Janet Sketchley's Blog: Tenacity, page 87
January 14, 2015
Taking God Seriously
So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?
Luke 6:46, NLT*
Jesus’ miracles proved His power, authority and compassion. His message was direct and understandable, except when cloaked in parables. People flocked to Him.
Yet here, after a very practical sermon, He accuses them of not doing what He says. And He warns that putting His words into practice will be the difference between stability and disaster (Luke 6:46-49).
He’s just told them to love, bless, do good, not...
January 12, 2015
Review: Hidden Agenda, by Lisa Harris
Hidden Agenda, by Lisa Harris (Revell, 2015)
Hidden Agenda is book 3 in Lisa Harris’ Southern Crimes series, and it follows the events in book 2 (Fatal Exchange) by about a week.
I heartily encourage you to begin with book 1, Dangerous Passage, and if you plan to do so, don’t read the rest of this review.
Hidden Agenda contains a massive spoiler for the first two books.
Still here?
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
And now for my review:
Contrary to what his family believes, Michael Hunt is not dead. He’...
January 9, 2015
Christian Living in 2015
Can our daily choices actually be spiritual warfare? Read The Battle of 2015 at Other Food: daily devos.
Our choices include what (and if) we believe. I love the opening 2015 post at Beech Croft Tales: Rock Solid.
For more on the challenge to live with the mindset of Christ, read “God’s Word for 2015” at Practical Faith.
And for encouragement that yes, we can make changes in our lives, read Ann Voskamp’s Google+ post.
Janice Dick is starting a new blog series on some of Brother Lawrence’s insight...
January 7, 2015
Belief and Trust
“Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”
Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
Luke 5:12b-13, NLT*
Imagine the fervent, desperate hope in the leper’s voice – in his heart.
There was no cure for the disease at the time, and Luke calls it an “advanced case.” He might have been missing fingers, toes… part of his nose.
He believes – he knows – Jesus can heal him.
So he asks. Luke says he begs. The...
January 5, 2015
Review: The Last Toqeph, by Yvonne Anderson
The Last Toqeph, by Yvonne Anderson (Yvonne Anderson, 2014)
The Last Toqeph brings the Gateway to Gannah series to a satisfying close. Because it’s the fourth book, I appreciated the recap at the beginning, as told by Adam, one of the central characters. This means a new reader could start here and not feel confused, although the series is worth reading from the beginning.
Gannah is an Eden-like world, and although to North American eyes some of its customs seem harsh, the people value honesty...
January 2, 2015
Top 10 Books From 2014
‘Tis the season for “best of 2014″ lists, and here are my picks for top 10 books I’ve read this year. (Goodreads tells me I read 64… ouch! And I know I didn’t record everythingthere.) Some were published in 2014, and some are older. These are in no particular order, andeach one is best in its own category.
Non-fiction:
Do Life Different, by Jill Hart (Devotional)
When God Interrupts, by M. Craig Barnes (Christian living)
Fiction:
Veiled at Midnight, by Christine Lindsay (Historical)
Imogen’s Chance...
December 31, 2014
Living Free or Tyrannized
Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.
1 Peter 4:1-2, MSG*
These are good verses to take into the new year, and to memorize for perspective.
Whether we’re suffering or simply living amid the day-to-day opportunities for sel...
December 29, 2014
Review: The Greatest Gift, by Ann Voskamp
The Greatest Gift, by Ann Voskamp (Tyndale House, 2013)
What better antidote to the stress and hurry-hurry of December than a few quiet minutes, every day, to re-orient our thinking and ponder the true meaning of Christmas?
The Greatest Gift, subtitled “Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas,” is a collection of Advent devotional readings tracing the promise of a Saviour – “the love story that’s been coming for you since the beginning” (p. x).
Each day’s reading begins with a page of Script...
December 26, 2014
Christmas
The King has come.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
Let every spirit live to worship and delight in Him.
Let every knee bow, every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
Let us be ready for His return.
December 24, 2014
When God Does Something Good
“How kind the Lord is!” [Elizabeth] exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
Luke 1:25, NLT*
North American culture today doesn’t equate a woman’s worth with her fertility, but for women in Bible times, failure to produce a child – especially a male heir – was a source of shame.
What strikes me here is Elizabeth’s response. She’s old by this point, well past natural childbearing age. God surprises her with a miracle pregnancy as announced by an angel to her husband, Zech...
