Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 61

You've Got a Friend

August 8 is National Friend Day, but I couldn’t wait that long to celebrate friendship.

One of the most powerful expressions of friendship I’ve ever experienced took place when my husband and I were 2,500 miles away from home leading a youth mission trip to Mexico. We’d only been in the country a day when we got the call telling us my husband’s oldest sister, Kay, was on life support after a massive brain aneurysm. She died the next day. 

David knew if we came home, so must the team. We’d leave behind missionaries and their children, 50 people, who were depending on us. There was no Plan B, so we chose to stay. 

Deciding not to come home for Kay’s memorial service was one of the hardest decisions my husband has ever made, but he knew it was what Kay would have wanted. “I’m proud of you, Brother,” she’d told him the day before we left on the mission trip. 

At the hour our family gathered in South Carolina for Kay’s memorial service, we excused ourselves from the mission conference to hold our own private memorial. We cried, prayed, and remembered. We laughed a little as we remembered Kay’s quirky sense of humor and told stories that made us smile through our tears. 

What we didn’t know at the time was that many of our closest friends had gathered where we couldn’t be—at Kay’s service. If we’d been there, they would have rallied around us. Because we couldn’t be, they were there in our place—honoring Kay, loving our family, sharing our tears. 

Margaret Feinberg, in her book, Fight Back with Joy, says, "We need people who will reach out and hold our hands whenever we find ourselves walking in the dark."

Upon our return, someone showed us the guest book from the service. It read like the Sunday School role from our beloved class. We were overwhelmed that friend after friend after friend had taken time off work that day to stand in our place at the memorial service.  
We'll never forget selfless, sacrificial acts like this one. Being the recipient of such love gifts makes us humble, grateful, and eager to minister to others like others have ministered to us.

We know, ultimately, that our friends are able to love us well because they have the love of Christ in their hearts. "We love because he first loved us," 1 John 4:19 explains. Feinberg agrees. "They become peepholes through which we glimpse the kingdom of God, inspiration to become the best possible versions of ourselves even in the most difficult circumstances."

I pray you have at least one friend who loves you with the love of Christ, but even if you don't, I hope you have Christ, the friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Do you have a friend who has loved you with Christ-like friendship. Leave a comment in the box below and join the conversation. If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment there.

“Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Claire Ryann and her daddy have a great understanding of what it means to be a friend. I hope this little song makes you smile.



 If you’re reading by email and can’t see the video of Claire Ryann and her dad singing “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” Click HERE.If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Today Only! FREE Kindle Version of Hungry for God

Happy Friday, everyone. I want to share the great news that my publisher is giving away (as in FREE) the Kindle version of my 5-minute devotional, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time. 

This offer is  FOR TWO DAYS ONLY -- Thursday, Feb. 2 and Friday, Feb. 3. At midnight, it's GONE. Here's the link: http://amzn.to/2k23gdd

So if you don't have an electronic copy of my book yet, click on over and grab one, then forward this email or post on social media to share the news with friends and family who need a resource that helps them connect with God in just 5 minutes a day, wherever they are. It could be the nicest thing you do for someone today. 

Thanks for sharing the love!

~Lori







If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Skunks and the Power of Sin

If you've ever smelled a skunk, you’ve never forgotten it. 

I have some powerful memories associated with skunk stink. Like the day the neighbor’s dog chased one up a tree. They bathed him in gallons of tomato juice because someone said it would remove the smell, but it didn’t. Rex was never the same. 

Or the time we hit a skunk on the highway. Thankfully we were driving a rental car. Sorry, Hertz. 

The most pungent memory I have of skunk stink, however, dates back to a summer night when I was ten. Because we lived near a creek, we’d often smell skunks in the evenings, after the sun went down. The striped fellows are nocturnal and would often prowl the area around the creek hunting for food. Our garden was often the target of their late-night raids. 

One hot night in August we not only smelled the stinky fellow, but we heard him—ripping down the cornstalks in our little garden. Dad turned on the porch light in a feeble attempt to frighten him away, but it was useless. I wondered later if the light might have helped the skunk better spot the juiciest ears, because he kept on munching. Dad didn’t dare go outside and risk being sprayed by the odorous creature. 

“We’ll just have to wait ‘til morning to see what’s left,” he said with a shake of his head. As I lay in my bed, I swear I could hear that skunk licking his lips as he feasted on the corn I had hoped to enjoy.  

