Jesus’ Love and Grace

“He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.” (Jn. 6:71) There are few feelings more painful than being betrayed. It feels like your heart has been ripped out of your chest and then stomped on. The closer the relationship, the deeper the …

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Jesus Rules with Joy and Freedom

“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’”    (Jn. 18:36-37) Pilate had every …

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Jesus is Always With You

“Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”    (Jn. 20:8-9) Although I believe Jesus was raised from the dead, I don’t always live into the implications of what I …

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Belonging to Jesus

“Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own…”    (Jn. 13:1) Of course, Jesus loved “his own.” His “own” were the first 12 disciples. He loved them because they had steadfastly followed Him for three …

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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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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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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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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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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.’”    …

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