Standing at my window one day, while the cholera was raging in London, I saw two corpses carried by, followed by one little child, walking alone next to the coffins, with a few neighbors behind. That child was now an orphan. Both parents had been carried off by the pestilence. The sight of that child … Continue reading Spiritual Orphans: Forgetting our Heavenly Father
They were gaining on me. Every breath I took was weighed down by the awareness that they were close behind. I had entered at the narrow gate, but somehow, they had managed to follow me onto the path. I could hear their taunts. Every one of their footsteps was like the sound of a war … Continue reading Enemies on the Narrow Road
How do we live with discouragement? When people look at you, they see courage, but you know it is nothing but a stiff upper lip. The last thing you want to do is burden your loved ones more than necessary, so you keep your disappointment as hidden as possible. The problem is that every setback … Continue reading Discouragement is not Always our Enemy
We can often find ourselves in spiritually desolate places. What makes a time or place desolate? Sometimes, it is the sin of those around us. People can sin against us, and the pain they cause can be deep and personal. Other times, rulers and authorities grieve our hearts by calling evil good and good evil. … Continue reading God’s Provision in Desolate Places
The perennial frog in the kettle does not know he is being heated until it is too late. Tepid water feels just fine as it is heated, degree by degree, but a boil begins to roll at some point. In America, at least, if not the Western world, we are beginning to succumb to a new phenomenon—relational fragility. In isolation, manifestations of this trend are not all that interesting—cancel culture, “ghosting,” the divorce rate, family estrangement, and political witch-hunts. On the other hand, combined, we can discern a cultural shift that is quite literally tearing at the fabric of American society. We are now in a time when people are trying harder than ever to be connected but are, ironically, sprinting away from one another at breakneck speed. - CLICK TO READ MORE
If you are feeling the weight of the world, please take a moment to read the following timeless encouragement written in 1856 by James Smith. If you are a sincere believer in Jesus, whatever may be your present difficult circumstances, however trying, however perplexing: it will all end in mercy! You may not think so … Continue reading Hope for the Heavy Heart
If fall were a person, she’d be an introverted poet and artist. She steps out of summer shyly, unsure if the world is ready for her. As she paints the leaves red and strips down the trees, and as the carved jack o’ lantern sitting out on the neighbor’s front porch grows mold and curls in on itself, she reminds us there is death, but for those who know, there is more than that.
When a man or woman of God invites you in as they process their grief of losing a loved one, they are giving you a spiritual gift to strengthen you. Throughout church history, many faithful Christians have suffered the loss of children and encouraged others through their experiences. Samuel Rutherford, John Flavel, John Bunyan, and George Whitfield … Continue reading Seasons of Sorrow
The lights glow softly, the Christmas music plays, and wondrous thoughts of the birth of our Savior fill our minds. What a blessing it is for the believer who still finds childlike joy at this time of year. Being “grown-up” is a bit over-rated because being “grown-up,” according to the world, usually entails a constant stiff upper lip … Continue reading Sin, Sorrow, and the Joy of Christmas
But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. – Luke 15:20 The kiss of the father in the parable of the prodigal son is full of meaning. The prodigal has returned home, but only after forsaking his father and … Continue reading The Prodigal’s Return
The Fight of Faith 