Darkened Glass Reflections

Category: Bible meditations

  • Set Apart

    The story of Joseph and his brothers is a rich source of spiritual lessons. Believers throughout the ages have learned great truths about faith, perseverance in hard times, overcoming injustice, forgiveness and reconciliation, and other issues. However, one lesson is often overlooked, even though it introduces a theme that has preserved the Jewish people’s ethnic…

  • Stewardship III: Treasures

    “[B]ut lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20-21).

  • Stewardship I: Time

    Giving to God is always a priority item. We do not worship God as an afterthought or give Him our leftovers: We give Him the best we can offer.

  • National Transformation

    Many Christians have looked at 2 Chronicles 7:14 as the solution to our problems. It is, but we have to understand the passage and act on it. Posting it on a car’s bumper sticker, so your unfriendly neighborhood tailgater gets the message, is not the solution. We must use it as a pattern for revival.…

  • In Preparation for Lent

    In 10 days, we will receive ashes on our foreheads and commence our Lenten fasts. What will you give up for 40 days? Which spiritual disciplines will you take up or increase for those 40 days? Most importantly, what changes do you hope to see in your relationship with Christ as a result of this…

  • Faith or Provision

    “You are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” Jesus frequently criticized His hearers for seeking signs…. This crowd had gathered initially because of the signs He performed (John 6:2). However, something else drew them now.

  • Prayer, Fasting, and Spiritual Warfare

    We have spent nearly 40 years wandering in a wilderness of choice and the culture of death. That time period is significant throughout Scripture, and it may apply to America as well. If we are willing to seek spiritual revival in our nation, we can see the hearts of Americans turned back toward a culture…

  • Noah, Obedience, and Hearing the Call

    Over the last few days, the Book of Common Prayer’s Old Testament readings have focused on the story of Noah. While meditating on this passage, I was challenged to think about its lessons regarding the call of God and obedience. It is a lengthy, but familiar story. It would not be a wise use of…

  • Give Thanks In All Circumstances

    “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV). Sometimes, this can be the hardest command in Scripture to obey. Thankfulness can easily drown in a whirlpool of self-pity when life’s circumstances cloud our view. About 15 years ago I was in a meeting where everybody wrote a “gratitude list.”…

  • Who Are You and Who Am I?

    Jesus is able to reveal to you the truth about who you are. Too many of us wander through life, trying to decide who we are. We spend our lives in a perpetual identity crisis. Acknowledge Jesus as he truly is. Then, ask him who you are. What is his purpose for your life? He…