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Crisis Praying…How David Prayed in a Cave
Crisis praying is serious praying. David the giant-slayer found himself in one crisis after another. Fleeing from jealous King Saul, he hid in a cave and prayed his heart out. I learned from his experience recorded in Psalm 142. His cave-crisis praying began with crying out to God. He ran to God. “I cried unto…
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When You Have a Need, Just Get to Jesus!
“Jesus! Jesus!” A woman shrieked as she ran through the crowd, carrying the limp body of her son. The drama wasn’t real. It was an Easter presentation, portraying a fictional scene from the life of Jesus. And it took my breath. I could see myself there and feel the pain and desperation of this distraught…
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The Hardest Part of the Christian Life—Resting
The hardest part the Christian life is resting. You wouldn’t think so. We need rest. We desire rest. In weariness we cry out for rest. The Lord promised us rest. Yet relaxing in a cushioned recliner or sleeping on a plush quilted mattress, we do not rest. Rest is an inner work of God. Jesus…
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God Never Wastes Heartbreak
Is there anyone among us who has not known heartbreak? Death stole someone you love. A friend betrayed you. A spouse deserted you. A child disappointed you. An illness interrupted your life. Heartbreak comes in all shapes and sizes, and it changes us. In our pain we cry out, Why? I have no adequate answer…
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So How Are You Handling that Besetting Sin?
Is there an area of your life where Satan is too much for you? A besetting sin that repeatedly knocks you off your feet? A habit you’ve given to the Lord yet still wrestle to overcome? What’s its name? Greed. Gluttony. Pride. Strife. Anger. Fear. Corrupt communication. Negative thinking. Bitterness. Lust. Unforgiveness. Addiction. I read…
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Lord, Am I too Hard for You?
Have you ever wondered if you were too hard for God? If the weaknesses of your personality were too hard for him? If your repeated failures were too hard for him? Desiring a consistent, victorious walk with the Lord, you try and try and try again, only to fall on your face. Disappointed in yourself,…
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Seeing God in Everything
“See God in everything.” I came across that idea as young mom striving for perfection and seeking the Lord for direction. A friend had mentioned her daily devotional, Streams in the Desert, sharing how the Lord had used it to enrich her Christian walk. I immediately bought a copy and began reading each day’s selection…
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Regret…What Are You Doing with Yours?
Regret will eat your life, if you let it. After a couple of significant falls, I’ve made a note in my journal for January 11: stay in bed. On that date in 1998, my foot slipped in the church parking lot. I landed on the hard asphalt and broke my right wrist. Five weeks in…
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Feeling Overcome? There’s a Way Out
Overcome. Have you ever felt that word? Just overcome. Too much to deal with. Too many disturbances in your life. Too much heartbreak. Too many concerns out of your hands. Too much. Period. Me too. Consulting Webster, I didn’t find the word used in that sense. The definition had a positive slant: to get the…
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Watch Your Step…There’s a Pit Ahead!
I fell into the pit again. The pit of discouragement. It’s a trap, and I do my best to avoid it. Didn’t even see that dark hole till I tumbled in.