“A dispute also arose among them [the disciples], as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” (Luke 22:24, ESV) Ambition. Egos. Competition. Power. Pride. It happens. We’ve seen it, but we would hardly expect to find it among the Lord’s disciples, those closest to Him. Yet,…
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17, NKJV) Who doesn’t like to receive gifts? I sure do. It’s fun to be remembered on special occasions—or no…
“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18, ESV) “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” (Proverbs 16:24, ESV) The two proverbs above give a sharp contrast in how our…
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38 ESV) When the multitudes gathered and Jesus began to teach, He spoke of things that related to…
There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a…
“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26, NKJV) Friends are a funny thing. No two are alike. I have my book-loving friends. We share titles of books and names of authors we enjoy. My food-loving friends and I…
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.…
“Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those he wanted, and they came to him.” (Mark 3:13, CSB) What is it about a mountain that pulls people to reach its summit? The difficulty of the ascent doesn’t matter; they feel a compulsion to reach where others dare not tread. Mount…
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17, ESV) You may think a year is 365 days long,…