Does anybody feel ashamed about anything anymore? The immediate response might be no. Criticism like the phrase “you ought to be ashamed of yourself” doesn’t seem to haul much freight anymore. Cohabitation and childbirth out of wedlock no longer carry much social stigma. But I think people still feel shame. Read more
“I wish my faith was stronger.” “I wish I could believe like my grandmother.” “I don’t have much of a faith.” “My faith is so weak.” Sound familiar? Do you worry about your lapses in faith? One of the great things about the Bible is the unflinching honesty in its Read more
What are the most serious obstacles to your faith? Materialism? Busyness? Evolutionary science? Pleasures? How about stamina? When God makes you wait and wait and wait some more for his providence, does that grind down your confidence? Have you had some long stretches of poverty or illness or unemployment? David Read more
The story of Judas is a miserable one, and I don’t mean for the reasons you think. True enough, Judas was a greedy, selfish, money-hungry, lying, betraying weasel. But that is not the worst part. The worst is that his massive guilt made him think that he was a bigger Read more
We all have bombs dropped on our lives—nasty setbacks that shake us up. Some families have had atomic bombs fall—major house fire, catastrophic illness in the breadwinner, or worst of all, a child-sized casket. Satan will always exploit openings like that: “How can you still believe that your so-called heavenly Read more
You’ve heard the proverb, “You can’t go home again.” Can prodigal daughters and sons go back to God after they have run away for a long time? Am I talking about you? Or maybe someone you know? How do you get back with God? What if it’s been years, or Read more
As you have figured out by now, life is not a sprint. It is a marathon. And just as our bodies physically don’t bounce back as quickly from exertion or illness as they used to, I think our spirits lose some elasticity as the years roll on too. Persistent disappointments Read more