Knowing & Being Known

Most believers experience feelings of doubt at one time or another, and when they do, it affects their ability to receive the Lord’s wisdom. Doubting God means not trusting Him completely—and trust is how the Lord “will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6). God’s wisdom in your life may be clouded if you struggle to believe the following truths: God loves you all the time. When we’re “good,” most of us believe God loves us&mdash…

Beauty is transcendent. It is our most immediate experience of the eternal. Think of what it's like to behold a gorgeous sunset or the ocean at dawn. Remember the ending of a great story. We yearn to linger, to experience it all our days. Sometimes the beauty is so deep it pierces us with longing. For what? For life as it was meant to be. Beauty reminds us of an Eden we have never known, but somehow know our hearts were created for. Beauty speaks of heaven to come,…

Did you know God “wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4)? He wants each of us to live in such a way that we influence others for their spiritual good. Jesus used two words—salt and light—to illustrate our mission. Salt, which flavors and preserves, permeates the food on which it is sprinkled, causing a significant difference in flavor. Christians are to function the same way, by spreading the appeal of…

Two octogenarians, one from Germany and the other from Denmark, were an unlikely couple. They had each enjoyed sixty years of marriage before being widowed. Though living only fifteen minutes apart, their homes were in separate countries. Still, they fell in love, regularly cooking meals and spending time together. Sadly, in 2020, due to the coronavirus, the Danish government closed the border crossing. Undeterred, every day at 3:00 p.m., the two met at the border on a…

Have you ever chosen a certain path, only to find yourself regretting that decision later? Facing crossroads can at times seem overwhelming, but we have an all-knowing God to guide us. Therefore, we should wisely prepare beforehand for decisions we may have to make quickly. Scripture is our primary source for direction and wisdom. If we study, memorize, and meditate on God’s Word, He’ll bring truth to our mind at the appropriate time. What’s more, we have…

Ancient scholars Jerome and Tertullian referenced stories of how in ancient Rome, after a general triumphed in an epic victory, he would be paraded atop a gleaming chariot down the capital’s central thoroughfares from dawn to sunset. The crowd would roar. The general would bask in the adoration, reveling in the greatest honor of his life. However, legend has it that a servant stood behind the general the entire day, whispering into his ear, Memento mori (&ldquo…

AW Tozer once said that what comes to mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you. Why? Because the way you see and think about God shapes the way you see and think about everything else. If you answer the question “who is God?” with “the giant dictator in the sky,” your behavior, how you move through your day, will probably be marked by fear and hesitancy, hoping you don’t mess up and get smited for it. If you answer…

I squeezed my eyes shut and started counting aloud. My fellow third-grade classmates tore out of the room to find a place to hide. After scouring every cabinet, trunk, and closet for what felt like hours, I still couldn’t find one of my friends. I felt ridiculous when she finally jumped out from behind a lacey, potted fern hanging from the ceiling. Only her head had been eclipsed by the plant—the rest of her body had been in plain sight the entire time! Since…

Hard times are inevitable in this life. We will lose loved ones. Some of us will face difficult ailments. We may even be wrongfully accused or mistreated. The range of human suffering is broad, but God is a refuge for those who trust Him. We often feel bewildered during such trials, but having an eternal focus lifts us from despair. God is still the sovereign Lord of the universe. The key to dealing with difficulty lies in trusting the One who is in control of all things.…