Your Cart is Empty
It’s true. Beauty on the inside counts with God! However, there are a few additional steps we can take to represent Jesus Christ well so that what others see in us honors Him (Titus 2:5). Dress up—Queen Esther, chose to wear her royal robes into the presence of her husband, the king (Esther 5:1). The […]
Read Everyday Beauty on Elizabeth & Jim George.
There’s something in us that wants to be lazy, do it later, wait a little longer, or take a shortcut. But this was not so with Jesus! He was committed to faithfully doing and fulfilling the Father’s will. Jesus was faithful to His disciples, His family, and others. He also faithfully prayed for them. And […]
Read Teen Tuesday—Can Others Depend on You? on Elizabeth & Jim George.
From Jim’s Heart— Membership in the body of Christ is the greatest of all memberships, and the privileges are exceptional, both in this life and the life to come. Hebrews 10:25 tells believers: “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his […]
Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God. Psalm 43:4 Just as we take our empty self to God to be filled with His love, we also go to Him when we need to be filled with […]
Jesus, the Master Teacher, instructs us about patience in relationships with problem people, even people He labels as “enemies.” He tells us to love our enemies, even when we’re insulted. He then explains how to do just that: Pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28). What is your natural tendency when you are insulted or […]
Read How to Respond When We’re Insulted on Elizabeth & Jim George.
The book of Proverbs warns you and me and all readers against becoming liable for the financial obligations of others, saying, “If you become surety…” (Proverbs 6:1). This means being a cosigner—the one who is responsible for a debt if the borrower defaults. Suppose a relative or friend wants to buy a car but […]
“You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:3) When Jim and I first married, we lived on a honeymooner’s budget, which means we did most of our furniture shopping at the local flea market. One day we discovered a wonderful antique brass bed. Orangey and almost black from the oxidation of […]
From Jim’s heart: Some time ago I was told the story of a high-level official in a foreign government who enrolled his son in a college in America. Because it was a Christian college, there was great excitement among the students as to who might have the opportunity to share the gospel with this young […]
Read Building Bridges on Elizabeth & Jim George.
How would you describe the atmosphere in your home? For instance, what do you hear? Bickering, yelling, arguing, and angry words? Whining, complaining, tattling, or back talk? The solution is Jesus’ Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (see Luke 6:31). Living the golden rule at home starts with… Living the […]
Read Where the Golden Rule Begins on Elizabeth & Jim George.
John 3:29 – …joy is mine, and it is now complete. One year on a beautiful autumn Sunday, Jim and I drove to from our California home to Sequoia National Park to see the fall leaves. Driving to and through the park, we enjoyed the spectacular colors and God’s striking handiwork. We also found a […]
Read Joy is Mine on Elizabeth & Jim George.
I vividly recall the day I began praying to be more generous. After assessing my spiritual life, I discovered I could use improvement in this area. So every day I asked God for opportunities to give. I prayed for open eyes and an open heart that would recognize the needs of others. Immediately God began to fine-tune […]
Read Be Generous on Elizabeth & Jim George.
As a believer in Christ, you have the ability-and the precious privilege!-to live for Him and strive to be like Him. In other words, to pursue godliness. Yes, you can live a godly life in and through Jesus Christ. As you cultivate a deep-seated loyalty and devotion to Christ it will affect your conduct—you will […]
From Jim’s Heart— While I was an associate pastor, a couple came to my office for marriage counseling. After we pinpointed several areas of concern in their marriage that needed their attention, I asked the husband to commit the couple’s desires to the Lord. As the man finished praying, I looked up to discover that […]
Freedom! William Wallace was not afraid to claim it in the movie “Braveheart.” Our founding fathers were not afraid to declare it for our nation on July 4, 1776. And the Lord says that the greatest kind of freedom possible is ours: “…the truth will set you free” John 8:32 “All are justified freely by […]
Read Be Bold! on Elizabeth & Jim George.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 I love recalling the […]
Read Do You Possess This Key to Success? on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Aloha! Our Thanksgiving was probably a lot like yours–some housework and food prep for the big dinner. However, we began the day with a walk along the water and nearby marina. This sight brought me great peace. Our verse for the day–and all days–is Psalm 118:29: “Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is […]
From Jim’s Heart— L ove your wife unconditionally. Your love cannot be cause-and-effect in nature, with an attitude of “if she does this, I’ll do that.” Love does not keep records (1 Corinthians 13:5). It gives, expecting nothing in return. O rder your priorities. Next to your love for God, you are to love your wife. She […]
Read Loving Your Wife on Elizabeth & Jim George.
