When our daughter was little, she had a thing about hearing our instruction and finding the cutest way to circumvent it. We laughed, but we soon realized it did her heart no good to do a good thing instead of the right thing. I'm sure, like me, you have found yourself doing good things instead of the right things that God has called you to do. Two things. That's it. There are really only two things we really must do in life.
I received the following question that I answered in my monthly, “Ponderings of the Heart” column: Dear Ami, Philippians 2:3 tells us to “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Is the latter part of this really healthy? If you avoid looking at or considering your own value, aren’t you undermining your own emotional health? Signed, Confidently Humble
Having received the following question, I responded via my column in the His Favor Newsletter: Dear Ami, Do you have any insight on “knowing Jesus in His suffering”? Signed, Slightly Scared…. Well, the answer to this question could cause some waves! Are you ready for this one?
Frequently, I’ll go out for brief moments to stick my feet in or even get in up to my clothes. It irritates me with myself—my hesitancy to just jump in. I’m working on it…. It reminds me of the vision Ezekiel, found in Ezekiel 47:1-12…. Come read the rest of the blog post and ponder the depth of relationship you’ve accepted with the Lord!
Having received the following question, I responded via my column in the His Favor Newsletter: Dear Ami, I understand the importance of forgiveness, but is reconciliation the same thing? Must I reconcile with everyone, even unsafe people? Signed, Cautious…. Wow! What a sticky question! Come read my response at amiloper.com
We have all heard how the Lord can do wonderful miracles for people, can thrust them into their Promised Land and the giants simply let them in and hand over the deed to the land. It happens. But then there are other times, the majority of times, when blessings come at great cost or after great battles in which nothing came easily. Does that mean God wasn’t in it?
"Dear Ami, Does the Bible explicitly prohibit sex before marriage? I believe that Biblical sexual purity means abstinence before marriage, but my cousin brought up this issue as a challenge, and he uses it to justify premarital sex. Signed, Perplexed"… Come see how I answered this intriguing question at amiloper.com
Dear Ami: Recently I have been reading through Jeremiah. Chapter after chapter talk about the judgment coming to Israel. Then, it turns, and chapter after chapter predict the destruction of the nations around Israel. Why does it matter to hear about that when they aren’t God’s people. Signed, Curious {Come read my reply!}
Each of us has a nearly gravitational pull, urging us toward what can make us whole. And yet, we seek out less fulfilling sources that tantalize us with empty pledges of wholeness. But why would a loving Father create us with a hole in our hearts that causes such longings that we seek to fill it with painful things? How can this be considered loving?
Trying to hear our Heavenly Father often comes with real effort and practice to press in to feel that whisper stirring in our hearts. At other times, life seems to be collapsing at our feet or an immediate decision is required, but it seems we’ve suddenly lost our connection to the still small voice that guides us so gently. Why?
What Was So Wrong About the Israelites' Complaints? We know that the common explanation is that He had done so many miracles for them along the way, they should have been more grateful and trusting. There is some merit in this theory, but I believe it only tells part of the story.
Admittedly, there are dry areas in the Bible. But I’ve always figured, if God wrote a book with limited space, everything in it must be for my benefit. Having recently read through one of “those” sections, the Lord graciously showed me part of His purpose in these more challenging passages.
Yes, Jesus laid His life down to save us. What a mind blowing Truth! Yet, are we aware that He is still giving of Himself? A good husband doesn’t just lay his life down for his wife in the ultimate, take-a-bullet-for-you way, he also lays his life down in smaller ways daily. In the same way, Jesus is laying His life for you TODAY!
God calls us to be holy and perfect. How in the world are we supposed to do that?? If we know God doesn’t ask us to do the impossible, what exactly is He asking of us and how do we participate?
Jacob wrestled with God and God declared that Jacob prevailed. But wait! How did Jacob prevail? Isn’t he the one who walked away with a permanent limp? Wasn’t the wrestling match called on account of daylight? What made Jacob one who prevailed?
When truth is maligned, twisted, perverted, I find my desire for peace taking a backseat and my desire to not see lies propagated and people oppressed comes to the fore. I have outlined what is actually being said in the Greek and why it was being said. I also share several passages of Scripture that really shed light on God’s heart when you dig into the original language. I also found why church history tilted so strongly in this repressive direction.
If God is speaking by using imagery that we don’t fully understand, it behooves us to LEARN IT! That’s where understanding COVENANT comes in. It is the imagery God has used from the beginning of time, imagery with which we have become unfamiliar. Let’s learn a few things about it and why it is important to us NOW!
It’s way too easy for us to imagine that we will know what to do and how to react in the moments we are called to follow onto the waves. It all seems so straightforward from the sidelines. But it is in the stepping out that we find out what is really lurking inside our hearts and minds.
