His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises (2 Peter 1:3–4a, esv). Precious is not a kindergarten word. When five-year-olds get […]
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:1-3) […]
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength (Isaiah 40:28–29, esv). It’s hard enough […]
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you (1 Peter 4:14, ESV). When life is hard and you’re in pain, you need to ask yourself a revealing question: “Am I suffering in a trial, or is my pain a consequence […]
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need (Acts 2:44–45, ESV). One characteristic of God’s family is an inherent willingness to give. The believers in the early church “had all things in common” (Acts […]
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins (James 5:19–20, esv). “Anyone,” meet “someone.” The beauty of this passage from James 5 is […]
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17, esv). […]
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love (John 15:10, esv). In any great endeavor, there comes that point—after all the planning, all the build-up, all the cheerleading and dream-casting—when it’s just time to get to work. Time to […]
His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. (John 12:16, esv). We can all attest to the 20/20 nature of hindsight; that moment of looking back on a complicated, confusing situation and […]
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet (Mark 5:21–22, esv). We have so many reasons not to pray. […]