I once read that the average person has at least 20 food encounters every day. How can we manage these encounters? First Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Imagine it! You can actually eat in a way that brings honor and glory to God! […]
Read Wisdom for Your Food Encounters on Elizabeth & Jim George.
As one of God’s sheep, you have His promise to feed you! As creatures who need physical and spiritual food, you and I enjoy both from the hand of the Shepherd. We can release our worries to Him, because He cares for us throughout life. God brings us to places of pasture through circumstances […]
The story of Eve – meaning “life” or “life-giving” (Eve was the mother of all living)–is packed with many wonderful truths for you as a woman. Do you realize that… …you are created in the image of God? When God created woman, He created her in His image. Let it sink into your heart and […]
God created you and I with an incredible resource called a brain. This fascinating organ is more complex than any computer. And God expects us to put it to good use. As you look over these verses, think about how they point out the necessity of learning. And don’t forget to notice the blessings that […]
Read Part 1 – Learning as a Lifestyle – God’s Perspective on Learning on Elizabeth & Jim George.
From Jim’s Heart— It is an understatement to say that the Christian life is not easy. In fact, you could say that it is impossible. Like so many believers before you, including people like the apostle Paul, you will experience weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecution, and difficulties. But take heart! God promises that the grace […]
From Jim’s Heart— If I asked your wife to tell me when you last gave her comfort, what would she say? If you are like a lot of husbands (me included!), it’s been a long time. We men get so used to receiving tender care, especially from our wives. They’re right there whenever we need them. […]
Read Comfort Your Wife on Elizabeth & Jim George.
When you must make important decisions regarding your health, finances, marriage, family, job, your children’s education, and more, be sure you gather counsel and advice from several people you respect—people who are wise and experienced. The wisdom contained in Proverbs 11:14 is your safeguard: “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the […]
Read Your Safeguard When Making Decisions on Elizabeth & Jim George.
In just three verses God gives us all we know about Anna. She was a prophetess and a godly woman who loved God into her sunset years. Of her, Luke wrote: [She] did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day (2:37). Anna was a widow. Having lost her husband after […]
Have you learned to be hospitable? Did your parents host friends and acquaintances for dinner? Was your home open to your peers when they needed a safe place to talk and laugh? What a legacy of love hospitality is! Are you sharing that legacy with your children? Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to entertain […]
God provides real peace for us… and that includes you—even if you have a screaming baby, a high-stress job, or are knee-deep in troubles. You may not be feeling much like a woman after God’s own heart, but John 16:33 records Jesus saying that even though in this world you will have tribulation, you also […]
I’ve heard many sermons and read many books that tell the tale of a dozen misfits that we admonish as biblical heroes; the apostles. None more clearly demonstrate to us just how human these men of God were than the Bible itself. Read about how Jesus used Peter's strengths and weaknesses in the Bible.
What happens when you fail to pray? You end up feeling distant from God. And that, in turn, makes you even more reluctant to pray. No matter how distant you might feel from the Lord, God is always close by. He hasn’t changed, moved, disappeared, or lost interest in you. So close the gap. Take […]
Read Closing the Gap Between You and God on Elizabeth & Jim George.
DEVOTION: To encourage you along the process of being a man after God’s own heart, here are 4 steps to help you being a great dad!
