Posts with the tag “faith”

When unexpected tragedy happens in your life, where do you turn for guidance? When, in the words of Fantine in Les Miserables, “Life kills the dream you dreamed,” where do you turn for hope? What can happen to many of us is that great doubts and suspicions towards God suddenly arise in our hearts.  Read More

In one of my favorite stories, The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes tries his hardest to escape from prison but all his plans and efforts fail. Yet, something finally happens that sets Edmond free. Faria, a priest and innocent cellmate who befriended Edmond, suddenly dies and the prison guards put the priest’s dead body in a sack and sow it up to be taken away.   Read More

Are you content? Most of us aren’t. Most of us have goals, bucket lists, and treasures we want to achieve or acquire. This is a part of how we are made, to imagine, set goals, and bring about a vibrant exciting future. It can also be a sinful preoccupation pulling us away from seeing gifts and blessings to be cherished.  Read More

I've got to admit, early on in my spiritual journey (and immaturity), I used to wonder if and how I was supposed to apply the last chapter of proverbs to my life when so much of it specifically describes the characteristics of an industrious and virtuous woman.   Read More

As Paul begins wrapping up his letter to the Philippians, we see his genuine love and care for them and are reminded of how willing he was to do whatever was needed for them to grow and be strengthened in their faith (Philippians 1:24-26).  Read More

Emotions are an important part of being human. The question we run into is how should we understand our emotions and handle them in a healthy way? We don’t want to play on the emotions or downplay the emotions. We don’t want to make the emotions all-important, but we don’t want to make them unimportant either.  Read More

We all have goals. How about these: I want to lose 20 pounds. I want to start my own company. I want to get married. I want to travel to Vietnam. We have lots of goals and expend mental energy tracking those goals. This time, money, and planning invested show a goal's level of importance. Think about some of your goals. Which ones are you pursuing?  Read More

Is Christianity really credible? Or is the Christian faith just a blind leap in the dark? Is Christianity a reasonable position to take? Or is it simply a convenient crutch that millions of mindless people use to get through life?  Read More

It's very easy to become discouraged in life. It’s easy to allow the circumstances of life to sap our drive and sense of courage to face the challenges ahead, make the right decision, or to not think that a situation is hopeless. How do we handle this?  Read More

How are things progressing for you in your life with Jesus? Paul’s desire to continue serving faithfully on earth was for the Philippians “progress and joy in the faith.” His expectation and goal was for their growth and progress in faith. He is speaking about character transformation through the truth of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit to enable them to stand up to external persecution and community discord. This strength of faith is exactly what Paul is hoping for them and it is his hope and love for them that drives him to persevere on their behalf.  Read More

In Psalm 31, David reminds us that each day, along with each different season of our lives, are all in the hand of God. He wrote, "My times are in your hand" (31:15). But David added something earlier in the Psalm as well.   Read More

It is encouraging to read stories of Christians who trusted God despite oppression, persecution, or even the call to martyrdom. Reading the story of Polycarp, Perpetua, Martin Luther, Jim Eliot, Corrie ten Boom and so many others inspire Christians everywhere. But what is the inspiration? Is it their apparent strength where we suspect weakness in ourselves? Is it their heart conviction when we have hearts that are quick to capitulate? Is it their vision of God’s kingdom when we distract ourselves pursuing the American Dream?  Read More