My wife’s aunt Emma, from the back mountains of Tennessee, thought she discovered a miracle change machine when she first encountered an elevator. She watched as an older, much wrinkled man hobbled on, and the doors closed. A few minutes
In our ministry we have counseled several people who were once active, enthusiastic and often volunteered in their churches. They used to be able to light up the room with their vibrant outlook on life when they were present at gatherings, but because of life’s overwhelming problems
Acts 9:10-19 Regardless of what you have done, no one is beyond hope. That’s the great hope of the Christian message. No amount or depth of sin in your past can trump the grace of God. If you question that,
We all want this year to be better than last — even if last year was a great year. How does that happen? Not by having better circumstances. (They always go up and down.) Not by keeping one of the
It’s time for a New start because the new year is here! Consider where have you been, where are you now, and where are you going. Where is Jesus in each of these? How has redemption changed your life and
Acts 9:10-21 Surprises are always part of God’s leading. In Saul’s case, the surprise came in the form of a light from heaven, marking a life-changing transformation. For Ananias, it was a seemingly unreasonable and illogical command from the Lord,
Acts 9:5-9; Acts 26:12-15 God goaded and prodded the stubborn pride of Saul—that Pharisaic ox. Day after day he kicked against those goads, until finally he got the message. There would be no more running. No more hiding. The fight
“God doesn’t answer prayer. He answers desperate prayer.” I can still remember my feelings of shock and bewilderment as Leonard Ravenhill, the late church statesman, spoke these difficult words to me. Of course God answers prayer, I thought. But after