Author Archives: LJones

People always feel safer around someone they believe understands their circumstances.  This is why wise politicians strive to be transparent about their personal heartaches.  They know how easy it is to become detached from their constituents in the course of … Continue reading →

How Mourning Changes Others’ View of Us Sinners loved Jesus.  Well, at least the ones who were willing to admit they needed a healer loved Him.  So did those who were estranged from the religious community because they were suffering … Continue reading →

From last Monday:  Maybe you have a “pastor’s heart” too.  Has Satan ever tried to destroy you with a personal sin that had to be removed through a painful process of self-evaluation and conviction?  If so, then you understand how … Continue reading →

How Mourning Changes our View of Others In the Preaching Ministry people sometimes refer to a “pastor’s heart.”  Sometimes this term is merely a synonym for a “caring heart”, but it may also suggests a pastor has experienced the personal … Continue reading →

In the pathway to joy we must understand there is a distinct difference between the pain inflicted by Satan as he seeks to keep us in bondage and the discipline of the Lord as He leads us to freedom.  Satan … Continue reading →

If mourning holds such great promise in our lives, why does it frighten us?  Why is it hard for us to grieve openly, or to enter into a time of personal restoration?  Could it be, similar to our future resurrection, … Continue reading →

From Friday…But we must remember the beatitudes are not as much about our circumstances as they are about how we respond to them.  We can’t change the past, but we can forge a different future.  At this juncture the act … Continue reading →

The Pathway to Joy I once served in a little country church where it was common to “bless” those who were hurting, or failing.  If someone messed up they were more likely to hear, “Bless your heart, honey” than to … Continue reading →

In truth, God will accomplish His ends regardless of whether or not we choose to follow Him.  This is why Jesus didn’t say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they will help God succeed.”  Instead, He promised us a … Continue reading →

We see, however, that while Jonah found obedience in the belly of the fish, he was hardly poor in spirit.  Obedience is a sign of spiritual life, but it is possible to have one and not the other.  In the … Continue reading →