Winter

The Opposites of Winter

“Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” – Hosea 6:3 Today, as we continue our examination of cold seasons, I’d like to point out that they can be lonely. Maybe you went from a position of leadership or connection to one of isolation, and you no longer feel connected to the people who used to bring you joy. Whether it was a move, the loss of a job, a funeral, or a disagreement with relatives, loneliness may plague you and distort your perspective on life and situations. For instance, a place or pastime that used to bring you joy can now serve as a painful reminder of what you’ve lost. It’s excruciating. Yosemite is one of my favorite locations

January 16, 2022 No Comments

Winter from Two Perspectives

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease.” – Genesis 8:22 After the holidays, many of us are disappointed. We pack up the Christmas decorations, our hearts heavy with the knowledge that the festivities and celebrations are done. January, on the other hand, is brimming with potential and the promise of new beginnings. This is why I think winter is only a matter of perspective. I relocated to Oklahoma from California when I was a teenager, as I’ve already mentioned. It was a difficult adjustment for me, especially since it was my first time dealing with the brutal and piercing cold of winter. Then there was a snow day, and I got to skip school. I had never experienced a snow day before, and I recall thinking to myself at the time, “well, maybe this isn’t so

January 15, 2022 5 Comments

Carried by His Currents

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” – John 3:8 We talked about how the winters in our lives provide us with force and strength the other day. Today, I want to remind you that a winter storm is always blown away by the wind, ushering in a new season. You can feel the Holy Spirit blowing through you as you grow in your connection with Jesus, just like the grass moves with the power of fresh breeze. As you become closer to Him, you’ll be able to hear His voice more clearly and understand where He’s taking you, but with the knowledge that He’ll be the one driving you. If you find yourself lying awake at night wondering what you should have done or

January 9, 2022 1 Comment

Winter Creates Willpower

“It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.” – Psalm 74:17 It’s January, and many of us are in the midst of the cold season. I recall moving from Southern California to Oklahoma for school; I hadn’t really appreciated the benefits of California weather until then. When I went outside one day, the temperature was probably no more than three degrees, with a windchill of minus one million (just kidding). As I neared my car, there was a thick coating of ice on the windshield, and as I tried to get it off, I sliced my knuckle on a portion of the car and collapsed to my knees in agony. “Why am I here?” I remember exclaiming at the time. I believe that our life’s winters can be similar. Perhaps you’re unemployed, suffering from a persistent illness, or going through a

January 7, 2022 No Comments

Cut Down But Never Destroyed

“The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.” – Daniel 4:26 I asked you to read Isaiah 11 a few days ago, and you may recall that in that section, Jesus was referred to as a shoot that grew from the stump of Jesse. Several times in the Bible, the word “stump” is used to indicate anything that is dead but will be restored, such as God’s people and the arrival of their Messiah. Because a stump retains its roots, it is always capable of regrowth and rebirth; but, it must remain planted! Perhaps you believe you’re a stump and that you’ve been hacked down. You perceive your life as a useless form sticking out of the earth for others to stumble over as a shadow of your previous self. However,

December 23, 2021 No Comments

Winter is a Gift

“He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.” – Psalm 104:19 If you’re anything like me, you are now completely immersed in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, which is (hopefully) filled with time with family and friends, the warmth of excellent food, the glow of decorations, and the shine of lights. It is, however, winter, which is naturally the coldest and darkest season of the year. As a result, the warmth of Christmas counters the chill of winter. The question I pose to you today is which one will you embrace? As we enter this season, there is a natural tendency to be negative. You might even hear that suicides are at an all-time high in December, but did you know that isn’t the case? It’s an old myth because the biggest rates of suicide occur in the spring.

December 16, 2021 2 Comments

Embrace Your Season

“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 1:4-6

December 31, 2016 No Comments

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it, without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater” -Isaiah 55:10

December 4, 2016 No Comments

Winter

The Opposites of Winter

Winter from Two Perspectives

Carried by His Currents

Winter Creates Willpower

Cut Down But Never Destroyed

Winter is a Gift

Embrace Your Season

Winter

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