The stricter the rule, the more we want to break it. #mentalhealthminutelw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

God must be the center of our lives and His glory our chief consideration. #daybydaylw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Recently, Kristi and I have been discussing the desire/need for a centerpiece in our home—a work of art that stops people in their tracks, causes them to stare and observe, to reflect and think; a piece of art that represents what we want to be the atmosphere of our home, a visual representation that reminds us of what our lives are to revolve around. This is not an idea that Kristi and I came up with. The idea of a centerpiece has been around for a long time. The church in which I grew up had a huge stain glass window that couldn’t be missed when you walked in the door, of three angels in worship. It was a statement piece, a centerpiece. Prague, Czech Republic is known as the city of 100 spires. One look across the landscape of the city reveals why it is known as such. Cathedrals and historical buildings alike have spires, or what we might call steeples, on top of them. One such cathedral is St. Vitus Cathedral. Construction started in 926 under King Wenceslas, and wasn’t completed until 1344. And for certain, the building was designed to cause your neck to crane way back until you see the spire. As you walk into the courtyard of St. Vitus Cathedral, everything about the landscape and architecture slowly draws your eyes upward towards the spire, towards the heavens. But we can go back even further to trace the idea of centerpieces, back to the formation of Israel as she traveled in the wilderness, setting up their tabernacle on their stops. And in the center of the tabernacle, there resided the ark of the covenant. It was the centerpiece. And all of Israel would camp in very specific formation around the tabernacle. The idea was that the tabernacle being in the center of the encampment, the tabernacle which housed the ark of the covenant, would be a visual reminder, a living symbol that the worship of Yahweh was to be central to the life of Israel, the centerpiece of their lives. Everything revolved around God. This is worship—when God is the centerpiece of all of your life; when the honor and glory of God is the chief consideration in every aspect, every action, every decision. How much of your life needs to be reoriented in this way?

No matter how far we have strayed from God, His love still remains.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you had to chase a dog lately? I sure hope you haven’t. It’s not fun. I have two dogs. One is a beagle mix named Ruby and the other is an eighty pound Goldador named Roxy. We have an invisible dog fence around our yard and our sweet dogs have collars that will remind them when they are too close to the fence so they stay IN our yard. It’s for their protection and care. I now refer to that invisible fence as the circle of blessing. You see, inside the circle of blessing, there is safety. Inside the circle of blessing there are treats. Inside the circle of blessing there is a home with people who love you. There is a warm place to rest, fresh water and enough food for each day. There are belly rubs and couch snuggles inside the circle of blessing. In the yard there is grass to roll in and toys to chew and play fetch with. It’s beautiful inside the circle of blessing. Roxy got outside the circle of blessing. Her collar wasn’t working properly, so she didn’t get the electric reminder to not go beyond the fence. She made her way out into an area of woods and thorn bushes, water, mud and rocks. She was chasing something. Once I discovered she was out, I put on a jacket, got my mud boots on, grabbed a leash and went after her. I called and called. A couple times I got a glimpse of her. She was on the hunt. She was chasing something and WAY more focused on that, than she was my voice. I prayed for her. I love my dogs. I want them safe. I want them with me. I was very concerned because as I continued to make my way through the woods I saw her again and she was getting close to a highway near our neighborhood. I quickened my pace, my voice was stern and she looked up and stood still. I was finally able to get a leash on her and we turned back toward home. The crazy thing is, she was so far out that I got turned around trying to find my way back. Thankfully I got my bearings and we slowly made our way home. It was not an easy journey. It seemed for every step she took away from me, it was double that to get back to the circle of blessing. We made it home. She was tired. I was tired. I washed her off, brought her inside and yes, gave her a treat. She slept all afternoon. My Dad, who is now with Jesus, used to talk to my girls about the circle of blessing and the love and care of our heavenly Father. When we ABIDE and REMAIN in the Father’s love, will and way, we are blessed. Still, how often do we chase after things that lead us away from what is good? Our eyes become fixed on the object of our desire, we go our way and before we know it, we find ourselves in unfamiliar surroundings not sure how to make our way home. Choices made in a fleeting moment lead to a path we never expected full of isolation, struggle and pain. The Father still calls us to come home. His voice calls us by name. You may be so far gone you can’t hear it, but still, He is calling you. His love for you never changes. His desire for what is good for you is still the same. You simply need to stop running and look up. Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Friend, no matter how far you’ve gone, the love of the Father remains. He calls and waits for you to come home. In fact, He is running after you even now. Stop running, hear His voice and follow Him home. There is blessing, forgiveness, healing and rest waiting for you. That’s the truth. Abiding IN Jesus is the circle of blessing. It’s not without pain and the trials of this life, but it is where fullness of life, joy and peace flow and it’s where I choose to remain. I’m Lori Cline.

