An Attitude of the Heart

Many people in Jesus’ day pursued him with some level of faith or curiosity. They sought to see for themselves what he was about. Some came for healing, others to hear his teaching, still others because of people like the Samaritan woman: So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said […]

Facing The Critics

When you step out and do something God has called you to do, expect the critics to follow close behind you. You may even run into people who will forcibly try to stop you from completing your task. Nehemiah models for us how to handle opposition to God’s plan. In Nehemiah 4, the remnant of […]

The Real BFF

I was walking along the beach the other day and I saw a heart etched in the sand with the letters BFF inside it. I looked down the beach and saw a couple walking hand in hand and wondered if one of them had scrawled the heart and BFF—“Best Friends Forever.” Then I noticed the […]

Heal Me Now, God

There are deep longings in our heart, things we want God to do for us. Yet we don’t always know how to approach our Lord, or even what to say. The leper in Matthew 8:1-4 shows us the importance of laying our burdens before Jesus. There are three things the leper does in making his […]

How Deep Are Your Roots of Faith?

It is one thing to hear and receive the Word of God, but another thing to let it transform you so that your life is fruitful for the Kingdom of God. Jesus talked about this in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:3-9 and verses 18-23. Out of the four instances where the seeds […]

But I’m Not Trained to do That!

We may feel unqualified to do what God calls us to do, but we are only basing that on how we feel about our abilities. Sometimes God asks us to do things we feel we don’t have the skills or experience to do. This requires us to lean on God and not our own understanding […]

Called to Act on God’s Provision

When God calls us to complete a task, he will provide all you need to complete that task. We may not see it at the moment he calls us to act, but he wants us to step out in faith and obedience, trusting Him to provide. In 1 Chronicles 28, David assembled all the officials […]

The Impact of Our Choices

What we do and say each day can have a profound impact on the people God has placed in our life. Our choice to believe in Jesus allows them to meet Him in a personal way. We can see this in Matthew’s decision to abandon his tax collector booth and follow Jesus (Matthew 9:9-13). After […]

Seeing God in the Joy and Sorrow

Without God, it’s hard to make sense of the world. If there is only randomness and no master plan, then it’s everyone for themselves as they see fit. We are merely surviving, completing work for purposes that do not last. As Solomon described it: “For the fate of the sons of men and the fate […]

Rising Above the Distractions in Life

There is something gnawing at you deep inside. It’s a feeling that doesn’t go away, a restlessness. You try to push it away with distractions, but it remains, continuing to prod you. You search for answers, but the crowd stops you from seeing clearly. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable […]