Jesus — God’s Gift to Us

“Everything that the Father gives to me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away...”    (John 6:37) We say Jesus is God’s gift to us, and He is. Today’s passage, however, doesn’t say that. Instead, today’s words make this astounding claim: We are God’s gift to Jesus. …

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A Good Day For Us

'In all this, I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’   (Acts 20:35) Mr. Mac cut grass, raked leaves, and worked on my grandmother’s many flower gardens when …

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Our Relationship With God

“Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”    (Lk. 17:9-10) Whatever happened to casting our burden upon the Lord? To the Lord knowing …

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Jesus Came to Help, Bless, and Serve

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited…”   (Phil. 2:5-6) Exploitation is a dirty word because it’s ugly and heinous for one person to use another, one race to put down …

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Fill Your Heart With Good Cheer

“A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.” (Pro. 17:22) In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, I was asked to become the Interim Director of a department at work. The previous director had been removed for misbehaving and bullying the staff, and I was installed to put the …

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The Grace of Jesus

“And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’”    (Rev. 21:5) A friend, during a recent conversation, said she had just taken a DNA test. When I asked if she had learned anything interesting about her background, her eyes got real big, and she said, “Yes, …

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Jesus can Lift Up, Heal and Mend Us

“When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’”    (Jn. 1:38) When Jesus noticed that some people were following him, He turned around and asked, “What are you looking for?” Did they answer? No. …

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The Presence of Jesus In Us

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb.” (Lk. 1:41) “… it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20) The joy that Elizabeth and Mary shared in today’s first scripture could only have happened with God. Elizabeth was considered too old to become …

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Living Into God’s Purpose For Your Life

“Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.”    (Matthew 5:37) If we’re going to have a meaningful life, we must learn how and when to clearly say yes and how and when to clearly say no. So many people find it difficult to be …

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The Lord God is Always With You

“I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.”    (Josh. 1:9) Once I was asked to give a graduation address to some men who, after leaving prison, had joined an intensive program to change their lives. Before giving …

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