The War on Christmas?
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16:20, esv). What are the top five songs of Christmas? Take a wild guess. (Warning: you may start humming to yourself.) Check out this popular ranking: “Chestnuts […]
Trust + Wait
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices (Psalm 37:3, 7, esv)! Rest is such an elusive thing. Our bodies […]
The Benefit of Getting Alone
And Jacob was left alone (Genesis 32:23, esv). Time alone is key in the life of a believer. Time alone allows for God to confront you. Let me illustrate. Say you have a friend who’s watching what he eats. Your friend asks you to hold him accountable for any food that goes into his mouth, […]
Experiencing the Holiness of God
WATCH Experiencing the Holiness of God | Isaiah 6 In Isaiah 6, God’s prophet Isaiah sees an astonishing vision of heaven and God’s magnificence. When Isaiah encounters the Lord, he cannot help but see his own sin and weakness – his faults fully exposed. It is no different for us today. In God’s presence, […]
Walking or Sinking?
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31, esv). It was a dark and stormy night—like the cliché opening of a novel. In this case, it fits. Between three and four o’clock in the morning, the disciples got […]
Everyday Joy Through Contentment
WATCH Everyday Joy Through Contentment | Philippians 4 The Apostle Paul was a follower of Jesus who suffered through imprisonment, hunger and persecution. Amazingly, despite those trials he declared, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” When we rejoice in what God has provided, we will not become overwhelmed by what we […]
The Secret
“When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6, esv). The secret to prayer is prayer in secret. Jewish tradition in Jesus’ day had reduced prayer down to a shadow of its […]
The One Constant
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers (1 Thessalonians 1:2, esv). Name one thing you “always” find yourself doing, something that’s “constantly” part of your day. How often would giving thanks be an honest answer to that? Perhaps you’d say you’re constantly talking on the telephone. […]
Soul Food
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts (Jeremiah 15:16, esv). It’s not enough to own a Bible. Or hold it. Or carry it. Or even respect it. You […]
How To Remember The Lord
WATCH How To Remember The Lord | Various Scriptures JMM · How To Remember The Lord