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All tagged God
"He's the real deal," is a common expression to affirm someone's credibility. This expression is often applied to an athlete or someone with great talent or used to confirm some claim or observation about a person.
Over the past 45 years, my wife has loved on and cared for hundreds of children. Many people along the way have noted her gift with and love for children and their love for her.
I've seen it in her as Mom and Nana and in her work in church nurseries, in our ministry overseas, and in her current work at a preschool.
Words need to match action for a person to be the real deal. The opinion of others isn't enough, people need to see it for themselves. In other words, it should be obvious to all.
The supernatural has always intrigued people. Intellectuals and atheists may scorn interest in spiritual or supernatural things, but the majority of people in the world are fascinated by it.
Consider what's popular in entertainment and gaming. Superheros, spirits, wizards, and various creatures from the netherworld are featured in some of the most popular TV series, movies, games, and books.
Humans are created with a spiritual capacity and longing. It's built into us. As King Solomon said, "He [God] has put eternity into man's heart" (Eccl 3:11). And yet, we live in a physical world and perceive it through our five physical senses.
How can we know if a promise is trustworthy? People make promises that are often more like intentions than true promises. We might "promise" to call someone or pray for them later, but we say promise as more of an assurance of our intention than a true commitment.
Politicians, sales people, and even entrepreneurs make lots of promises, but if we're wise, we only accept these promises with a grain of salt. There always seems to be a loophole, excuse, or contingency that gives them a way out of making good on their promises.
A promise is only as good as the person who makes it. Even then, it's only reliable if the person has the capacity or power to keep their promise.
What's your image of God? Do you envision Him as a kindly grandfather, or do you imagine Him being a strict disciplinarian?
Our family of origin and how we were raised can have a positive or negative effect on our relationship with God. I've seen this to be true in people's lives over and over as a pastor and missionary.
It will soon be the beginning of a new year, and many people look for a new start, set new goals, and make some New Year's resolutions.
What are your expectations for the coming new year? Do you want to be prosperous?
How do you define prosperity? Perhaps you're hoping for a new job, wealth, new opportunities, or something else for a better life.
What if prosperity was not so measurable, but more to do with values and quality of life?
Is that the kind of improvement you're seeking this year?
When my family was young and I was a young father and pastor, finding a quiet time and place to study could be a challenge. As my children grew older, when I was in my small study at home, they understood I was at work on my messages for the church.
But it was different for the younger children, as my wife pointed out many times. They could burst into my little study anytime they wanted. Later, my church office staff learned that when my wife called, she had priority over who was in my office or what I was working on.
The Lord helped me see this is the access we have Him, even when we're older. We can burst into the Lord's presence whenever and whatever the need.
The door is never closed to the Father's presence for those of us who know Him as our Father. He always has time for us and gives us His full attention.
I met a young couple from New Zealand in the Hong Kong airport years ago. We were waiting for our next flight and got to talking. I asked them about their experience in my home country, the USA.
They had worked in the US for a few years and shared a simple observation about Americans and rest. Generally, they realized we don't seem to know how to take time to rest, even when we're sick.
Think about it. Immense amounts of sick leave and vacation time go unused each year by Americans. When we do take vacations, they're often expensive and so activity-filled, we need a rest after our vacation! This carries over to our faith.
