“The kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power” (1 Cor. 4:20). I have been thinking a lot lately about signs and wonders, and how they were a regular part of the life of the early church. Should we expect the same types of things to happen as a regular occurrence in …
Author Archives: michelledowdybytheway
Your Strong Tower
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). There is great importance in a name. Especially in Bible times, a name was an indication of who you were, your reputation, and your character. So in this verse, God’s name is meant to represent everything …
Just Stand
I was reminded recently of the Old Testament story of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, in second Chronicles 2. He was described as someone who sought God, and who “did not seek after the Baals.” Chapter 17 says “The Lord established the kingdom in his hand.” Jehoshaphat had “great riches and honor.” At one point he …
Who Am I?
Imposter Syndrome – have you heard of it? It’s the feeling someone gets that they are not really qualified to be in a certain position or speak to a certain situation, even though they do in fact have the qualifications. I remember having this feeling as a new occupational therapist just starting out. I had …
There Is Jesus
In Matthew 25, Jesus gives us a picture of him separating people as a Shepherd would separate sheep from goats. The “sheep,” who saw the hurting and met their needs, will inherit the kingdom prepared for them before the foundation of the world. The “goats,” who did not care for those around them, will be separated …
Pick It Up
Pick It Up The paralyzed man’s friends wanted to get him in the Presence of Jesus, but there was no room in the house where He was teaching. So what did they do? They formulated a plan. This plan had a little “redneck” in it, and I can only imagine the conversation and ingenuity that …
A Moment
We sing a song called “Here I Am,” and one of the lines is, “A moment in Your presence can change my whole direction.” Everything can change in a moment. Any number of decisions made in a moment can have lasting effects. But what about a moment when God meets you? When He turns it …
The Manna Didn’t Keep
Remember how, in the wilderness, when God sent the Israelites manna, they were told to only collect enough for that day? He said he was about to “rain bread from heaven” for them (Exodus 16:4). Each was to bring in enough for their family, so some had more, some less, but everyone had a day’s …
How Does Your Church Grow?
How is your church going, or rather, growing? Human growth and development can be a metaphor for so many things. The formation of an embryo is not unlike church growth. It starts out with a few cells. Those cells begin to differentiate and form organs with different functions – the heart, the brain, the liver, …
Slow Miracles
We recently rearranged the furniture in our living room. We had the television placed above the fireplace and now our comfortable recliners that Mark and I love to sit in to relax at the end of the day, are oriented in that direction. Two large windows on either side of the mantel look out on …
