Martin Luther wrote the following explanation for why we need the Holy Spirit… “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the…
I wonder how many of the thousands of people Jesus fed with the five loaves of bread and two fish realized they had been part of a miracle. Do you think they knew where the food came from or were they simply satisfied that their bellies had been filled? Were they following Jesus or the…
How would you like to become fearless? If you’re like me, with all the awful what-if possibilities in the world … living without fear of the future can feel impossible. I often think about the disciples and the times Scripture tells us they struggled with fear. John honestly shared one of those times in the…
What do you do when you need a miracle because you lack something you need? We’ve all had times when we lacked the resources necessary to get through our current circumstances; times when we’re physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually inadequate and our supply is insufficient. That may be why I’ve always loved reading the Biblical…
Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, the ones we typically refer to as the Law. But he also wrote about Jesus, the promised Messiah in them. If you’re a faithful visitor, You know I used to approach the Bible as an important book of rules I needed to know and obey to…
Jesus said… “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” John 5:24 What is eternal life and how does it transform today? When I taught…
How do you observe the Sabbath Day? God told Moses to write the following… “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. In six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the…
Would you like to get well? Are you feeling hopeless? Do you have a chronic health problem that has interfered with your life for as long as you can remember? Have you carried a mental burden that makes you want to crawl into a corner and stay there? Have you sought help from doctors and…
I’ll never forget the Sunday before Rev’s heart surgery in 2007. Pastor Greg invited everyone attending the service to come forward and lay their hands on Rev as he prepared to pray for Jesus to protect him through surgery and heal his heart. More than a hundred people approached the front, each placing their hands…
Do you love to tell your friends about a new business or product you’ve tried that enhanced and enriched your life? Maybe you’re a professional marketer or someone who can’t keep yourself from sharing wonderful news because you love helping people. But what about the person who avoids people? Imagine being someone who hates engaging…
Did you know the word worship is used 496 times in the NLT version of the Bible? What do you think, is worship important to God? I believe you and I were created to KNOW, LOVE, and yes, WORSHIP God. He spoke about it often because He wants us to understand its importance. The who,…
Have you ever avoided people because you don’t want to discuss the complete truth about your life? Are there details that shame you? Are you concerned that if people knew everything about you, they would ridicule and reject you? Welcome to the world of the Samaritan woman at the well who talked with Jesus! No,…
What do you think? Is it possible to be popular and humble? Ariana Grande was darling as Glinda in Wicked. I especially enjoyed her performance of the song Popular! The last line of the song always invites a smile… You’ll be popular –Just not as quite as popularAs me! Because it’s true, isn’t it? Those…
Can you relate to Nicodemus? He was a Pharisee who grew up in the faith and became a church leader who knew God’s Laws backward and forwards. Jesus often criticized Pharisees for being hypocrites who cared more about their authority and power than obeying and glorifying God from their hearts. But Nicodemus was different. He…
It’s hard for us to imagine Jesus being angry, isn’t it? We all prefer the message of Jesus the open and accepting friend who affirms everything about us. But that is not true about God’s Son and our Savior. Jesus loves us too much to let us follow our own foolishness by worshipping and glorifying…
Do you believe in miracles? Miracles are defined as… ♥ Events that appear inexplicable by the laws of nature and are believed to be supernatural in origin or an act of God. Something that causes wonder and astonishment, being extraordinary in itself and amazing or inexplicable by normal standards. So, do you believe in miracles?…
Have you ever wondered what inspired the disciples to follow Jesus’ invitation immediately? Have you thought about how their families and friends reacted? Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen, and Matthew was a tax collector. We don’t know about the professions of the others but we are told that they all left everything to…
Jesus said… “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 Jesus is the Light of the World who gives us hope and joy. Without light, we’re left living in the dark. Bleakness, despair, despondency, gloom, and misery are just…
What does knowing Jesus, the Word Made Flesh, have to do with self-sufficiency? I sometimes wonder if I would have been a follower of Jesus 2,000 years ago or if I would have aligned with the self-sufficient self-righteous Pharisees. John’s words challenge me and make me suspect the latter… He came into the very world…
Who is Jesus? A great teacher? A popular religious leader? A godly man? A prophet? A moral influencer? Mark began his book about Jesus like this… This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. Mark 1:1 Jesus the Messiah was promised, God ordained, and proclaimed by prophets to be the…
How often do you focus on the simple truth of God’s love in the Bible? It’s one of the reasons I write. I used to treat the Bible as a manual full of dos and don’ts until God showed me its truly transformative message. Because I love sharing His love in this space and want…
