David Young's Blog (344)

I have had several striking coincidences this week. I am reminded of something I recently read, and you have read or heard many times. A hard-bitten detective in a mystery novel said, “I don't believe in coincidences.” Accidental coincidences are an unlikely explanation of many things that take place.

This week I wrote a pastor friend whom I have not seen in several years. I said I was praying for God to do more in…

Looking at the 3rd chapter of Luke, a contemporary application of the prophecy fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist struck me. Verses 4-6 read,

“As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:…

The Scripture I want to look at in this blog actually addresses only men. However, I believe ladies can read over our shoulders and get a firm grasp on some things that we need God to do in our marriages. My experience is that ladies are much better at doing that than men.

The verse is 1 Peter 3:7.

“Likewise, husbands, live with your…

HOPE IN A WORLD OF EVIL

“We know that we are from God, 

and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

1 John 5:19

I don't think we should need the Bible to tell us that we…

THE HOPE OF CHRISTMAS

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, 

who is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:11

Do remember the thrilling anticipation you experienced…

The Kindle edition of my book, Faith, Risking and Resting on The Word of God, will be free through Monday, Nov. 11th.…

I have said, I want to be clear headed enough that I am still able to pray for people around me, even when I am completely disabled physically. But many of you will identify with something that has been happening to me. I will be talking about something that interests me and won't remember the name of someone I have read and respected for years. Or I will step out into our garage, but  won't remember why I am there. Last week someone…

WATCH WITH HIM

In that most intense time, as Jesus and His disciples gathered in the garden where He was arrested, He told us to watch and pray. What does He mean by telling us to watch, to watch and pray? Look with me at these verses from Matthew 26.

“Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said…

Have you considered that God may speak to you in visions or dreams? Throughout the Bible God appears or speaks to people in visions and dreams. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:17 Peter quoted from the end-time prophecy of Joel.

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young…

This is the third in a series of blogs on developing faith by listening to God, adapted from my upcoming book, Faith, The Infinite, Ultimate Love of God.

We sometimes think of prayer as a monologue where we tell God what is on our hearts. But prayer is far more than that. Prayer is crucial among the ways that we hear the voice of God.

We listen to…

Listening to God begins with the Bible. God will speak personally to you through His word. James 1:21 calls us to receive with meekness the word of God grafted into us. God will graft His word into your heart.

Let me suggest 4 disciplines that are essential to developing faith from God's word in your life. First, READ it. Read it prayerfully. Read it hungrily. Read it…

In the next few weeks I would like to share with you something that I wrote in my soon to be released book, FAITH, Risking and Resting on The Word of God.

LISTENING FAITH

Jesus made it clear that there is absolutely nothing that God cannot do through you when you trust Him. He repeatedly told us we could do things…

TAKING NOTES

Do you take notes when you listen to sermons? Many people do. And it is a spiritually healthy practice. For those of you who do, and for those who would like to start taking notes on sermons, let me suggest some guidelines.

• Soak Up The Pictures.

When your pastor tells a story about…

Answering questions before a live audience can be tricky business. I wonder if it is easier or sometimes better in print.

Last night I listened to a recording of Eric Metaxis speaking on his book MIRACLES, at Rutgers University. The primary miracles Eric told about in his talk, outside of his own conversion, were on the fine tuning…

Answering questions before a live audience can be tricky business. I wonder if it is easier or sometimes better in print.

Last night I listened to a recording of Eric Metaxis speaking on his book MIRACLES, at Rutgers University. The primary miracles Eric told about in his talk, outside of his own conversion, were on the fine tuning…

Last week I shared a prayer that I invited people to pray every Sunday when we come together. "Lord, let me hear your voice." I actually began that by suggesting that people pray, "God, speak to me." Then I realized that God always speaks when His word is read and preached. That would be like asking Jesus to be present in a worship service. He told us in Matthew 18:20, that He is aready there.…

There are, of course, two sides to preaching. It is like a dance where the preacher and the people come together in the music of the Scripture and stirring of the Holy Spirit. 

Up to now in this series on preaching, I have only addressed the preacher. But I would like to write several blogs in the next few weeks on receiving what God has for you in a sermon. A pastor needs to teach and encourage some, if not all of…

There are, of course, two sides to preaching. It is like a dance where the preacher and the people come together in the music of the Scripture and stirring of the Holy Spirit. 

Up to now in this series on preaching, I have only addressed the preacher. But I would like to write several blogs in the next few weeks on receiving what God has for you in a sermon. A pastor needs to teach and encourage some, if not all of…

It has been some time since I have written a blog on preaching. In fact, you will have to scroll down past 10 blogs to May 9, in Thinking In The Spirit to find my last entry in this series. You have to scroll down 5 more to find the first of them. But I recently heard a sermon that made me long to emphasize keys to preaching without notes. The sermon I heard was taken from Colossians 3 & 4. And it contained vital truths for our lives. The preacher’s text began at Colossians 3:12 and…

The Gospels were written in Greek. But in all of them certain Aramaic or Hebrew words are included and are usually translated. 

One of the reasons for this is that the writer was present when striking Hebrew words were spoken. They were so vivid in Mark's mind, that he quoted them. I believe that is true when Matthew and Mark quote Jesus on the cross saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani," "My God, my God,…