The sweetest word ever spoken by Jesus may very well be the word, "Come." In this brief video, we will: 1) look at the invitation given by Jesus to come to Him 2) consider the effect that coming to Jesus has on the believer, causing us to "become" more like Him3) remember that we are to live in a "becoming" way, in order that we might extend His invitation to those around us View Video
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13) The writer of the book of Hebrews described the hope we have in God - who does not change, does not lie, and who keeps His Word - as an anchor. He wrote, “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” (Hebrews 6:19) Don’t...
When the psalmist asked, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (Psalm 43:5), he was describing an inner commotion, possibly even an uproar of heart and mind, a turbulence experienced within one’s soul. Such a disquieting within, such noise in one’s inner being would surely lead the psalmist to declare “there is no hope,” wouldn’t it? Quite the contrary! In fact, the...
“...what is that to you? You follow Me.”These are the final words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John; words spoken to Peter after he asked, “Lord, what about him?” (Read John 21 for the full picture.) And they are words that we would do well to remember when we ourselves wonder, “What about what he did?” or “What about what she said?” or “What is that person going to do?”When times of...
Like so many, we remember this day 20 years ago. We grieve for those who lost loved ones and with those whose lives were forever changed. We also remember our own stories and experiences, and while there’s not much to add to the beautiful tributes, heartfelt sentiments, and encouraging Scriptures that are shared on this day, there is one moment I would like to share, as it has so...
“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”This was David’s concluding exhortation, as expressed in the last verse of Psalm 31. How could he so confidently say this, while dealing with his own adversities? Because of what he reminded himself of previously in the psalm. You see, David declared: “You are my rock and my fortress…” “…You are a faithful God.” “I trust in the Lord.” “I...
Three simple questions for us to ask, as David did, that will settle our hearts and give us proper perspective as it relates to God, other believers, and ourselves, whether we are facing difficult situations, difficult people, or deceptive lies. 1) "Who is like you, Lord?" (Psalm 35:10)2) "Who is like your people?" (2 Samuel 7:23)3) "Who am I?" (2 Samuel 7:18)In Psalm 35, David was surrounded...
We stood there together, the elderly man and I, watching the sun slowly fade upon another day. We had just met, yet within minutes, “connected” over our adorable dogs, our appreciation of correct grammar, and most of all, our admiration of sunsets. As we gushed over the beauty before us, the shared sentiment that there’s just “something” about sunsets, and the agreement that sunsets...
Have you ever tried to find your way through a dark room? What happened? Did you bump into a piece of furniture, despite it always having been there? Did you extend your hands out in front of you in order to cautiously feel your way around? It truly is impossible to see in the dark. Jesus Himself said, “Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.” Of course - He was not...
Cooler weather. Cozy sweaters. Fall decor. Pumpkin spice - I LOVE September and the onset of fall. I also love getting back into a routine - the pulling out of schoolbooks, sharpening of pencils, setting up of school desks. But with the onset of routine can come the drudgery of the mundane. The sharpened pencils become dull. The school desks become messy. And so begins a cycle of...