“They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, ‘My child, get up!’ Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.” Luke 8:53-55 (NIV) Jairus, the synagogue ruler, only had one daughter. She was twelve. […]
Category: Jesus
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Discover the Gate
“Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.’” John 10:7-9 (NIV) That path that ensures eternal life is […]
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Accept His Acceptance
“God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.” Acts 15:8 (NIV) Have you accepted God’s acceptance of you? That’s step number two in order to PACE yourself for the day. Remember, you start your day off by lifting your hands toward […]
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Mt. 11:28-30 (NIV) Jesus […]
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Ready to Live
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12 (NIV) Where do you go to find life? Are you waiting for life to […]
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Prepare for Action
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:13 (NIV) We are at war. As followers of Jesus Christ, we have to confront the reality of spiritual warfare. The kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness […]
“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out.” Luke 8:22 (NIV) God will get you to the other side. His plan for you is personal. God designed you with His purpose in mind. You are not an […]
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Gift of Life
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12 (NIV) Where do you go to find life? Are you waiting for life to […]
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.” Luke 4:1-2 (NIV) God has blessed us with an appetite for […]
“The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer […]
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Choose to Serve
“’The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.’“ John 12:25-26 (NIV) Why did you […]
“’I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.’“ John 12:24 (NIV) Are you dying to live? God has placed within you unlimited potential. God created you to share His love and to shine […]
“Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.’“ John 12:23 (NIV) Victory comes through surrender. Our culture teaches you to take control of your life. Be the best! Give it your all! Get all you can! Be happy! Win at all costs! Reality shows have glamorized the self-centered life. […]
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Beyond the External
“Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, ‘There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.’” Luke 13:14 (NIV) Legalism bypasses relationship. Instead of operating out of an abiding relationship with Christ, it is possible to embrace an […]
“He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.” Mark 8:31 (NIV) Rejection hurts. Have you been there? When you don’t feel that you […]
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Blessed to Bless
“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Matt 5:42 (NIV) As you study the life of Jesus, you will quickly discover that Jesus oriented His life around being a blessing. His entire earthly ministry was centered around benefiting others. Jesus willingly […]
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Go the Extra Mile
“If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Matt 5:41 (NIV) The Roman law in Jesus’ day gave a soldier the right to force a civilian to carry his equipment for a mile. It did not matter if the civilian had other plans or was going in the opposite direction. […]
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matt 5:38-39 (NIV) The religious leaders Jesus confronted during His earthly ministry had perverted the Mosaic Law. […]
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Fishing and Following
“Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’” Luke 5:10 (NIV) If you’re not fishing, you’re not following. Following Christ will result in faithfully and intentionally fishing for souls. When you follow your Rabbi, Jesus, you go where He goes and you do what He does. Jesus alleviated […]
“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.” Luke 5:8-10 (NIV) What produced […]
“Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’” Luke 5:5 (NIV) Do you remember those words you frequently heard as a child? You may have challenged something your parent said and then they responded emphatically with, “Because I said so!” […]
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’” Luke 5:4 (NIV) Jesus had been teaching the crowd from Simon’s boat. The water’s surface propelled the teachings of Jesus with clarity to the hearers. Simon was in the boat with Jesus and […]
“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.” Luke 19:5-6 (NIV) You have a choice. You can be a thermostat and set the environment or you can be a thermometer […]
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Build the Bridge
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matt 5:9 (NIV) While viewing a leadership talk delivered by pastor Andy Stanley, I was captivated by his statement, “In eternity past, God looked upon our sin-saturated planet and asked, ‘What can I do to help?’” That concept painted a vivid image in […]
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Positional and Practical Purity
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matt 5:8 (NIV) God’s standard of perfection is Christ. The purity of Christ is the bull’s-eye for the believer. To be pure in heart is to be right with God. You cannot have a right relationship with God without having a relationship with others. You […]
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Pushing Compassion into Action
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matt 5:7 (NIV) Have you ever been on the receiving end of the hurtful treatment rendered by an unmerciful person? It was not an enjoyable experience was it? Being unmerciful is a direct result of our fallen nature. However, Jesus ushered in a new way […]
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Hungering and Thirsting
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matt 5:6 (NIV) You were born with a hole in your heart that only God can fill. Once you respond in faith to the vertical tug of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, you become a new creation. Your earthly […]
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Contagious Christianity
“Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes […]
“When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’” John 11:43-44 (NIV) Are you living the life God […]
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Affirmation In Baptism
“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’” Luke 3:21-22 (NIV) Jesus […]