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How can God’s presence be explained? You can’t see Him, but you can see His handiwork in creation. You can’t see the Spirit of God, but you do have Jesus’ word that He is present. You also have evidence of God’s presence in your life as you produce the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, […]
What are the marks of a true friend? Do you have them? Let’s take a look at five steps you can take to becoming one. A good friend is … Forgetful—God has forgiven our sin and will remember it no more, and we are to do the same with our friends. Loyal—… and truehearted, and […]
The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:17-18 The world judges beauty by external elements: the style of a woman’s hair, […]
Read Words That Make a Difference on Elizabeth & Jim George.
How can you know God’s will? As you pray, seek to live according to what is revealed in God’s Word, and search out godly counsel, you’ll discover God’s specific will for you—your greatest treasure. Follow these ABCs based on God’s will for Rebekah and how His will for her was revealed. A – Ask God. […]
Read Knowing God’s Will … ABC Style on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Anytime you are present at home is time you can love your family and care for your dwelling place. Here are a few practices that will help you stay focused on your house: Your prayers—Coming before God in prayer lifts the work of homemaking out of the physical realm and transports it into the spiritual […]
We have many reasons to give praise to God. As a believer in Jesus Christ and one who trusts in Him, you’ve been given an inheritance in Him that is sealed and guaranteed by the Holy Spirit. But you weren’t saved and blessed for your own glory. No, it was for God’s glory. The apostle Paul […]
Most people and families—and maybe you too—are simply trying to stay afloat financially. That makes it hard at times to think about giving some of your hard-earned money to your church and to others. But you must realize you are not giving to others or even to a church. You are giving to God as […]
Read A Generous Soul on Elizabeth & Jim George.
From Jim’s Heart— It has been my privilege to teach countless seminars and classes on setting lifetime goals—and achieving them. Everyone has certain people or things who are driving their life. So I ask you, What is motivating you these days? What is getting you up early every morning and keeping you up late at […]
Part of our testimony includes the fact that Jim and I were very well off financially when we became Christians. Well, it wasn’t long before Jim decided he wanted to resign from his job and attend seminary so he could go into the ministry. To do this meant we had to sell our really nice […]
Read “If God Didn’t Meet It, I Didn’t Need It” on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Tired and thirsty from a long journey, Abraham’s servant, Eliezer, waited by the town well in Nahor. He stopped there and prayed. Eliezer asked God to bring the right woman for Isaac, Abraham’s son. Specifically, he asked that she would offer him a drink of water. Before he’d finished speaking, “Behold, Rebekah … came out […]
Hannah, a woman from the Bible, experienced firsthand the promise and reality of God’s friendship. She found solace in His presence. Childless and relentlessly provoked by her husband’s other wife, Hannah had nowhere to turn. Yes, Hannah certainly fell into the category of one who was mercilessly persecuted by an enemy, an adversary, a rival. […]
Read Enter Into the Solace of the Lord on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Meet Abigail (1Samuel 25:1-42). There was little cause for happiness in the soil of Abigail’s life. Her marriage appears to have been loveless and childless. Her husband was a fool, “harsh and evil in his doings,” “a scoundrel,” and a drunk. Yet we cannot miss Abigail’s loyalty, trustworthiness, steadfastness, and reliability. All these were evidenced […]
If you are a recent high-school graduate (or the parent of one) this week’s devotions are particularly for you. God, bless you in this new phase of life! Choosing Friends Wisely You may be one of those guys who’s never met a stranger. Maybe you can talk to just about anyone and make friends easily. […]
We always have a choice when we open our mouth! We can choose words that harm—or words that heal. Remember: You have not mastered self-control if you have not mastered what you say and don’t say. When I think about word choices, I can’t keep from thinking about chocolate! More specifically, about a box full […]
Read Choosing Your Words Like Chocolates on Elizabeth & Jim George.
What’s in a name? Plenty! In Bible times, names given to newborns were very significant. Through the names they bestowed, mothers and fathers passed on their expectations, their faith, and even a bit of hard-earned wisdom. Such is the case of Leah. The lackluster Leah had the misfortune of sharing her husband, Jacob, with her […]
From Jim’s Heart— You have a choice between two attitudes when you are on the job. You can go with an attitude of taking from your work whatever is needed for your well-being. This attitude perceives the organization and its people as existing to serve you. Or you can go to work with the attitude […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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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 […]
Jim’s recent post spoke of reflecting on the pattern of your life. One pattern that is consistently linked to a life of faith and successful living is the pattern of prayer. I believe in prayer. I just have such a hard time doing it. Prayer isn’t as intimidating as we think, but like any thing […]
Is it time to simplify your life? Management experts confirm time and again that a routine makes possible what seems impossible. A routine simplifies things that were formerly complex. It is amazing what the simple discipline of keeping a schedule will help you accomplish. Take a careful look at the life of Jesus. He never […]
“I’d feel so much better if I knew the plan. I’d rest if I knew exactly what God had in mind for my life.” How well do you manage when it comes to trusting God? Do you rest in Him to take care of your need for food and clothing? Or do you live in […]
Read Rest in the Provision of God on Elizabeth & Jim George.
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 […]
When you pray and talk to God, it's more than a one-way conversation. So, what exactly is prayer?
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.
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.
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 […]
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 […]
Life indeed is rich and full—and trying! There is so much to do as Christians to contribute to the people in our lives. And doing so requires us to be “steady as she goes.” Two practices will help you make it through each day–even the really bad days! Focus on the end.Take your eyes off yourself and […]
Read Two Ways to Make It Through Every Day on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Every married woman learns sooner or later that it takes two to fight as a couple. It’s sort of like a boxing match. There are two fighters in the ring. The husband wearing blue trunks over in his corner, and the wife in pink shorts in the opposite corner. When the bell rings, two […]
Anyone can become more confident. But the confidence that comes from Christ and points to Him as its source is based on trust—trust in Him. Check your responses to these questions: —Are you placing your full trust in Jesus? —Is your confidence at full strength, or have you lost sight of your identity with Christ? […]
From Jim’s Heart: When things go wrong, we usually ask, “God, why did that happen?” But if you read the Bible carefully, you’ll notice an interesting pattern: God never asks us to figure out the why behind our circumstances. Instead, He simply asks us to trust Him: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and […]
Read When God Asks Us to Trust Him on Elizabeth & Jim George.
A forgiven sinner, David, the “man after God’s own heart” wrote many poignant psalms, including songs that express his passionate outpouring of confession, a contrite spirit, and the sparkling brilliance of joy. Can you imagine that this tragic trial was a part of the brilliance of joy— a mortal illness taking a newborn child due […]
In many ways prayer is like a cell phone. You can pray anytime you want, anywhere you want, for as long as you want. But unlike a cell, prayer has no fees or roaming charges. Plus you have a direct line to the God of the universe 24/7-24 hours a day, 7 days a week! […]
Read Teen Tuesday: You Can Always Talk to God! on Elizabeth & Jim George.
I’m sure your days and weeks are long and hard and full. Yet three practices will help you make it through each day. They also cause you to look for and find God’s blessings strewn along your path. Focus on the end. Focus on the overarching end purposes for which you live each day—to serve […]
Read Three Ways to Make It Through Every Day on Elizabeth & Jim George.
Because you and your spouse as “one flesh” are a team, ideally the two of you have the potential to accomplish twice as much by working together toward common goals. Like Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:9, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.” Unfortunately, in our imperfect world […]
Read Working Together as a Couple on Elizabeth & Jim George.
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.
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 […]
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.