The disciples were arguing about which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus said to be great you must be small. Keep watching if you want to know what he meant.

Pastors desire their church members to pray for one another consistently. #daybydaylw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

It's finally time for the BIG fishing trip! And of course they're calling for rain chances the whole weekend. Will the boys let the storms keep them off the lake? Check it out in the latest episode of Outdoors with Shaun Merrell #outdoorswithshaunmerrell Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Maybe today you need to ask Jesus to help your unbelief.

Doc Brian raises awareness about PTSD and the psychology behind it.   #doctalkspodcast   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Restoring rightful worship of God means there must be a reordering of our lives.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   In the Spring of 1998 we were playing baseball somewhere in Texas. About midway through the game I hit a single and was standing on first base. I look over at my third base coach to get the signs, him telling me what he wanted me to do. He gave me the steal sign. So I took my lead off of first base and fixated on the pitcher, waiting for him to make his move towards home plate. He lifted his leg, and I took off towards second base. I knew it was going to be a close play, so I dove head first into second base, grabbing the base with my left hand as I slid past it. “Safe!” Was the call by the umpire. I start standing up, but as I look down at my left hand, which is still on second base, I notice that my ring finger is twisted and laying over my pinky finger. It had been dislocated at the middle knuckle. Our athletic trainer ran on to the field and tried to set it back in place by jerking on the finger, to no avail. What may have appeared as a minor injury, just a finger being out of place, affected my whole body, and what all I could do. I couldn’t finish the game. I wouldn’t be able to play again at full speed until that one finger was put back in place. We are in 2 Samuel 6, right in the middle of a tidal wave of change for the people of Israel. Last week we read and learned that David’s kingship over all of Israel had been confirmed by God, by others. And one of David’s first acts as King was to restore worship in Israel. You see, true, full, and right worship had been dislocated, so to speak. The ark of the covenant, the golden box that resided in the middle of the tabernacle, had been lost to the Philistines back in 1 Samuel 4. But through the providence and power of God, God had shown himself to be more powerful than Philistines, bringing plagues and pain upon them to the extent that the Philistines decided to return ark of the covenant, the symbolic representation of the presence of God. So they did that very thing, but the Israelites had forgotten, or they just neglected how they were to handle this ark, and they were punished as well. So they thought it best just to leave it at the house of a man named Abinadab. And that is what they did. For years, now, the ark of the covenant had been at the house of Abinadab. Israel’s worship had been dislocated, if you will. So David, in 2 Samuel 6, is restoring, putting right worship back in its rightful place, by bringing the ark of the covenant back into Israel, to the capital city of Jerusalem. That is what we are watching take place in 2 Samuel 6. So what does it take to restore worship? What will it take? Restoring the worship of God means there must be a reordering of our lives. Join us next week as we discuss what this looks like.

What does it mean to take up our cross daily?

I don’t want to live like I didn’t experience the first miracle

If anxiety is taking over your life watch this video.

Which eye your first tear came from indicates why you're crying.   #mentalhealthminutelw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

The eternal kingdom of God which He establishes is greater than any earthly kingdom.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   2 Samuel 5 is recorded for us to give us a glimpse into the greatness of the Kingdom of God, and God’s chosen king, a king after God’s own heart. And we know this because of how the author drops in a few lines after each episode given to us in chapter 5. So we have in verse 5 the length of David’s reign over all of Israel—33 years. In verse 10 after the run in with the Jebusites, we are told, “David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.” In verse 12 it tells us that “David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.” After the two episodes with the Philistines in the end of 2 Samuel 5, with each instance we are told of David’s victories. I don’t think 2 Samuel 5 is given to us in chronological order as the first events of David’s reign as king over all of Israel, but rather they serve as a snapshot of David’s Kingdom to show us the nature of God’s kingdom under David’s reign. How much greater, then is the eternal kingdom of God under the reign of the true and eternal King of Israel, Jesus? The LORD establishes it. The LORD establishes it for the good of His people. And it will be successful.

