“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 …
Tag: comforter
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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
Belonging to the Lord Jesus
“‘In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.’ Jesus answered them, ‘You are wrong because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.’” …
Godly Grief Leads to Life
“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death.” (2 Cor. 7:10) I’ve made many mistakes. Some of my mistakes were fairly harmless, but some led to huge losses. Some were just dumb, but some were willful. Some caused great pain to others, and …
The Realness of Our Faith
“If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?” (James 2:15-16) I was visiting with a group who had come to …
Faith In Jesus
“They said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’” (John 6:28-29) The crowd wanted to know what “works” they needed to do to get right with God. Instead of giving them …
Receiving the Grace of Jesus
“Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3) The Christian life is about giving our time, support, service, and love. Many pieces of scripture encourage us to give. Even though all …