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Thoughts for This Thanksgiving
In 1822, Sarah Hale was only two weeks away from giving birth to her fifth child when her beloved husband died suddenly of a stroke. She was so devastated that she wore only black the rest of her life. She was left almost penniless, a single mom with no clear path forward. But as a follower of Jesus, she was not without hope.
What Should the Church Do Now?
There are times in these days when I feel kinship with a sad singer sitting on the banks of a Babylonian river asking, “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?” (Psalm 137:4 ESV). These are uncertain, evil, and anxious times. But today God is sovereign, good, and fearless. And all that He is—is alive in us:
The Day After
Did you wake up this morning anxious to see who is going to run our nation for the next four years? Only to find yourself disappointed that no one knows for sure? Nothing wrong with that. But consider these two things:
November 2020 Prayer Calendar
Thank you for praying for Life Action during the month of November. Below you will find specific ways you can pray for us this month. LAM Prayer Calendar November 2020
Living with Integrity
As believers, our lives should be marked by integrity. This is true whether we’re interacting with brothers and sisters in Christ or with those who are rejecting Him. It is also true when no one but God Himself is watching.
The Importance of “All”
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it (1 Corinthians 9:22-23 NASB).
Do You Know Who You Are?
All of us are dramatically shaped by how we view ourselves. Some have too low a perspective, some too high. To be imbalanced here is harmful in either direction. The apostle Paul summed up his self-awareness in one important sentence as he wrote to the Corinthians: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10 NASB).
What Can Overcome the Evil Around Us?
In the profound letter Paul wrote to the Galatian believers, he reminded them that they had been set free by the grace of God. There was no need to return to the bondage of trying to live on their own, vainly seeking to make themselves right with God by their own efforts.
Eight Reasons to Abstain from Sexual Immorality (in Any Form)
It’s been a problem since the beginning of time. The rise of Internet availability has made it incredibly more accessible, but lust has always been one of Satan’s most powerful tools to mar the image of God in us. Paul was intense about this because he understood the nature of the human mind and the deadliness of this particular sin. He always tells us to abstain, flee, run, get away by any and every means. Why?
Creating Environments for Encountering God
Everything flows from the presence of the Lord. Everything. If you have Him, you have everything you need. Without Him—His life, presence, provision, and power—you have nothing of importance. Our greatest concern as pastors should be simply this: Are we personally encountering God daily?
Get Up!
The heart posture of the repenter—and often the physical posture as well—begins at ground level. But there comes a time when he or she must stand up and get moving again.
October 2020 Prayer Calendar
Thank you for praying for Life Action during the month of August. Below you will find specific ways you can pray for us this month. LAM Prayer Calendar September 2020
The Root of the Rebellion in Our Land
All across our nation, evil is erupting to a degree that I have not seen in my lifetime. In my opinion, we see what Romans 1:28 describes as a depraved mind. This word describes those who, through continual rejection of God, have such a hardened heart that wrong really seems right to them, and vice versa.
The Boldness We Need
The rapid spread of the church in the New Testament can only be attributed to two things: the gracious, miraculous activity of the Holy Spirit, and the bold witness of His followers. If God had not moved, nothing would have happened. If believers had not shared the gospel, the movement would have stalled.
Sacred Anointing
In His sovereignty, God has ordained preaching as a primary means of transforming lives. He has graciously given us creation, His Word, and most dramatically, Himself, in the person of His Son, so that we might know Him. By these three means God sufficiently reveals Himself.
September 2020 Prayer Calendar
Thank you for praying for Life Action during the month of August. Below you will find specific ways you can pray for us this month. LAM Prayer Calendar September 2020
Anchored
“We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure while the billows roll. Fastened to the Rock which cannot move—Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.” Though these words carry a “grown-up” message, they were actually written by Priscilla Jane Owens (1829–1907) for the children she taught in Sunday School.
The Sovereign Power of Our Providing God
It’s our greatest problem. We measure God in our own image. Thinking He is just like us, we limit God in our minds, and the results are disastrous. As J. B. Phillips said, “Our God is too small.” But throughout history, God gives constant reminder that although we are made in His image, He is not made in ours. He is God. He is sovereign and rules over all. And His power is incomprehensible.
The Testing of God
It would seem that the propensity of God to test His children is unloving. But in reality, it is one of the greatest demonstrations of His love for us. God is not out to always give us the most comfortable life. If He was, we would grow soft, unusable, and inherently self-absorbed.
What Happens When God Comes
It is one of the ways of God. Periodically in history, He opens the windows of heaven and comes down with His manifest presence. We call these moments revival as they affect the church, and spiritual awakening, as they impact people without Christ. Spiritual results happen at an accelerated pace and with stunning results. These outpourings bring a course correction to nations, and most importantly, they glorify God.