Burned-Out On Religion?
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) *** *** *** *** Jesus might have asked: “Aren’t you tired and burned-out on all that religious stuff? Look, come walk with me, and I’ll help you recover your life – your real purpose – and even though …
Love Is Fruit, Not Root
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love other believers.” 1 John 3:14 (GWT) *** *** *** *** Our love for others is the fruit, not the root, of our relationship with God. The Apostle John taught that our love for others emerges from our relationship with God, that anyone who is born of God and knows God will love with the love of God. (1 John 4:7, NLT) In a sense, you could say the process of sanctification – the movement toward becoming like Jesus – involves the Eternal One’s love …
Neighborly Compassion
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” Luke 10:25-28 (NLT) *** *** *** *** If you had to boil all of the commandments of God …
Lavish Compassion
“So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (HCSB) *** *** *** *** Being a prodigal means you’re wastefully extravagant. Look up the word in the dictionary and you’re likely to see a picture of the prodigal son sitting in the mud sharing a meal with pigs – the four-legged kind. He’s dining with swine because he’s blown through his entire inheritance and only has some …
When Does God Nap? (Hope for the man whose faith is weak)
Mark 9:14-29 tells the story of a boy with an evil spirit. His father brings him before Jesus, hoping that there may be deliverance from this awful affliction which has been torturing his son so long. Jesus tells the man, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:23b, NIV) His response is a very human one: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (verse 24b) I identify with the flawed faith of this desperate man. There are a thousand reasons (rational and irrational) why I believe; still, I sometimes wonder if everything I believe is, in fact, the …
In Pursuit Of Fairness
“The Lord is merciful and gracious; he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.” Psalm 103:8 (NLT) *** *** *** *** My kids are obsessed with fairness. They argue over who gets the biggest piece, who gets to play the computer game longest, who gets to sit next to the window. I suspect your children or the children you know are the same way. One night during dinner, my kids were arguing over who would get the last slice of pizza and out popped the oft repeated phrase, “That’s not fair!” Okay, it had …
Positive & Encouraging
Looking for some positive input into your life? I have two sources to help you out. KLove During these days of political confusion, and economic strife it’s hard to find peace at home. KLove helps keeps my general outlook on life positive. If you’re in Chicago give it a try for an hour and see if you’re affected the same way. You can find KLove at FM 94.3. If you’re outside of Chicago you can listen online at KLove.com or click here for a station listing in your area. Gospel Music Channel I found a cool new resource on direcTV …
The Captivity Of Discontent
“I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret [of being content]—whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.” Philippians 4:11–12 (HCSB) *** *** *** The Apostle Paul, who was blessed with great privileges – but also beaten and stripped of everything he had – taught that true contentment must be learned: “I know what it is to be in need, …
march sadness … an empty possession
“March Madness” is always a fun time of the year for me. Although I played high school and college basketball … and coached for 25 years … I was not as good as I’d like people to think I was. Anyway, while watching a game on TV today I heard a commentator say these words … “sadly another empty possession has cost them a victory“. From an eternal prospective that is exactly what Easter Sunday is all about. Jesus came in love, lived a sinless life, died in my place, and was raised from the grave so that I might …
Leaving To Go Home
Simon Peter answered, “Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God!” John 6:68–69 (HCSB) *** *** *** *** Jesus fed the 5,000, and then Jesus walked on water. He showed the disciples that, with a mustard-seed faith, they too could step onto, and not into, the water, like Peter taking baby steps toward Jesus. But then Jesus said he was the Bread of Life – that his ministry wasn’t about giving the faithful a free lunch, all the …