The next morning Dad was the first out the back door. I watched as he unlatched the gate and headed to the corner of the garden where the corn stalks used to stand. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and started backing up. How someone can move slowly and quickly at the same time, I’m not sure, but Dad did. Like rapid slow motion, he backpedaled until he was safely on the back porch again. 

“What’s wrong?” I asked, craning my neck to see what he had seen. 

“Skunk,” he said, wiping his hand across his forehead and pointing. “He must’ve tried to go under Mrs. Sousa’s chain link fence and got stuck.” 

In true Winnie the Pooh fashion, that’s exactly what had happened. The fencing was flexible, but the posts were cemented into a concrete footer that stretched the length of the yard. It was an easy way into the garden, but with a belly full of fresh corn, not an easy way out. 

I remembered this event recently when I read Proverbs 29:6: 

“An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad.” 

I don’t know how many times mankind has been trapped, just like that engorged skunk, by the after-effects of our uncontrolled cravings. The desire for self-esteem, power, prestige, money, love, affirmation, respect, sexual fulfillment, or possessions isn’t wrong, just like food to fill a hungry skunk’s belly isn’t wrong. But when we seek to satisfy these desires in the wrong way, we grant them the power to control us. Instead of allowing God to meet our needs according to his plan and purpose for our lives, we take matters into our own hands, often with disastrous results. 

James 1:14 warns us, “Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” 

Thankfully, the animal control officer arrived quickly with a very long pole with a hook at the end. He gently lifted the fence enough for our bloated visitor to wriggle free and waddle away without incident. 

When we become trapped by the consequences of sin, however, we don’t usually find such an easy solution. The effects can be far-reaching and devastating. 


If you’re trapped today, there’s only one way to break free. You can’t do it in your own power. You have to call on Jesus. 

Confess your sin. Tell him you don’t want to live this way anymore. Invite him into your life, and ask him to change you from the inside out. 

This is your only hope. But it is a good hope. A true hope. A hope that has changed the lives of millions down through the ages. 

The hope Jesus offers can free you from the trap of alcohol, drugs, sex, pride, pornography, homosexuality, selfishness, bitterness, loneliness, gossip, and envy. Whether you’re trapped by a “big” sin or a “little” sin, Jesus is the only answer. 

I hope you’ll call on him today. 

Lord Jesus, I need your help. I can’t live like this any longer. I need the peace, freedom and restoration only you can give. I confess the sin of ___________ and ask you to remove it from my life. Change me and make me more like you. Show me what to do next and give me the strength to do it. In the strong name of Jesus I ask, Amen. 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17).



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

How Do We Magnify the Lord?

When the theological clouds part, and I finally understand something that has plagued me for years, it’s a good day. Last Sunday was a good day. 

My pastor, who is also my husband, was warming up for his sermon. Like a batter in the batter’s box, he was tossing a few spiritual pitches to his listening congregation. One of those lobs was Psalm 34:3: 

“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” 

Without knowing, he’d tossed me a theological curve ball. A conundrum of sorts. This verse has always bugged me. How, I’ve wondered, can mere mortals magnify the God of the universe? 

God is loftier than the highest heavens. He is wiser than the most learned teacher. He is more powerful than the greatest army. He embodies every characteristic we desire but fall woefully short of. He is faithful, kind, patient, tender, creative, loving, and just. He is everything we are not, and he never sleeps, falters, or fails. How can I magnify God? How can I make him any bigger than he already is? 

And then, as if he was reading my thoughts (which I’ve heard pastors can do), my husband said the words that parted the curtain of my understanding. “A magnifying glass doesn’t make an object bigger. It just brings it closer so others can see it better.” 

That’s it. When I share how God has answered my prayers, met my needs, and cleansed my sin-sick soul, I bring God closer so others can see him better. And that's what I want to do more than anything else. 

How about you? What are some ways you can magnify God so others can see him better? Leave a comment in the box below and share your thoughts. If you're reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment.





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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Feeling Grateful on National Squirrel Day

“Lori!” Vangie said, hurrying through the door, her eyes wide. “There’s an animal in the backyard. He’s grey, and has big eyes and a fluffy tail. And he runs like this. ” She moved her arm up and down like a roller coaster. “Does he bite?” 

