word from God in the right sidebar.) This man’s influence brought dark clouds of confusion that would douse my joy whenever I received guidance through God’s Word. I wondered if I was simplistic to think the God of the universe cared about my small needs.Continue Reading
Do You Trust the Bible?
Picking up the pad next to my bed, I jotted down another question. I thought the Bible was supposed to provide answers not more questions. Such was my typical Bible reading experience before I joined a Bible study group in college.
Unsure of what to expect, I agreed to attend a study my friend was hosting. I relaxed when the audio teachings were interesting and humorous. What fascinated me most was how the teacher used the Bible as if it were the authority on how to live.
Before this time, I’d approached the Bible as if I were the authority. The parts that supported my thinking, I kept. What didn’t, I blew off like dust collected from an age gone by.
My girlfriend had no idea her study was leading me to a fork in the road. Would I continue to rely on my limited understanding? Or, would I look to the Bible as God’s inerrant word for my life?
I chose my path. I began to read the Bible as if it pertained to me. The change turned my world right side up. Not only did the Bible start to make sense, the evening news and everything else came into focus.Continue Reading