Posts from 2022 (Page 15)

Signed, Sealed, And Delivered Now it is God who establishes and confirms us [in joint fellowship] with you in Christ, and who has anointed us [empowering us with the gifts of the Spirit]; it is He who has also put His seal on us [that is, He has appropriated us and certified us as His] and has given us the [Holy] Spirit in our hearts as a pledge [like a security deposit to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise of…

Holding On To The Hand of God Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to honor and glory. Psalm 73:22-24 The psalmist Asaph was so angry he couldn’t see straight! He felt that he had been given a bum deal: Evil people were flourishing, but he had followed God…

A Friend of Sinners The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a man who is a glutton and a [heavy] wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews].’ Luke 7:34 Jesus never forgot the reason He came. After a few years of ministry, He could have closed ranks, gathered His followers, and lived a comfortable life as a respected rabbi, but He kept taking risks to reach out to sinners-and He…

Take A Really Good Look They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger. However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:6-7 The moment was full of equal parts drama and comedy. A woman had been…

The Law of Reciprocity The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. Proverbs 11:25 There are plenty of times when life confuses us, but God has orchestrated the world so that many things are amazingly predictable. The laws of nature include cycles of weather and rhythms of planting and harvest. In human relationships, too, we find easily identifiable principles at work. One of these is the law of reciprocity: People get back…

Having The Wisdom To Ask For Wisdom If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 Corporations hire consultants for any and all management needs, and executive coaches assist leaders to take steps forward in their personal lives and careers. In the business world, we readily recognize the need for outside assistance. We want feedback, we want the infusion of new…

Eternal Patience The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 When we read about Christ coming back to earth, the power and majesty of the scene boggles our minds. We envision Him on a cloud with trumpets blaring and believers, dead and alive, defying gravity to join Him in the air, we imagine Him…

Golden Rule What ever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12 Every major religion has its own version of the Golden Rule. Does this fact minimize its importance? Not at all. It shows that God has put it in the hearts of people everywhere to realize this foundational principle of life: yes we want to be treated with respect and love, we need to treat others…

God’s Will For Every Moment Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians5:16-18 Some of us are more emotional than others. We ride a roller coaster of highs and lows in our hopes and expectations. When we’re up, we’re on top of the world, but when we’re down, we’re a step away from being suicidal! Other people are more consistent and their emotional composition, but…

Where Much Is Given Jesus said, “To whom much is given from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more“ Luke 12:48 We can only speculate how Jesus’ statement about “much” sounded to the poor, dusty shepherds and farmers in his day and what it must sound like to people in parts of the world today who are barely surviving. Most of us are, by historic and current standards…