My puzzled frown turned into a smile, and a laugh escaped before I could smother it. 

Vangie was from the Philippines and had been living with my husband and me for several weeks. Every day since her arrival, she’d found something new to marvel at. Today it was a squirrel. 

Since the furry rodents are indigenous to the United States, and this was Vangie’s first visit here, she’d never seen one before. Once I assured her they were harmless, she added squirrel to her never-ending list of funny American words and went back outside to study it further. 

Vangie found other aspects of everyday life in America equally fascinating. My oven, for example. Most Filipino homes don’t have ovens, so baking was quite mysterious to her. The day I let it slip that I knew how to bake bread from scratch elevated me to rock star status in her eyes. 

She’d never had a birthday cake, either, something I didn’t know until I’d whipped up a simple Betty Crocker mix for her 25th birthday. Her awe and delight made me ashamed for all the birthday cakes I’d taken for granted over the years. 

I didn’t realize she’d grown up without hot water until I came home one day to find all my dishes washed and half the bottle of dish detergent gone. “You cook, and I’ll clean,” she’d said to me earlier that day, eager to help around the house. 

When I watched her tidy the kitchen after dinner, I noticed she wet each dish individually, saturated the dishcloth with dish soap, scrubbed it clean, then rinsed the suds off with cold water. I asked her why she washed dishes this way.

“When you don’t have hot water, you have to use lots of soap,” she said. Showing her the left hand faucet revolutionized Vangie’s dishwashing. 

January 21 was National Squirrel Day, and as I watched the squirrels race across my back fence, they reminded me of Vangie. I’ve never forgotten her child-like sense of wonder about simple things like birthday cakes and hot water. 

Her delight and enthusiasm made me think of all the things I take for granted. 

Clean water to drink, cook with, and bathe in. After two mission trips to Mexico, I should never take this for granted. 

The ability to sleep without fear. Not everyone in the world, or even in this country, rests peacefully with little concern for safety. 

Choices about what to eat. Many in the world are grateful simply to have food. My “leftovers” would be someone else’s feast. 

Washcloths. I’ll never forget the Operation Christmas Child story I heard about a little boy who received an OCC shoebox for Christmas. When someone asked him what his favorite item in the box was, he responded, “The washcloth. I’ve never had one of my own before.” 

Screens. I live in the Southern United States, where the insects are plentiful, and mosquitoes are vicious. I can’t imagine living without screens (or windows for that matter). More than 40 percent of the world’s population, however, lives in malaria-risk areas. Over one million people worldwide, mostly children, die from malaria each year, which is just one of the diseases transmitted by the insects. I should never take my screens for granted. 

The apostle Paul said, in his letter to the Philippians, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:12-13). 

Contentment and gratitude are beautiful things. They bring glory to God our father. May we never cease to be in awe of the good gifts he has given us. 

I’ve shared only a few of the things for which I am grateful. I’d love for you to add to my list by leaving a comment in the box below. If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

It's All a Matter of Perspective

Standing at the kitchen counter, I felt a tug at my pants leg. Fully aware that my tiny granddaughter stood at my feet, I continued spreading peanut butter on a slice of bread. The tug became more insistent. 

“Just a minute, Caroline. Gigi can’t pick you up right now.” 

Caroline (lightly dusted with flour from Mommy's baking)A frown creased her little brow. Whimpering, she grabbed both pants legs, arching her back as if to will herself higher. 

“I know you’re hungry. Hang on. I’m making you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” 

My words only fueled her distress. With a final swipe of the knife, I added jelly to the sandwich, then smooshed the two pieces of bread together, completing the PB&J marriage. A wail at my feet signaled the end of Caroline’s patience. 

I understand Caroline’s frustration. 

From her limited perspective, nothing was happening. My back was turned, and I was clearly occupied with something other than her. To make matters worse, she had a need I wasn't responding to.

Or so she thought. 

If Caroline had been a little taller, she’d have seen the truth—that I wasn’t ignoring her. Not only that, but I was actively working on her behalf. 

I’m a lot like Caroline. 

I’ve learned where to go when I have a need, and that’s a good thing. I approach my heavenly Father with a gentle tug and a whispered prayer or plea. If he doesn’t respond immediately, I become more insistent. 

