Donna is a wife, mother, grandmother, writer, and Biblical counselor. She has been blogging through the Bible each year since 2012. She loves God's Word and sharing how freeing and practical it is. She is certified through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.
Many people think their eternity is secure because they are pretty good people. They have some vague idea that God will weigh their misdeeds against all the good things they’ve done, and they’ll manage to “get in.” Others believe they’re righteous because they were baptized as a child or have taken certain sacraments. Still others believe it’s because they belong to a certain church or have performed certain religious activities. But … Could this kind of righteousness, actually, keep you out of heaven?
The nation of Israel was repeatedly warned to remember God, to remember His commands and promises and, especially, to remember Who He is. We, too, are called to remember. Forgetting weakens our faith and our ability to trust in Him and can make their downfall ours.
So, what is one major way we can tell that we have ceased to remember God in all His fullness? And how can we be purposeful about “remembering” when we realize we have fallen into that trap?
Also, read about God’s view of animals in “Love Your Pets, But …”
God’s Word has so much to say about parenting. In fact, the Bible is full of God’s instructions, encouragement, and truth for His own children. Today, we’ll look at 7 ways we can grow and become the parents we want to be and 10 ways we can put God’s principles to work with our children.
We will also talk about “Delighting in the Lord” from Psalm 37 and look at Mary, the mother of Jesus. There is so much confusion about her. Does she intercede for believers? Just how should a Christian view her?
Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in your Christian walk? Do you look around and see other believers growing spiritually, experiencing peace and joy, being used in various areas of ministry … and wonder why it’s not you? Are you tempted to believe it’s because of your difficult marriage, because your spouse is not a believer, because you’re still single, because of your parents, or because of another person or circumstance? None of us is immune to those feelings. But could there be another reason, and could making some adjustments in your thinking actually cause you to start growing exponentially?
The word rotten means something that is decaying or infected. Yet, ladies, our Proverbs passage tells us we can be like rottenness to our husbands! But we have a choice. Each of us can also choose to be an excellent wife who is like a crown to her husband. We need to ask ourselves, which one describes us?
And men, what do you value in a wife? Is it what God values, what He says makes an excellent wife? Finally, parents, are you preparing your daughter to be an excellent wife and your son to value what God values?
Also, read about the hope found in the middle of Mark 16.6 in three little words, “He is risen.” What does it mean to us now and for eternity?
Easter and Holy Week are just around the corner. And our world has never needed to understand what Jesus accomplished through His death, burial, and resurrection more than it does now. But sadly, bunnies and Easter baskets often overshadow the immensity of what happened at the Cross two thousand plus years ago.
Helping the next generation understand the basics of the Christian faith and gain an understanding of sin, redemption, the gospel, and salvation is so important. While I don’t want to make light of the importance of good children and youth ministries, in some cases, children’s church or Sunday school has been reduced to Bible stories, a craft, and a snack. Children make professions of faith without a genuine understanding of their own sinfulness and the power of the gospel to save them.
Then they, too often, graduate into a youth ministry that is more concerned with pizza and entertainment than with growing young people into the image of Christ and preparing them for schools, universities, and the world in general, which are all designed to undermine any religious convictions they might have.
But studies have shown that the influence of parents can make a huge difference. So, we must find time to teach our children and help them develop their own faith and devotional habits. Why not take some time with your family to read about the events leading up to that first Easter Sunday? Perhaps today’s post can serve as a starting point.
David, the Apostle Paul, and others in the Bible understood their need to trust in and rely on God and not their own abilities or anything else. What about you? In what are you trusting with the things going on in your life and the world around us? Whether it’s the images on the nightly news, the threat of continuing inflation, political issues, or worries about your family, health or personal finances, where is your trust? Is it in the government, in medical intervention, or in your own abilities? Or are you ultimately trusting God and God alone?
When our kids were growing up, we would correct them when they called one another stupid. You probably do the same thing. So, I was surprised to find out that God calls us stupid when we act a certain way. That’s a pretty harsh criticism when you realize the word translated as “stupid” comes from a word meaning “to graze.” One who acts this way is like an ignorant animal, as the old saying goes, “as dumb as an ox.” So, what is it we do that would cause God to call us “stupid”? And what does it have to do with what the cross says about us? Check out today’s post to find out.
A few years ago, as I was reading about the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Booths, and all the animal sacrifices required, I thought about a funny thing that happened years before and how a sarcastic teenager reminded me about the cost of our redemption.
Also, what does a law about keeping our word have to say about God’s view of authority, and how do we demonstrate our obedience in this area to our children and others?
In the book of Numbers, Moses was about to die, and God was raising a new leader by the name of Joshua. He would not lead in quite the same way. He wouldn’t have the “face-to-face” relationship with God that Moses had. But Joshua would lead the people into the Promised Land. This should encourage us that God will use each of us in His way, with our own gifts and talents. We don’t have to be like someone else. If you compare yourself to others and are afraid to step out and be used by God, know that God has a unique plan to use who you are.
