“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?’ And I replied, ‘I see a branch from an almond tree.’ And the Lord said, ‘That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all My plans.’” (Jeremiah 1:11-12 NLT) In the opening verses of Jeremiah’s writings,Continue reading “God’s Word”
Monthly Archives: April 2024
The Cost of Following Jesus
“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not fromContinue reading “The Cost of Following Jesus”
What Causes Your Joy to Grow?
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” (Matthew 13:44 NLT) Every morning, I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ who live in the shadowsContinue reading “What Causes Your Joy to Grow?”
One Upmanship Is Never Appropriate for a Jesus Follower
“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.” (Mark 9:42 NLT) We too often race through verses like the one above believing they have no applicationContinue reading “One Upmanship Is Never Appropriate for a Jesus Follower”
Forgetting Who the Real Enemy Is
“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are My followers. And many will turn away from Me and betray and hate each other.” (Matthew 24:10 NLT) In Matthew 24 Jesus is outlining the things that will happen in the last days before His return.Continue reading “Forgetting Who the Real Enemy Is”
Fresh Faith
Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.” (James 3:11-12 NLT) One of our greatest challenges as a Jesus follower is to keep our faith fresh, freeContinue reading “Fresh Faith”
A Final End
“So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.” (2 Peter 2:9 NLT) Are there days you think will never end? How about seasons of suffering, heartache, or temptation? How about the seeming endless prayers for lostContinue reading “A Final End”
When Jealousy Isn’t Negative
“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about His relationship with you.” (Exodus 34:14 NLT) Jealousy can be a very destructive emotion in any relationship, even with God, but it helps to see it in context. The jealousy that God has forContinue reading “When Jealousy Isn’t Negative”
Does Obedience Lead to Comfort?
“Even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8 NLT) My mind is being stretched as I consider the question above. My initial thought was Jesus on the Cross. His obedience led Him to suffer in ways that are incomprehensible to mere men. But you can’t think ofContinue reading “Does Obedience Lead to Comfort?”
Are You a Rookie at Heart?
“Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man Jesus is not from God, for He is working on the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?’ So there was a deep division of opinion among them.” (John 9:16 NLT) One of the people I most want to meet when IContinue reading “Are You a Rookie at Heart?”
Walking With Jesus 