“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-20 As we read the Gospels, we realize that not everyone that Jesus encountered in His ministry made the right choices. Today we will look at the story recorded in Luke 18:18-25. This young man somehow felt that Jesus had something he longed to…
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10 This Scripture needs no explanation. It is the reason that Jesus came to earth, took upon Himself the form of man, and eventually gave His life to fulfill this purpose. His ministry on earth only lasted for three and a half years but influenced everyone He met during that time. This month I have been reading Luke’s Gospel which records the stories of people that He ministered to. It is interesting to note the different methods He used in His ministry. Sometimes He spoke to crowds and healed all the sick who came to Him. This week I would like to look at individuals with whom He came in contact, knowing what their special needs were and meeting them on their level. In this chapter in Luke, we read the story of Zaccheus. Many people lived in Jericho, but Jesus did not stop there, just passed through. However, one man was determined to see this teacher that he had heard about. The crowd with Jesus was large and being a short man he was unable to get close, so he found a…
Proverbs 16:31 states, “Grey hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” I remember the first time I saw a grey hair on my head. I was in my 20’s—so, I was a little dramatic and I totally freaked out. I felt like I had aged 40 years in a single moment. Why did I feel this way? I think that there is a certain stigma in North America that grey hair is degrading, but that is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that grey hair is an honor. As a child, my mom taught me to respect my elders. When we took the bus to piano lessons, I would always give my seat up to anyone who was my elder. If I was riding in a car with an elder, I always gave them the front seat. So, when I became a youth pastor in Michigan, I taught my students to respect and honor the elders of the church, and they learned to open their doors, carry their things, and would put them in front of the line at the church Potluck. Now that I have a daughter and son of my…
1 Peter 5:6-7, Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Stress. Just the word alone has connotations that evoke a sense of worry. Many of us, especially if you’re a woman, like to be in control. For instance, if someone is creating havoc in our life, then “they need to change.” Without ill intentions, we may begin to manipulate a situation—we think, “If I’m nice to that person who is causing me stress, maybe they won’t be critical of me anymore.”…
Proverbs 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths” Colossians 4:6: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt Countless scriptures are charging us to speak life, and yet, we have a hard time doing that sometimes, especially when we talk to ourselves, or about ourselves. There have been times when I think my best days have already happened. Have you ever felt like that? I thought my life was over when I turned 30 because I was not married. And, to be honest, I felt that way because of the projection of other people’s expectations of my life. I was well-traveled, educated, and had strong, life-long friendships… but that didn’t matter to anyone because I was single. I was constantly sticking up for myself, explaining myself, and trying to get others to understand I wasn’t miserable, but patiently waiting on God. But, none of what I thought mattered much in other people’s eyes. And, that is the problem with other people’s opinions, they try to take your life into their own hands. It wasn’t until I met with the Lord in prayer, and…
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13, KJV. We misquote the above scripture when we say, “God won’t give us more than we can bear,” because this verse says that God will not tempt you above what you can bear. There is a big difference between those two statements. Maybe you have survived a circumstance that was more than you felt like you could withstand, but here you are, enduring and becoming victorious. A few years ago I had a friend visiting from Chicago. It was wonderful to catch up and relax. We drank coffee outside at a little Bistro in D.C and enjoyed a zephyr that carried a hint of autumn. I crave deep conversations with people, and this day was filled with meaningful connections. The subject of me writing a book came up and my husband was encouraging me (yet again) to write. So, my friend, posed the question, “Why haven’t you written…