One day I paused on the patio at my church to chat with a woman I hadn’t visited with for a while. In seconds I recognized that I was in the presence of a woman whose words left me truly energized spiritually and inspired me to want to rush home, curl up with my Bible […]
Read How Often Do You Talk About the Lord? on Elizabeth & Jim George.
“The fruit of the Spirit is…peace.” Galatians 5:22 What exactly is this peace that God’s Spirit gives? Many people think of peace as the absence of problems, as the feeling that is experienced when all is well. But the peace of the Lord is not related to circumstances at all. In fact, God’s peace comes […]
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. Galatians 5:1 Did your Fourth of July include a family picnic? Was it filled with children laughing and playing, and fireworks lighting up the sky? The Fourth is a holiday that provides opportunities for families and communities to be together. But its […]
Read Celebrating Your Freedom in Christ on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Here’s a word for prayer you’re probably familiar with—supplication. As one well-loved verse instructs, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Clearly we are to ask God in supplication. This term for prayer stems from a Hebrew word that is connected […]
Everyone is busy taking care of responsibilities, family, and work commitments, and no one was ever busier than Jesus who went about doing good. And yet Jesus shows us the way to help others when it’s not on your to-do list or on your packed calendar! What can we learn from our Lord? Jesus never seemed to […]
Ladies, you may already be pursuing God’s purpose in Titus 2:3-5, which we discussed in our last post. But as a follow-up, you might also want to ask yourself, “Who, not what, is my Purpose?” Am I faithfully serving those in my path who are part of my purpose—my family, my church, my co-workers and […]
Read Who, not What, is My Purpose? on Elizabeth & Jim George.
There are many things we can do for our children-and teaching God’s Word is at the top of the list! If you love God and you’re a mother, find time in your busy schedule to teach God’s Word to your children. It will have value for salvation now and for eternity. Ruth Graham said of […]
Read A Preaching Mom on Elizabeth & Jim George.
It is wonderful being a woman after God’s own heart, isn’t it? To know Him. To love Him. To enrich the lives of others. To follow Him and to enjoy the blessings He extends to you when you do. No woman’s life could be more satisfying than the life enjoyed by a woman after His […]
Read How to Follow After God’s Own Heart on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Family. Think about how deeply you love and care for them. How concerned you are about each precious life under your roof! A Fierce Love As a mom, you worry and struggle right along with your children. What they do impacts every part of you. I know how that feels. It is a fierce love […]
Read Does God Love Me? on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Again and again Jesus tells us to give—to give to everyone (Luke 6:30); to give hoping for nothing in return (verse 35); to give in the generous way God, who is kind to the unthankful and evil, gives (verse 35); and to care for others by giving (verse 38). You and I can learn to […]
How often do you take time to pause and revel in how faithful God has been to you? Remembering God’s unceasing care for you reminds you that He will carry you through every situation in life, no matter how bad. It was God’s faithfulness in adversity that led King David to write, “I waited patiently […]
___Purpose to follow God’s ways all day long. Start with prayer. ___Purpose to do His will every minute. Yes, even with those phone calls you’d rather not take, the meetings you’d rather skip, the meals you’d rather not cook. ___Purpose to stay alert to God as you go about your day. Check in with Him when […]
What would you do in an emergency? In a disaster? I had the opportunity to find out when a killer earthquake struck our home in California. It was early in the morning, and I was home alone when the ground began to buckle and crack beneath my bare feet. I panicked as I raced for […]
“I have set the Lord always before me” (Psalm 16:8). What does it mean to “set the Lord always before us”? I once read about a church youth leader who took her youth group on an outing to the Huntington Art Museum in Pasadena, California, to view the fine arts on display. Once there she […]
Did your Fourth of July include a family picnic? Was it filled with children laughing and playing, and fireworks lighting up the sky? The Fourth is a holiday that provides opportunities for families and communities to be together. But its greater significance is the celebration of independence, religious freedom, and freedom from tyranny and oppression. […]
Read Celebrating Your Freedom in Christ on Elizabeth & Jim George.