“‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.’” John 14:1 (ESV) God designed you for eternity. Everybody will live somewhere forever. As Bruce Wilkinson says, “Your beliefs determine where you will spend eternity; your behavior determines how you will spend eternity.” When you choose to live the life God has […]
“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24 (ESV) When I read this passage it reminds me of my […]
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And […]
“‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.’” John 3:16 (ESV) According to current statistics, there are approximately 7,105 living languages. There are more than 9,700 ethnic identities or people groups. With over 7.2 billion people on the planet, […]
“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” Jonah 3:10 (ESV) God blesses your obedience. God gave Jonah a second chance. In response, Jonah obeyed God and went to the […]
“And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.” Jonah 2:10 (ESV) Where would you be if God were not the God of second chances? You would be without hope and without a future. God will not only pursue you with His redeeming love, but He also gives […]
“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish.” Jonah 2:1 (ESV) If you spent three days and three nights inside a great fish that God provided, you would probably place that in the category of a life changing experience. Your entire life would be marked by that one experience with God. […]
“But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.” Jonah 1:4 (ESV) God gives you the freedom to choose to obey His will or to reject His will. You can run from God or you can run […]
“But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.” Jonah 1:3 (ESV) Our natural proclivity is […]
“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food.” Hebrews 5:11-12 (ESV) How […]
“And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” Acts 2:44-45 (ESV) The moment you became of follower of Jesus Christ, you received the imputed righteousness of Christ, you received the forgiveness of your […]
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42 (ESV) God formed you for fellowship. In the language of the New Testament, the word fellowship means communion, communication, partnership, or intimacy. Just as God called you into salvation, He also calls you into […]
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4 (ESV) God accomplishes the extraordinary through ordinary people just like you. He gives you everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Fulfilling God’s purposes requires God’s power. You […]
“‘And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’” Luke 24:49 (ESV) Just before ascending to heaven, Jesus instructed the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they received what His Father had promised. Jesus affirmed that they would […]
“But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.’” Matthew 28:5-6 (ESV) Are you looking for Jesus? He has risen! Death has been conquered. Sin […]
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 (ESV) Jesus understands your trials from without and your struggles from within. In our contemporary vernacular: Jesus has been there and done […]
“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:30 (ESV) Jesus died so we could live. Our destiny was destruction. Our identity was diluted by sin. Our iniquity was placed upon Jesus (Isa. 53:6). Jesus became sin for us so […]
“And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” Mark 15:39 (ESV) What was it about the final hours of Jesus’ life that made an eternal impact on the centurion who approved of the crucifixion of Jesus? […]
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29 (ESV) We take comfort in knowing that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). […]
“So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” Ephesians 4:14-15 (ESV) Your stability is linked to […]
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV) Where do […]
“And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” Luke 23:43 (ESV) The thief on the cross received the greatest gift of all, the gift of eternal life. In our vernacular, we would say that he was in the ninth inning with two outs and a full count. […]
“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.’” Luke 14:25-26 (ESV) Idolatry is a word we seldom use. Whenever you […]
“Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk.’ And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.’” John […]
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) God never intended for you to live the Christian life in your own strength. Joining God in His activity requires His divine energy and strength. Navigating the […]
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) God never intended for you to live the Christian life in your own strength. Joining God in His activity requires His divine energy and strength. Navigating the […]
“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.” Psalm 42:1 (ESV) Are you growing in your daily intimacy with God? It takes time to develop intimacy. Your private worship is vital to having an ongoing vibrant love relationship with Christ. You may say that you just don’t have enough […]
“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.” Psalm 42:1 (ESV) Are you growing in your daily intimacy with God? It takes time to develop intimacy. Your private worship is vital to having an ongoing vibrant love relationship with Christ. You may say that you just don’t have enough […]
“‘Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.’” John 12:25-26 (ESV) Why did you wake up this morning? What are you giving your life […]
“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’” John 12:24 (ESV) Are you dying to live? God has placed within you unlimited potential. God created you to share His love and to shine His light. Your […]