THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 144 “Praise to the Lord… who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” (Psalm 144:1) David lived in violent times…people were always attacking each other. Does God really prepare us for battle? Not in the cruel, violent, unjust sense, but as defenders of peace and justice… Yes! Think of a…
Spirit-led instincts!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Jude 1 “Who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.” (Jude 1:19) Jude is describing church people who really do not know Jesus. They belong to the church fellowship, but they do not reflect Jesus. He points to their divisive, immoral and selfish behaviors as evidence. But what catches my…
Faith works!
THE STORY OF JESUS: James 1-5 “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:17) There is no such thing as true faith that does not work itself out in love. If I say I believe in the love of Jesus but don’t show it, do I really believe in Him? Faith…
A clear sense of purpose!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 20:13-24 “To finish the race and to complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.” (Acts 20:24) Paul has a very clear sense of calling and purpose. This is his mission statement: “testifing to the good news of God’s grace!” (Acts 20:24) Can you express your sense of calling and purpose in…
A Eutychus moment!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 20:7-12 “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread.” (Acts 20:7) The first Jesus followers made it their regular practice to meet on Sundays. It was an obvious day to meet, since it was Jesus’s resurrection day. This was not a matter of the law, but a…
Be an encourager!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 20:1-6 “He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people.” (Acts 20:2) In a sense, this is the mission we all share as Jesus followers. To speak words of encouragement to the people we meet. Our job is not to be liked, or to be funny, or to…
Relax, stay calm!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 19:32-41 “Since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash.” (Acts 19:36) I like the reasoning of this non Jesus follower, we can learn from him. What do we do when our professor is mocking religious beliefs? What do we do when one of our children…
Led by His Spirit
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 143 “So my spirit grows faint within me.” (Psalm 143:4) With all that is going on in David’s life, his inner spirit is failing. He is desperate, weak, overwhelmed, dismayed… yet not defeated! He still knows where to find the strength, wisdom and direction he needs. “May your good Spirit lead me…
Trusting God to be there!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Hebrews 12-13 “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.” (Hebrews 12:7) The recipients of this letter were facing increasing persecution. The author challenges them to change the way they think about this hardship. Think of it as God’s discipline, His pruning and perfecting of our faith. Can I think…
Seeing and seeking the Jesus dream!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Hebrews 11 “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) As a Jesus follower, I see in Him a vision of our ideal future. How He related to God, to people, and to world… this is how we were meant to be. This…