Jennifer Heeren

God desperately wants us to know and believe that we are not alone.

Galatians 5 doesn’t mince words when it comes to legalism. It happens when we get so tied to the letter of the law that we forget to incorporate God’s love, mercy, and grace. It’s far too easy to let legalistic thoughts slip into my mind. Even a tiny little bit of that destructive yeast can spread through the entire batch of dough.

I must work very hard not to let legalism infiltrate my thinking. The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were ruled by the law and Jesus didn’t like it one bit. He agreed that they knew the law well enough to teach it but they didn’t always practice what they preached. They oppressed their listeners with unbearable burdens and did nothing to ease those burdens. Legalism can lead to only doing good things for show (Matthew 23:1-5). I must refuse to give in to it! Compassion must be added in to the equation. Prayer and the Holy Spirit’s power also need to be mixed in. This is how burdens get relieved. When I add those things to the law, I am preserving the Truth of the Gospel.

Like Abram, I am learning lessons as I walk through my journey. Three lessons that God is teaching me are...

We need to always remember this brevity and uncertainty.

Evolution or Creation? You have a choice. Let's see which seems more plausible.

When you see the miracles that Jesus performed and the lengths He went to in order to save your soul, you will be convicted by the sin in your life. Let’s take a closer look at what the Bible says about conviction.

The Bible is full of people with disabilities, both physical and mental. However, God works in and through all of us, regardless of any disabilities we may have. So, what does the Bible say about disabilities?

The story of Job in the Bible shows a man who suffered but never turned away from God. Job didn’t understand everything, and he got frustrated, but he still showed patience by keeping his face poised toward God. He lost health, wealth, and even children. His friends didn’t believe that Job had done nothing to deserve these calamities. Job questioned and wondered, but he didn’t turn his back on his God. Despite his difficulties, Job still said, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

Patience is an important quality that we all should seek to grow in. After all, love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). Honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest (Luke 8:15). Patience is part of the fruit of the Spirit, which breaks down into love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22). God gives us the power to endure hardship, difficulties, and trials, but we must learn and grow into this fruit of the Spirit. A synonym of patience is longsuffering, and it is a lifelong endeavor.

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You were made with a hole in the center of your soul that only one thing fits.

Psalm 139 says that God made all the delicate, inner parts of my body. He knit me together within my mother’s womb. I was made wonderfully complex.

The woman with the issue of blood is mentioned in three of the gospels—and her miracle story is surprising.

God rains down grace on all mankind. He gave us the beauty and wonders of nature that we see each and every day. He gives us near misses when accidents are heading our way. He often brings us the right thing just in time. And He also gave us an innate conscience to know right from wrong. All these things are common graces, and everyone born on the earth has the benefit of them because God so loved the world.

But believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm because we are united with Christ.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a biblical concept spoken by Jesus in Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12; it is commonly referred to as the "Golden Rule."