Many lose their feeling of first love in marriage, but God can carry couples through those times. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Did you have a special song sung at your wedding? I had a really special song at my wedding. It was one my husband wrote and we actually sang it to each other after lighting our unity candle. It was called “Lifetime Love”. The chorus went like this, ‘no matter what we go through, I’ll still be in love with you. Through every tear that falls, we’ll climb every mountain tall. And love’s more than something we just know, but everyday work for, in a lifetime love.’ It was pretty special. And it was true! Love is more than just something you know or feel. When it comes to marriage, love is something you choose and work for everyday. You lean in when it’s tough and you honor your promise to love and cherish till death do you part. You do the work it takes to be in it to win it. If you’re married, are you in it to win it or have you lost that loving feeling? Sadly for many, love and marriage have become more of a commodity to use up and throw away when you’re done. Commitment is at an all time low and marriage, the very first institution established by God, is under attack. When marriages, faith and families unravel, everything else isn’t far behind. Before I got married, if you would have asked me if I thought love could really last a lifetime, I may not have given a truthful answer. The easy and optimistic answer would have been, sure I do! But going into marriage I knew it wasn’t easy and while I hoped it would last, I also knew it didn’t seem to be a guarantee. Life is hard. Even for the believer in Christ, marriage is hard. We are broken people living in a broken world and only by God’s grace are we redeemed. I’m so thankful for the love and grace of God in my own life and in my marriage. That’s been my focus this month. I was a June bride thirty years ago and I’ve been sharing the truth God has used to strengthen us along the way. Here’s a little recap if you missed any! It all begins with love. God is love and my love story fits into His greater story. I can love because He first loved me. That love displayed through marriage is a beautiful mystery gift that is SO much more than an ‘I do’. It’s a holy union, established by a holy God to be a reflection of His deep and intimate love for us here and now and for eternity to come. We daily surrender to the Lord and one another, so when temptations come, we can walk in step with the Spirit and stay faithful. When it comes to disagreements or hurts we choose to speak the truth and not hold onto anger. We delight in our love and marriage. We intentionally celebrate it and shine it to the world as a display of the gospel. We recognize we need Godly community in our lives and people to walk life with to strengthen us, comfort us and encourage us along the journey. We trust God’s timing and plan and know every valley, detour and delay will be worked for our good and in His time will be made beautiful. While we are far from the garden, Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees emphasizing God’s original intention and plan. Mark 10:6-9 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” The oneness of marriage is a sacred trust and gift. I am so very thankful for it in my life with the gift of my husband. With God at the center and by his grace and strength alone, I do believe in a lifetime love. And as my heart draws closer to the Father, my heart draws closer to my husband. It’s a beautiful design. That’s the truth. Thanks for joining me this month as I’ve shared my heart for God and my heart for my husband. I champion marriage. I delight in what God joined together thirty years ago. I pray it shines the gospel of Jesus to the world, proclaiming the promise, I am yours and you are mine. If you missed any of this month's broadcasts walking through what I’ve learned through a love story, you can find them all and so much more to strengthen your faith journey at lifeword.org. I’m Lori Cline.

June is PTSD Awareness Month, and Doc Brian discusses it with Paul Tucker.   #doctalkspodcast   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Did you know that Jesus will not turn you away?

No matter how many days pass, we can rest knowing that God’s promises bloom in time.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   2 Samuel 5—God’s Promise Blooms Over Time In 2 Samuel 5:6, King David leads his men into Jerusalem to face down the Jebusites, using some crafty war strategy moves, after the Jebusites basically told the Israelites that their blind and lame were strong enough to conquer the toughest Israelite soldier. There are some very interesting and technical war games taking place, it seems, in this chapter, but from a broader perspective, something even greater is happening. You see, way back in Genesis 15:18-21, God made promise to Abraham that God would give to Abraham and his descendants a certain area of land. This episode we have in 2 Samuel 5 against the Jebusites, is the final piece of that promise being put into place. What we see in the big picture is that even though many items in life have an expiration date, God’s promises are not one of them. We are in the midst of the waiting on one of God’s promises right now, and that is to see and experience the fullness of God’s already established kingdom, and to see the king in all his glory…faith being made into sight! No matter how many days pass, we can rest in the reality that God’s promises bloom over time. They never spoil, they never fade.

