Our eternity rests on our response to God’s Son. He is the center of the universe. God’s Son is the center of His world. Each person’s eternal destiny rests on our reception or rejection of Jesus, God’s Son. That alone, nothing else. Not being a good person, not being better than someone else. Not living a sacrificial life. Not volunteer work. Not even dying as a martyr. Nothing else matters. Nothing! Receive or reject? Nothing else determines our future. Not…
Just the thought of being rewarded for some good I have done brings me a sense of anticipation. It encourages me to try harder. So does this lead me to a performance-based Christianity? Sometimes it seems that any good we might do is canceled out by our failures making our efforts seem fruitless. Our abilities Jesus wants to prevent those inevitable failures. Yes, they are inevitable because it is from our efforts. It is our resources. Flesh. If He is…
This is part one of a four part series this week. Short, quick thoughts each day on bearing fruit. John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. NKJV Did you know you have a calling from God? It is very simple, and yet impossible in our natural abilities. Contrary to what some Bible teachers and writers would tell you that God wants to fulfill your dreams, bless your plans…
This past Monday God gave me a special gift. It didn’t seem like it at first. It seemed like a big inconvenience. We lost power at about 6pm. Our supper meal, sweet potato and black bean chili, was staying warm in the crockpot and the cornbread had just finished baking. So all was good in that respect. There was no storm. No freezing rain coating the power lines. No strong winds to take down trees that would break power lines….
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. NKJV Do you have difficulty making time for devotions? Has it become a religious duty that you should do? Do you know He wants you to come and share with Him? It isn’t just a time of dutifully reading a little and saying your prayers. Oh no. It can be so much more. He wants it to be so much…
If we are one with Jesus, we can pray with Him. John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ESV Jesus tells us that “I am in My Father, and you on Me, and I in you” in John 14:20. As Jesus is in me and I in Him, one unit, we pray to the Father. Remember, Jesus ever lives to make intercession for…
Why does revival barely last one generation? Why don’t we reproduce sincere believers who carry this on? Who do we blame? What does it take to be a sincere believer, to remain that and to grow into maturity enough to reproduce like kind? Why does it die with the current generation? Have you thought about that? Could it be that “revival” isn’t real, transforming? Rather it is something to be enjoyed, but kept away from wounding our heart. Nothing is…
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Life has difficulties. Did you have a disagreement with your spouse? Are your children bickering? Your head begins to ache. If only life could be easier. What if we could see it as allowed by God as part of His refining process,…
Today I am just going to list some Bible references regarding loving God. As I was reading recently, a couple of these verses caught my attention. So I explored it further. I’ve heard some of these verses read… incompletely. Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ESV Matthew 22:37Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with…
I’d like to share with you a small book written over 300 years ago called Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. Have you heard of it? It was a series of conversations and letters written to encourage a friend or another believer. He lived from 1614-1691. In his very ordinary life as monk who worked in the kitchen, he learned the presence of God was always with him in a very real way. Here is a quote from…
