Imprisoned to Redeem
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, Grace can have a strong touch of redemptive irony! As you read in the verses below about Paul and Silas being thrown into jail, notice some of these touches of irony: By divine intervention, the prisoners’ chains are unlocked, and their cell doors opened but they remain in their cells, […]
Humbly Yield Control
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, Yesterday I talked to you about letting the Spirit lead the dance of your life. Today, I want you to notice what happens when a person takes the lead of his or her own life. This is what happens when a person’s “constant pursuit of gratification” and continual “focus on […]
The Importance of Affirmation!
Note from Jesus Dear Child of the Father, While Paul was in Corinth, he waited anxiously to hear how the new believers in Thessalonica were doing. The Thessalonians had made a huge change when they became Christians, as he wrote to them: [Y]ou turned toward God and realigned your life to serve the one true […]
Prayer and Mission
So if they didn’t and couldn’t, how dare we? If you want to discover your congregation’s God-given purpose, there can be no starting point other than prayer. If that’s not immediately apparent, a cursory glance at the book of Acts should make it clear! Acts begins with a group of disciples who had received the […]
Let’s Go Somewhere Else
Why would Jesus leave someone behind? When they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else …” (Mark 1:37-38 TNIV). Following Jesus and ministering in his name fills life with hard choices. I faced some of those tough choices this past Friday. These hard choices led me […]
Flying High with Freedom!
We have been set free, so let’s not give up our freedom? Freedom has always been purchased at a high cost. For years, I listened to a dear friend and Elder share his experiences of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge during the July 4th holiday. He spoke of the terror. He reminded us […]
Your Life in God’s Mission
Can you visualize your workplace as your mission? For the sake of argument, let me assume that you have a career path. It may have been challenged of late, and you may be functioning outside your sweet spot. But there is something for which you see yourself best suited. You hope that career will make […]
What is CORE: Finishing
I remain convicted that these passages give us the CORE of what we must believe and practice as Jesus’ disciples. Sometimes, I make things more complicated than they need to be to make sure I haven’t missed something important. That might work when you visit your future mother-in-law for the first time, and you eat […]
It’s All About People!
Through the years and all the changes, one thing remains true about the heart of God. First Words: The life of Jesus revolved around people. He always made time for people, even when he was so tired that he desperately needed to get away to a quiet place for rest. When the human inclination was […]
Pentecost!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, A new era began after My resurrection. On the day of Pentecost, I poured out the Holy Spirit first on My closest disciples. Then I poured out the Holy Spirit upon all those who responded to their message (Acts 2:38-39; Titus 3:3-5). The pouring out of the Spirit upon My […]