“Contentment through Generosity” Proverbs

“A generous man will himself be blessed”
Last Sunday, we were talking about ways to learn contentment.  Paul said that he had learned to be content in every situation, whether good or bad.  He had learned the secret of contentment in plenty or in need.  I gave four suggestions for how Paul learned contentment.  I would [...]

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“Wisdom not Wealth” Proverbs

“Trust in your money and down you go!” is how the New Living Translation puts Proverbs 11:28.  Money is a fickle thing, which can’t be counted on.  That is why we should put our trust in God instead.   
The second part of the verse reads, “But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.”  “Flourish” is a word [...]

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“The Addiction of Money”

I’m on vacation on the East Coast, visiting Mary’s family in Hagerstown, Maryland. Yesterday I read in the local paper that four people were arrested for possession and distribution of crack cocaine. I read that with a mixture of alarm and disgust. I also sensed a subtle superiority welling up inside.
It feels [...]

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“Paul’s pattern of prayer continues” Colossians 1:9-12

As in his prayer for the believers in Ephesus, Paul prays for the Colossians focusing on their relationship with Christ.  He prays for them to be filled “with the knowledge of His (God’s) will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding”.  The outcome of this knowledge and understanding was to be a walk worthy of the [...]

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“Jesus-centered prayers” Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21

Here is what I notice.  When Paul prayed for the Ephesians, his primary desire was that they understand, know, and experience Jesus more and more.  He wanted them to enter into the fullness of their inheritance as redeemed children of God.  Above all, he wanted them to grow spiritually and relationally with God.
Our prayers, on [...]

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“Brokenness” Luke 18:9-14

‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
That’s not a long prayer–seven words to be exact.  Evidently, God isn’t so impressed with wordiness.  In fact, He may not be too impressed with words at all.  He’s more interested in our hearts.  In seven simple words, the tax collector communicated a broken, dependent, honest heart. 
“God treasures our [...]

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“This is eternal life…” John 17

It’s not like Jesus uses big words or compicated sentences in this prayer.  Still, some of the concepts seem just out of reach for me.  Jesus had this knack for expressing huge concepts with small words and short phrases.  I simply confess it:  I don’t comprehend the fullness of what Jesus means when he talks [...]

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“Who sees me?” Matthew 6:5-18

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”          
Who sees us when we come to spend time with God in prayer?  Better yet, who do we want to [...]

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“Confession” Psalm 51

Mary, my wife, complains that I’m an “out of sight, out of mind” kind of person.  I like to put a positive spin on that by saying I’m “totally engaged” with the situation in which I find myself.    Either way, last week I was deep in the woods of southwest Ohio at the annual camp [...]

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