Elijah, the great prophet of the Lord in the apostate kingdom of Northern Israel, lay in a heap on the dusty ground. Not two days before he had worked a mighty miracle. At God’s will, he challenged horrible King Ahab and Queen Jezebel to a showdown: he represented the Lord God against nine hundred priests of the false gods Baal and Asherah, the pet gods of Ahab and Jezebel. The challenge? In front of thousands of people, each side would sacrifice a single bull on their respective altar. The worshipers would then call down fire from their god to burn up the sacrifice. The winner’s deity would claim the hearts…

“Activities and disciplines by swirl around us with such velocity that our feet barely touch solid ground.” (Jean Fleming) Is it possible for Christians who try to live Christlike lives in the midst of a whirlwind of activities, demands, and responsibilities? Is it possible to thrive in the whirlwind while developing deeper, secret, inner lives? Yes, absolutely it is. Frankly, experiencing peace instead of a tornado takes its own hard work. Ironic much? Not really. This world militates against keeping a quiet and peaceful spirit. Achieving it is a combination of the grace of God and our desire for grace, and our willingness to practice the peace that He promised.…