Some days his silence makes me feel as though he’s turned his back on me and is deliberately ignoring my urgent demands. Other times, I must confess, I launch a full-blown tantrum, complete with thrashing and wails. 

Like Caroline, I have a limited perspective. 


Tethered to earth by my mortality, I cannot see into the spiritual realm, where God is always at work. I forget he is my advocate, my provider, and my deliverer. Spiritual amnesia robs my memory of all the times he’s come to my rescue, and I panic, forgetting that his timetable is different from my own. 

This is when I must rest in what I know, not in what I see. God’s Word tells me the truth—that he knows me, loves me, and promises to care for me all the days of my life. 

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isa. 46:4). 

What are you struggling with today? Trust God with it.

May this be our prayer: 

Father, help me trust you when I cannot see you. Help me remember all you’ve done for me in the past and wait patiently when your answer is long in coming. Grow my faith as I learn to depend on you. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Hope for Grey Days

Some days I look out my back window and see a glorious pink sunrise over the pond beyond our property. Canada geese honk and take flight. A dog barks, reminding its master that breakfast is late. Squirrels chatter to each other from the treetops, and far in the distance a red-tailed hawk hunts breakfast.

Not today, though.

Today a cold fog hides it all from my view. The sky is grey, and the air is damp with moisture. A mist blankets the landscape, limiting my vision to what is directly in front of me. Birds squabble at the feeder outside my window while squirrels scavenge for dropped seeds on the ground. Beyond our fence, I hear the rustle of woodland noises, but I cannot see movement.

I recognize that this morning is a snapshot of life. Some days the sun’s rays shine a heavenly spotlight on what is ahead of me. Other days the sun hides behind ash-colored clouds and shrinks my field of vision.

On grey days, it’s important to realize that our limited perspective doesn’t change the reality of what is. Experience tells me that though I cannot see what lies behind the fog, it is still there. The only thing that has changed is my ability to see it.

This is why “we walk by faith, not by sight.” When circumstances blur our vision and keep us from seeing clearly, we must rely on our spiritual eyes to see what our physical eyes cannot. 

The prophet Elijah’s servant suffered from circumstantial blindness Iike I sometimes do. Surrounded by an enemy army, all he saw was what was directly in front of him. It was big, and it was scary. 

Elijah, however, had 20/20 vision.

He prayed, “‘O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). 

“Don't be afraid,” the prophet told his servant, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them’” (v. 16).

If today is a grey day for you, and you feel blinded by the fog, rest in the knowledge that your inability to see doesn’t change the reality of what is. God is present in your circumstances. He surrounds you with his care and protection. He has an army at his disposal to work his good and perfect will in your situation. Those who are with you are more than those who are with them.

Think on this today. 

Father, our vision is limited. Sometimes we are frightened by what we don’t understand. Help us remember that you know the end from the beginning and have all the days of our lives cradled gently in your strong, capable hands. Increase our faith. Help us trust you when we are afraid and seek you when we are confused. Be our advocate and our protector, and help us glorify you in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. Help us walk by faith, not by sight. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

When You Feel Insignificant

The world is very big, and sometimes I feel very small.

Scientists estimate there are seven billion people living on the earth today. Walk through Manhattan or Tokyo at rush hour and you’ll have no trouble believing this.

“Scramble Crossing” in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, Japan, will convince you if you have any doubt. Dubbed “the world’s busiest intersection” for pedestrian traffic, Scramble Crossing can reportedly accommodate as many as 2,500 pedestrians with each rush-hour traffic signal change.





(If you're reading by email and can't see the video, click here.)
I sat at this intersection last year when I visited my daughter in japan. As I watched the people scurry from one side of the street to the other, I gained a greater understanding that the world is very big, and we are very small.

It’s easy sometimes, in light of the world’s ever-increasing population, to sometimes feel insignificant and overlooked. Does God sees me, a single soul among billions? And if he does see me, do I matter at all?

Then I read Matthew 10:29-31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

“Even the very hairs of your head are numbered.” God knows everything about me.

“You are worth more than many sparrows. . .” God treasures me.

And because God knows everything about me, and because God assigns value to me (wonder of wonders!), I have no reason to fear.

 Think on this today.





