“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” — Isaiah 55:8–9 NIV I am a chaplain in healthcare, but that doesn’t mean I know medical things like a physician or … Continue reading →
“Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” — Psalm 34:3 NIV On the Beatles 1969 Abbey Road album, the song Come Together was one of the most popular. It actually started out as a campaign song for Timothy Leary’s run for California Governor. The song ended up being filled with Lennon’s nonsensical lyrics (like “toe-jam football”) … Continue reading →
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” — Romans 8:6 NIV Sister Eva was a Catholic nun and a hospital chaplain whom I worked with for several years before she retired. She was fond of saying to me and the other chaplains, Don’t lose your peace. Whenever one … Continue reading →
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV Let’s be honest, some days just don’t go as planned. On some days nothing seems to go right and everything seems to fight against us. Then there are those days that sideswipe … Continue reading →
”The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” — 1 John 2:17 NIV In 1974 the Rolling Stones recorded a slow-tempo song with an almost hypnotic melody called “Time Waits for No One.” Stones fans still consider it a classic, but everyone recognizes the stark truth the lyrics reveal about our world—time … Continue reading →
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” — Luke 6:45 NIV A man can suppress his actions and hide his real self for awhile but eventually … Continue reading →
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 NIV Intimidation is when a person is threatening to us, it could be a situation, but its mostly something we experience when someone causes us to be afraid because of something they may do. Intimidation is … Continue reading →
“If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!” — Proverbs 24:10 NIV Not having the physical strength to overcome an illness is not something we should scoff at, because it could just as easily happen to us. We can look upon the misfortunes of another and feel sorry for them and their weakness but we … Continue reading →
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13 NIV The ultimate gift that one can give is their life. There is no higher expression of love than to sacrifice your life so another can live. There simply is no other gift that can be given beyond one’s life. I once … Continue reading →
“Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” — John 4:10 NIV Jesus tells the Samaritan women at the well, If you only knew who I am you would be asking for more. The truth … Continue reading →
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” — 1 Peter 4:12 NIV Being a Christian and living a life that follows the lessons, principles, and teachings of Jesus does not mean that you will be free from adversity. There are natural … Continue reading →
“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” — 2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV Sometimes life has a way of making us feel alone, ignored, or unrecognized. You could be a stay at home mom, you could be a professional that spends your day by yourselves, or you could be … Continue reading →
“Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” — John 20:29 NIV If seeing is your standard for believing, you are missing out on the true power of Christian faith. When we live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) we are inviting … Continue reading →
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” — Joshua 1:8 NIV You can always tell what someone is passionate about because they like talking about it. Their words, however, are just the … Continue reading →
“Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” — 1 Samuel 17:40 (NIV) The small shepherd boy, David, stood before the giant Goliath with a simple slingshot and a few stones. He wasn’t wearing … Continue reading →
“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.” — Ecclesiastes 7:2 NIV The real message in this verse is not that we ought to spend more time at funerals than at parties, but that we all … Continue reading →