“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NKJV) It was a mixed crowd that gathered that day. In fact, the crowd may have been larger than any previous such event had drawn. This was no family picnic or social gathering. The scene unfolding before them was ugly, gruesome. It was a crucifixion. Simon, a Cyrenian, had been compelled by Roman soldiers to carry the crosspiece of a cross for one of those about to be crucified. Had he heard of this Man now heading to His…
“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” (Proverbs 11:3, ESV) I recently came across a small notebook in a drawer with Bible study and sermon notes from several years ago. Some are dated and include the speaker’s name while others do not show either. Reading through the notebook, I found a statement from the Bible study that caused me to stop and reflect. It said, “Our sermon is not in a [church] building. Our sermon is lived out each day in our lives—without words.” I wish I had written down the speaker’s name so I could give credit for this nugget of truth. In other words, our greatest witness does not come from the words we speak but from the life we live before others. They observe our behaviors, attitudes, and values and judge us accordingly. The choices we make in life reveal our true character to others. At one time, a man’s word and a handshake were all that was needed to complete a business deal. If someone had the reputation of being a person of integrity and character—someone honest, reliable, and trustworthy—his word was enough. I doubt that many transactions…
“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:42, ESV) Recently, my sleep was interrupted by a single beep. Then long seconds of silence. Did I really hear something? Beep. More silence. Finally, I forced myself out of bed to find the source of the annoying beep. I suspected a dead battery in either the smoke alarm or the carbon monoxide detector. I knew I was safe, but I needed to take care of the alarm. The next time, it might signal a real emergency. We are surrounded by a variety of warning alerts. One day every month the emergency warning sirens in my area are tested. I know the day and time of the test, so I do not panic when it promptly goes off at 11 A.M. on the set day. But recently that same siren went off in the early evening. This was no test; a severe storm was upon us. I went to my safe place until the storm passed. We pay attention to fire alarms, severe weather warnings, alarms in our home, and alarms on our autos that warn us if we get too close to other…
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:2-4, ESV) Jesus loved children, and children loved Him as well. It was a familiar sight to see them gather as close to Him as possible. This was sometimes to the dismay of the disciples who tried to keep them away. But not the Lord. He told the disciples, “Let…
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. (Exodus 13:17-18, ESV) Having a GPS on my cellphone is so helpful. I am seriously directionally challenged. I’m not sure how I navigated from Point A to Point B in my pre-cellphone days. A GPS, or global positioning system, can really help us find the best route to a destination. There are usually several ways to reach any one location. Some routes are shorter, but road conditions may not be ideal. Another route may be longer but have less stoplights. Some highways become more congested during certain hours of the day. Sometimes the shortest route just isn’t the best choice because of various factors. the long road The children of Israel faced such a situation. Pharaoh had finally released them to leave Egypt, but God directed Moses to…
“That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.” Ephesians 2:19-22 MSG One word I often use to describe my life before Christ is “lost.” I didn’t understand what I felt during those years, but now that I look back, I was adrift and felt invisible. I am so thankful that I have found my home in God. I was welcomed in with open, loving, and forgiving arms, and because of that, I’ll never be the same. I have discovered purpose and I live life much more intentionally now that I understand that…