If you're a writer, or  you think the Lord might be calling you to write, and you live within driving distance of Lexington, SC, I have an invitation for you. I, along with other industry professionals, will be teaching at the Lexington Word Weavers Winter Conference Saturday, January 21. This is an affordable, one-day conference with workshops on fiction and non-fiction writing. You'll receive excellent training, spiritual encouragement, warm fellowship, and LUNCH. 

For more information on the Lexington Word Weavers 2017 Winter Conference, CLICK HERE.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

The Difference Between Belief and Faith

“I believe with all my heart God is going to heal him.” 

“If I truly believe God is going to ___________ (deliver me from my financial troubles, give me a new car, send me a husband, release me from the job I hate), then he will. But I have to reeeeealy believe it.” 

“God wants you to be healthy, wealthy, and happy. If you’re not, it’s because you don’t have enough faith. James 1:6-8 says so: ‘But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.’” 

Have you ever heard someone say one or all of these statements? I have. 

I’ve also seen people continue to experience illness, financial trouble, singleness, difficult marriages, and challenging jobs, even though they reeeeeeealy believed God was going to answer their prayers for deliverance. Was their faith not strong enough? Did they harbor a smidgen of doubt that hindered God from answering their prayers? 

How can we be sure we have enough faith to tip the scales in our favor when God decides which prayers to answer in the affirmative? And how do we “ask in faith, believing,” when we’re just not sure how God’s going to answer? 

Years ago I was scheduled to have surgery to remove a cyst/tumor. There was some concern that the growth might be malignant, but we wouldn’t know until the day of surgery. As I prayed about the outcome, I wrestled with “asking in faith, believing,” for a cancer-free report. I knew God could heal me if necessary. He certainly had the power. 

But the thought occurred to me that he might not choose to. I’ve lived long enough to know that sometimes God glorifies himself by delivering someone from a difficult situation. Other times he glorifies himself by empowering them to go through it. How could I know God’s will in order to believe with all my heart and get the answer I hoped for? 

Jennifer Kennedy Dean, in Live a Praying Life answers this question better than anyone I’ve ever heard. Listen to what she writes: 

“Faith is not ‘believing real hard.’ Faith is not shutting your eyes and drawing a long breath and willing yourself to believe something. You can make yourself believe anything, true or not. Believing something won’t make God do it. Belief is one thing; faith is something else.” 

Her observations are similar to mine, that because "many believers have mistaken belief for faith, they have had experiences in prayer that are discouraging and disappointing." She describes faith quite differently than belief: 

“Faith has only one focus: God. Jesus said: ‘Have faith in God’ (Mark 11:22). When your faith is in God, not in your own idea of what God should do and how He should do it, then faith has substance. The person who is living a praying life is living a life of faith. That person understands that prayer is always releasing the power of God for the purposes of God. Therefore, once prayer has begun, whatever direction as situation takes, it is taking the direction that will accomplish the purposes of God. That’s faith.” 


And then, she writes the words that parted the faith curtain for me: “You do not have to be able to predict how God will act in order to have faith.” 

What we must know to be able to ask in faith, believing, is that God is all knowing, all powerful, and all loving. Everything he allows into a believer’s life is to accomplish two purposes: my good and his glory. Knowing this allows me to yield my will to his and trust him to accomplish his ultimate and best purpose in every situation. 

Richard Foster, in the book, Prayer, says this: “Frequently we hold on so tightly to the good that we do know that we cannot receive the greater good that we do not know. God has to help us let go of our tiny vision in order to release the greater good he has in store for us . . .” 

This is why the true prayer of faith lifts our requests to him, then ends with, “Lord, not my will, but yours be done.” When we pray this way, we can rest in faith, knowing we can trust the God who has all the power of the universe and all the wisdom of the world at his disposal. Knowing that he loves us and is working for our highest good and his glory allows us confidently to yield our will to his, “asking in faith, believing.” 

I’m so thankful we don’t have to figure out what’s best and then work ourselves into a belief frenzy before we can pray. Instead, we can come before the Lord and acknowledge, “God, I don’t know what the best answer is in this situation, but you do. I trust you. Please work for my good and your glory.”

Now it's your turn. What does this explanation of the difference between belief and faith mean to you? Leave a comment in the box below and share your thoughts. If you're reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

3 Books on My Bedside Table, Part II

Books can change our lives. 

