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Josiah Revival
The story of King Josiah is nestled in the overlooked chronicles of Israel’s rulers. In the 18th year of Josiah’s reign the King decreed a simple rehabilitation project of the temple grounds that turned into a sweeping overhaul of Israel’s religious practices and worldview. During the construction, they happened upon a forgotten scroll. The law of the Lord. 2 Kings 22:8 tells us that the Israelites, “found the scroll of the law in the Lord’s temple.” The Law was the foundational word of God that connected the people to the God of the Covenant. It was held in such high esteem. Children would be instructed in the law, memorizing it…
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Depression and Spiritual Emptiness
Recently I’ve been walking through life, walking through marriage and walking through ministry, floating, watching, and just a little bit empty. I can’t quite find the leak in the balloon; it feels as if my passion, my energy and sometimes even my faith, is slowly deflating. My house is dirty. I keep trying my best but it just stays that way. I’m snapping at my husband and I am ashamed to admit it, but my tiny toddlers have become tiny terrorists to me. I don’t know what to do with them so I do what I can until it’s time to put them to bed. Then I’m left wondering what to…
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Jesus Calling?
“Be thankful for quiet days, when nothing special seems to be happening. Instead of being bored by the lack of action, use times of routine to seek My Face. Although this is an invisible transaction, it speaks volumes in spiritual realms. Moreover, you are richly blessed when you walk trustingly with Me through the routines of your day.” Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. —Colossians 3:23 I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. —John…
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Want It To Go Well With You?
When our sons were young, one of their favorite Golden Books was Tootle the Train. It was the story of a baby train in school to learn to be a Flyer, but he kept jumping off the track to go play in the meadow. It took all the people in the town working together to convince him that a train needs to “stay on the rails no matter what.” For a short while in the book, Tootle buys into the lie that life can be found in the meadow, racing horses and making daisy chains among the buttercups. But if you’re a train and you go off the rails, you…
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The Best Book On Earth!
A little journey to the local Barnes and Noble is always a fun experience for those who love to read. Author displays, best seller tables, new releases, magazine racks, and categorized book shelves line the isles and walls. Bold words, bright colors, and eye catching illustrations are displayed on front covers and on banners in an effort to lure the reader to choose ‘this’ book. An enormously wide array of books can be found as they scream on the shelves, “buy me!” Why do you purchase a book? Is it for pleasure, knowledge, or information? Perhaps, you wish to make something and are browsing the shelves for a “how to” book. Whatever the reason, most…
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Noah or God’s Not Dead?
If you want to see a movie where the lions beat the “Christians” go see Noah. If you want to see a movie where the Christians beat the lions go see God’s Not Dead. If you want to see a story where the lions “eat” a lot of Christians but many prevail read the Bible. Hebrews 11. All the way to the end. If you want to see a movie where an unbelieving director uses a Christian story as a springboard to put forward his own environmentalist and we-are-all-connected pantheist story go see Darren Aronofsky’s Noah. Aranofsky insists he is a believer,…
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The Daily Quiet Time: Is Morning Truly Best?
Back when I was a teen, I heard over and over that I needed to have a private daily time of Bible reading and prayer, and if I failed to have this “quiet time” in the morning, I was living all day in my own strength. Our Aussie friend heard the same emphasis on a morning quiet time when he was growing up, as well as later, when he enrolled in a US discipleship program. Both of us, while in Bible college in opposite parts of the world, heard this idea emphasized. Not only did Christians need time with God, we were told, but it had to involve Bible…