When we run from God, He will draw us back.   #lifewordstories   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Dreams may be more meaningful than conscious thought.   #mentalhealthminutelw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Where are you sitting? Wherever you’re at in this moment Jesus loves you there.

Did you know that following the laws in the Bible means nothing if it's not changing your heart..

When Jesus equips us for his work it starts by unpacking all of the things we packed ourselves.

So Jesus was teaching the Disciples to allow him to provide their everything. But how Jesus provided is very interesting.

We can count on God’s promises to be true regardless of opposition or pressure.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   2 Samuel 5— God’s Promise Blooms Under Pressure. 2 Samuel 5 is the coronation of the new, but promised, King of all of Israel, finally. This is the moment we have been waiting for since 1 Samuel 13, where God promised Saul that a man after God’s own heart would be the leader, and then that man is identified in 1 Samuel 16 when David was anointed King as a kid. But it takes a while for this promise to bloom. In fact, this promise seems to be on the ropes many times in the course of David’s life, as he is running from cave to cave in fear of his life from Saul. And then after Saul’s death, when it seems like the ideal time for God’s promise to come to fruition, the promise is still under threat. But here in 2 Samuel 5 we find the tribes of Israel reciting the promise to David as the reason for their having him as King. Maybe they had no more fight in them. Maybe they came to their senses. Whatever the reason, this promise is on their lips in verse 2. And here is what we can learn from this. Sometimes God’s promises seem like we cannot count on them simply because the circumstances seem to be too great, too intense. But 2 Samuel 5 is another reminder teaching us that we can count on God’s promise to be true, no matter the opposition, no matter the pressure put on them, even the pressure and then reality and finality of death. For even death could not keep the Greatest King of Israel down.

God has a perfect plan for every aspect of our lives, including marriage. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Do you trust God with the timing of your love story? When my love story began it was not at all the timing I expected. I wasn’t really looking for it to start as soon as it did. I had fear issues. I knew I wanted to get married, but I was not attending college to get my M.R.S. degree as many girls apparently were. When I graduated high school I had a senior memory book. In addition to scrapbook pages and photo pockets were pages you could write out where you think you will be in five or ten years. Career, convertible and a little dog were at the top of my priority list. Marriage was a little later once I was established. Well, it didn’t go in that order. James 4:13-15 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” While I had a timeline of events planned out for my life, the Lord had other plans and I’m so glad He did. This month I’m celebrating thirty years of marriage to my best friend and yes we married before most of my plans happened. I did get that convertible though. It was awesome. God made it beautiful in HIS time and plan. Well you would’ve thought I learned my lesson about God’s timing, but as life goes, once again our plan was not God’s. When it came to having children, what we thought would happen in our plan and time, turned into twelve years of waiting. Once again, while we had a plan, it was the Lord’s timing. He makes all things beautiful in HIS time. Do you believe He is doing that in your life? It can be difficult to see the beautiful in life when it doesn’t look the way you planned. Still, God makes it beautiful as we trust Him with our story, even the broken and unexpected and untimely pieces of it. Over the years, in my walk with the Lord and in my marriage, I’ve found that something beautiful and something good has many times been something totally unexpected. Seasons of hurt, seasons of waiting, seasons of loss or letting go have been the unexpected places God grew something beautiful. God is good. If you believe that, trust Him with the timing of your story. It will be something beautiful even if it’s not what you expected. Romans 8:28 ​​And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Throughout my life and marriage, God has been working all things for my good. He has my heart. In our marriage we follow His leading and while we do make many plans, we trust His will to be done and His kingdom to come, in our lives and through, our story. Afterall, He does make ALL things beautiful, in His time. That’s the truth. Trust God with your story, every part of it. He will work all the unexpected delays, detours and valleys for your good because He IS good and like a friend reminded me recently, my story has already been written. I’m Lori Cline.  

The passages we read during private devotional time can bring to mind worship songs.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Could there be one thing in your life that is blinding you from living in freedom? On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson host Brant Hansen as he goes deeper to talk about forgiveness, letting go of anger, and even coaching a flag football team. What's that 'one thing' you could be missing to make your life better?

Asking questions can be more motivating than declaring something as truth.   #mentalhealthminutelw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!

Feel criticized by your spouse? Defensive with friends? On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson host author Brant Hansen as he exposes 'righteous anger,' revealing one change for a better life.