Lessons from Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus A reoccurring statement in the Bible is “Here I am.” This was often said to God when he calls out or speaks to one of his children. Abraham, Jacob, and Moses were all expectantly ready to listen to God.We need to do the same. Later Jesus said, “Here […]
Money: How Much is Enough? How much money is enough when you give to charity? When considering gifts to God, that is a difficult question to answer. This is because God’s economy functions differently than ours. This is aptly illustrated in the following story: Jesus notices the rich people giving gifts to the temple treasury. […]
As followers of Jesus, we are encouraged to be generous and giving. Hospitality is part of that. Sometimes when we show kindness to others, we will never know the affect of our actions. As an encouragement in being generous and giving, Paul writes, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people […]
Fast for the Right Reasons In the Bible, Jesus tells his followers to fast. It is not optional. He doesn’t say, “If you do it…,” but rather, “When you fast…” Jesus’ teaching applies to us too. Fasting is intentionally going without something in order to better connect with God, such as to focus on prayer […]
Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus! What is Christmas to you? What thoughts first come to mind? What happy memories does this season do you recall? To some people this special holiday means: You surely related to some things on this list, perhaps all of them. But what is Christmas to you? What does it […]
The news has been bad lately—and there is seemingly little hope in sight. The global economy is bad, there is a credit crisis, the US automotive industry is in trouble, unemployment is increasing, many of those with jobs are concerned, and a turnaround seems a long ways off. But in the big picture, this has […]
The Allure of Mystery There are things about God, Jesus, and salvation that the Bible simply describes as “mystery,” that is, hidden truth or a mystic secret. This drives some people crazy. They want to understand all and be able to fully explain everything. Anything less causes frustration and angst. For me, I relish the realization […]
Discover Why Paul Says This In his letter to the Philippians, Paul tells readers to follow his example and to the Corinthians he writes, “imitate me” (Philippians 3:17 and 1 Corinthians 4:16). This strikes me as bold and audacious, arrogant and presumptuous. This seemingly brash statement, however, is illuminated when he later instructs readers to […]
Are Grace and Mercy the Same Thing? Are grace and mercy the same thing? That might seem so, since they are both good things that God gives us. However, in some respects they are opposites. Consider these simple definitions: Grace is getting what you don’t deserve. Mercy is not getting what you do deserve. For […]
How Does Salvation “Work”? In one Paul’s letters, he says something that is quite curious and strange. He tells readers to “work out your salvation” (Philippians 2:12). Ugh? Didn’t Paul also write that we are saved through faith and not by our “works” (that is, not of our own doing or striving)? (Ephesians 2:8-9). So, […]