They bring us joy, move us to tears, and affect us in ways nothing else can. In my last post, "Three Books on my Bedside Table, Part I," I shared the first of three books that sit on my bedside table, New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp. Today, I'll share Book #2 and Book #3. If you're looking for life-changing reading, these three are it.

Book #2: Live a Praying Life – Open Your Life to God’s Power and Provision, by Jennifer Kennedy Dean 

[image error] I can list on one hand the books that have dramatically and permanently impacted my spiritual life. Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby, is one. Let Prayer Change Your Life, by Becky Tirabassi, is another. The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children, by Stormie Omartian, is another. Live a Praying Life is the most recent addition to my personal Book Hall of Fame.

For the past 20 years, I’ve studied prayer extensively, intensively, and experientially. I’ve taken classes, participated in Bible studies, and led weekend prayer conferences on the subject. I’ve grown tremendously in my prayer life and seen God do amazing and miraculous things in response to my prayers.

Yet I still have questions. Bible verses on prayer sometimes still don’t make sense. I continue to find some aspects of prayer confusing and contradictory. Jennifer Kennedy Dean, in Live a Praying Life, tackles some of the deepest, most perplexing questions about prayer. She uses simple illustrations and explanations to make complex concepts clear without over-simplifying the principles.

Personally, one of the most enlightening chapters is the chapter called “Faith Is Required.” In it, Dean examines the promise of James 1:6-8:

“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. . .” 

She talks about the difference between belief and faith. “Faith is not ‘believing real hard.’ Faith is not shutting your eyes and drawing a long breath and willing yourself to believe something. You can make yourself believe anything, true or not. Believing something won’t make God do it. Belief is one thing; faith is something else.”

Her insight in this chapter and others helped me move past some of the confusion that hindered my prayer life and gives me confidence to approach God’s throne with boldness and trust, even though I have no idea how God will specifically answer my prayers.

Dean’s book has an accompanying Bible study that is perfect for small groups, large groups, or churches. I’m prayerfully hoping to lead a session in the future. Now more than ever, we need to be mighty prayer warriors who can do battle for our families, our communities, and the world.

Book #3: The John MacArthur Daily Bible 

[image error] British New Testament scholar N. T. Wright said, “The Bible is the book of my life. It's the book I live with, the book I live by, the book I want to die by.” His conviction is my conviction, too.

More than 15 years ago I made the commitment to read the Bible through in a year. And I failed. The next year, I failed again. I’d start out strong, then wreck on the rocks of Leviticus, or Deuteronomy. Or, heaven help us, NUMBERS. 

One year, however, fifteen months after I began, and for the first time in my life, I read through the whole Bible. I discovered amazing passages, and verses, and characters, and stories I had never read before. I fell in love with minor prophets whose names I still can’t spell. And I read every word of Leviticus. And Deuteronomy. And NUMBERS.

What made the difference? I discovered The One Year Bible.

Available in several translations, The One Year Bible compiles a portion of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs for each day of the year. Each daily reading takes about 15 minutes to complete. 

Because each day’s reading contains portions of the Old and New Testament as well as Psalms and Proverbs, if I hit a particularly challenging or dry portion of the Old Testament, the passage is relatively short and balanced by a more dynamic or interesting selection from the New Testament. This is what helped me read through Leviticus without giving up. 

Since that year, I’ve read through the Bible at least eight more times. And every time, it gets better. Reading through the Bible means I encounter books and passages I wouldn’t normally choose to read, and in them I find treasure. There’s also often a surprising parallelism between many of the Old and New Testament passages. Since the New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old, there’s a beautiful synergy. 

I don’t read through the Bible every year. Sometimes the Lord leads me to use a different Bible reading method. But when I do, The One Year Bible is the most effective way to help me reach my goal. 

I hope you have some excellent books on your bedside table to read and learn from in 2017. If you don’t, why not choose one or more of the ones I’ve mentioned here? And if you’re already read one of these, please leave a comment in the box below and tell me what you thought of it.  I’d also be interested to hear what your Bible reading plan is for 2017. 

If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment there. 

As you begin the new year, my prayer for you is that your faith will grow deeper, your love for God and mankind will grow stronger, and your witness for Christ will grow braver and stronger. Who knows, perhaps this will be the year that Christ returns. Will he find us faithful?

If you missed Part I of "3 Books on my Bedside Table," CLICK HERE.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher