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Thoughts From Corrie ten Boom

Dear Friends, In light of Holocaust Remembrance Day last week, January 27th, I thought I would take the time today to post some “thoughts” or quotes from Corrie ten Boom, whose name was made known worldwide through the book and movie that followed, called, “The Hiding Place.” It was released my second year in college (when I was 18, and 5 years before I came to faith in Christ). I was so taken in by her heroism and willingness to risk life and limb, doing what was against the law in occupied Holland at the time, and hiding Jewish people from the Nazis. Even as an unbeliever she and her family were quite an inspiration to me, risking the wrath of the Nazi’s for breaking the law to not only hide Jewish people in a secret room in their house, but helping them escape the country, and thereby saving many lives. She, along with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, were two of my earliest heroes of the Christian faith. People who not only had faith but sought to live it out in their lives – despite ...
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Thoughts On God's Sovereignty

Dear Friends, It was, to say the least, a difficult weekend for many. My prayers go out for all, and for our nation, as we work through the events that took place, and dig out from the storm (literal and figurative). It's been one of those weeks where I felt we all needed a little upward gaze. I know that in difficult times it is hard to speak of God’s sovereignty. We ask: “How could God________.” Yet, whether we realize it or not, that question alone suggests we already believe he is sovereign. We ask because we believe God could have intervened and prevented something from happening but did not. The question would not even come to mind if we did not believe he could have made it turn out different. Of course, I will not even attempt to address all the ins and outs of God’s sovereignty. Not in one little thought, since this one subject involves so much it would take a lengthy book or series of books! Therefore, I simply offer a couple of short “thoughts” to get you sta...
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Thoughts On the Importance of Community

Dear Friends, I called a friend today and he asked me if I would write a short message on why being involved in a church is important. He has a son who says he is a believer but sees no need to go to church. I told him I would put something together and send it along. (He’s a recipient of these weekly “thoughts” and will soon be reading this!) If you wrestle with that, or have spoken to people who do, maybe this could help you too. Enjoy. Why We Belong Together 1. God’s Design for Community From the beginning, God intended His people to gather together, not live in isolation. Scripture calls Jesus the “Cornerstone” and each believer a “living stone” being built into a spiritual house. In other words, we are the body of Christ with many members. No part was meant to go solo. We are not called to be “home Baptists” (if I might use that common term). God’s design was never to save and fill people with His Spirit and His gifts so that they alone could be the beneficiaries...
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Thoughts From Gerald May

Dear Friends, Sitting in my office, my eyes scanned the bookshelves and fell upon one particular book: "Addiction and Grace" by Gerald G. May, M.D. I opened it, read the first chapter, and decided to pass along his testimony. Why? Because I’ve come to see that addiction is far more prevalent than we would like to think, limiting it (as we often do) to alcohol, drugs, porn, or sex addiction and occasionally throwing in workaholism. I found his testimony powerful and therefore share it with you! Enjoy.     “Wherever it is that your treasure lies, there you will find your heart also.” Matthew 6:21 "After many years of listening to the yearnings of people's hearts, I am convinced that all human beings have an inborn desire for God. Whether we are consciously religious or not, this desire is our deepest longing and our most precious treasure. It gives us meaning. Some of us have repressed this d...
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Thoughts From J.I. Packer

Dear Friends, Today’s “thought” comes to you from J. I. Packer, and is taken from the book, “The Desert Experience – Personal Reflections on Finding God’s Presence and Promise in Hard Times.” This is a follow-up to my message this past Sunday, where I spoke on the need not to misinterpret God, His love, or our struggles and sufferings, by how we feel, or by looking at our circumstances. It is written by one of my favorite theologians. A man whose books have been like a soothing salve to my soul! Enjoy.   “What agenda does God have in leading His people into desert experiences? Paul declared that, "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28 NASB). The good referred to is to be understood in terms not of ease and comfort as such, but of the fulfillment of the goal stated by Paul in Ephesians 5:25-27, both for the church as a body and for every Christian as part of it: "Christ... l...
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Thoughts From John Piper

Dear Friends, My “thought” for this week comes from John Piper. It is found in his book "A Godward Life" and is titled, "The Lord's Touch." I share it because I can testify (with most of you I am sure) that some of the most precious times in my life have been those moments when, “God touched my heart.” Times when seemingly out of nowhere, I was surprised to find myself experiencing what I believe the book of Acts would call, being “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31, 6:3, 6:5, 7:55, 9:17, 13:9, 13:52). I have sometimes described it as being, “overcome by the sense of God’s presence.”    Rudolf Otto, in his book, “The Idea of the Holy” described it this way: “It is the emotion of the creature submerged and overwhelmed by its own nothingness in contrast to that which is supreme above all creatures.” Have you experienced it? Did you seek it, or did it simply happen unsolicited in any way by you? How would you describe it? Enjoy. Saul also ...
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Thoughts From Chris Jones

Dear Friends, Have you ever experienced a time of refreshment and renewal with the Lord that was so pleasant and so invigorating, you felt like you had crossed a threshold into a time moving forward that would bring with it unhindered peace and solitude? I can honestly say that was true for me – in my early years as a believer. I do cherish those times of intense fellowship with the Lord. Yet, what I have come to discover (from experience and a better understanding of scripture) is that they are not a sign everything will be unbroken bliss moving forward. Unbroken bliss is God’s promise for the age to come, not this present age! They are a “foretaste of what is to come” (Eph. 1:13-14 / II Cor. 1:22-23). Rather, I have found them to be expressions of God’s goodness giving me renewed strength for something that lies ahead.   The author of today’s “thought,” Chris Jones, pastor of Redeemer Community Church in Bloomington, Indiana, explains it in a similar way. God gives us tim...
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